Downtown Binghamton’s First Friday is welcoming a new addition to its regular festivities: a concert series featuring performances from two of Binghamton University’s a cappella groups.

The Binghamton Philharmonic will inaugurate the series, titled “Casual Concerts on the River,” today with a performance from 6 to 7 p.m. on the Martin Luther King Promenade of the Court Street Bridge. Concerts presented by the Binghamton Economic Development Office (BEDO) will continue weekly throughout the month of September.

First Friday is an event that occurs on the first Friday of each month in Downtown Binghamton, when galleries, artists’ studios, museums, restaurants and cafés open their doors to the public for special events and entertainment. The concert will be one of the many attractions at the event.

The music performances will mark the first First Friday event to be held on the River Trails, according to the official Binghamton University press release.

Merry Harris, director of economic development in Binghamton, explained that the goal of the concert series is to encourage a sense of community among students and residents and to better acquaint the public with the city.

“Part of our goal in kicking off the Casual Concert series is to get the word to as many people as possible,” Harris said. “We want to highlight talent, public use of the River Trails and the Peacemakers’ Stage and remind people to see Downtown as a place to be more often than once a month.”

The concerts, which will include student a cappella groups like the Binghamton Crosbys and Rhythm Method as well as local groups, are a way for the University to connect to the community, according to the Gorgeous Washington Street Association (GWSA) website, which supports the revitalization projects of Downtown Binghamton through the support of the arts.

“They [the concerts] will be a ‘bridge’ from work to recreation in Downtown on Fridays, as well as bridging between the folks living and working in the city and BU students on and off campus,” Harris said.

Rob Wandell, chair of the Gorgeous Washington Street Association, expressed his excitement about a new addition to an already successful program.

“First Friday is the biggest thing that has worked to show the life and abundance of talent that is hidden or goes unnoticed in Binghamton,” Wandell said.

The concert series is just one of many offerings at this year’s event, according to Wandell. He said he hopes to continue adding new attractions to annual First Friday events.

BEDO and the GWSA were optimistic that the concerts will bring attention to other events that are held on the River Trails.

“We do monthly river crawls from May to September on the third Friday of the month and we hope that this concert series generates interest in more collaboration with BU and others in the community for activities in public spaces,” Harris said.

The concert series is free to attend. More information about First Friday and the concert series is available at www.gorgeouswashington.com.