Tonight you can have your cake and eat it too.

Re:New DeKalb is sponsoring the Eat Dessert First event in downtown DeKalb from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday.

“Each store that is participating will have a dessert for their shoppers to enjoy,” said Lindsey Engelsman, marketing and special events coordinator of Re:New DeKalb.

In addition to eating dessert while you shop, stores will be offering special sales and events.

Megan Sawchuk, manager of Cracker Jax, 118 N. Third St., said her store was very excited for the event.

“We are having someone come in to do henna tattoos,” Sawchuk said.

The Hillside Restaurant, 121 N. Second St., is featuring their homemade chocolate cake, as well as numerous food specials for the night, said Mary Wilson, owner of The Hillside Restaurant.

All of the 17 local businesses involved are members of the Celebrate Downtown Partnership between Re:New DeKalb and the downtown businesses.

Although the event is free, donations, monetary or otherwise, will be taken for DeKalb’s domestic violence shelter Safe Passage.

My Faivret Things, 249 E. Lincoln Highway, is donating 10 percent of their sales for the night to Safe Passage.

“Anything anyone can do to help Safe Passage is wonderful,” said Joyce Waters and Pam Faivre, owners of My Faivret Things.

“Since this is like a girls night out,” Engelsman said, “we thought it’d be a great organization to donate to.”

An information booth will be set up on the corner of Lincoln Highway and Second Street where donations will be taken, and a “shopping pass” will be handed out with the list of businesses participating.