First Friday - June 2009

I Hate Canton doesn't want everybody to think we are all work and no play! Here's a press release we received this afternoon from First Friday. And no! First Friday will never be a Village Idiot!


June FIRST FRIDAY – Jumpin’ June!
Friday, June 5, 2009 6-10 p.m.
Canton’s Downtown Arts District

Jumpin’ June!

Swing dancing, Sword fighting, Clydesdales, Cameras and of course, Jump ropes. June 5th will be jumping with an eclectic mix of live music, new art, dance, drama and the debut of a premiere photography gallery in downtown Canton at this month’s First Friday celebration.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales will parade through the Arts District to deliver cases of brew to the downtown restaurants. Finishing up their route, they’ll be primed for pictures and adoration on the Kresge Green Space until 8:00 p.m. The equine beauties will be sharing the landscape with members of the Society for Creative Anachronism demonstrating spinning, weaving and sword fighting. This group will also be doing medieval
dance.

The Canton Ballet will be performing at 6:00 p.m. at the Cultural Center for the Arts (1001 Market Avenue North), as part of First Stop First Friday at the Canton Museum of Art and About Magazine, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Want more dancing? Live music by the Hep Cat Revival and lessons with Get Hep Swing will set the stage at the Metropolitan Centre Ballroom (601 Cleveland Ave NW), while other folks may be dancing in the streets on 4th with bands The Most Beautiful Losers, The Hazematics and Darling Czar. A troupe from Living Fountain Dance
Company will be performing all around the Arts District, throughout the evening.

And what about the jump roping? Well, the Blue Twisters, a competitive jump rope team from Lake YMCA will be at Court and 4th at 7:45 p.m.. But if you want to actually participate, free jump ropes will be given out by the Aultman Wellness on Wheels van for a jump rope competition beginning at 7:00 p.m. Do this and then walk in the Art Street Parade, led by the Arts Academy at Summit School band, stepping off at Court Avenue and 6th at 7:30 p.m.

The grand opening of the Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography (520 Cleveland Avenue North) will surely delight arts as, well as architecture aficionados, who will be stunned by the collection of proprietor Timothy Belden and the restoration of the 13,000 square foot gallery space to display historical, modern and socially significant photographic images.

Second April Galerie and Studios (324 Cleveland Ave N.) will also host a photography show, “The View from Here,” featuring the work of E. Bruce Lee. Sculptor Chris Wurst will be at Sarafina (208 Court Ave) and the students of Canton Montessori will be working with welding artist Joseph Close and having their work displayed at Anderson Creative (333 Cleveland Ave. N.).

Then, there’s the Poetry Showcase, the Canton Idol Singers, the Speed Cup Stacking Challenge and the “Fur Friday” events featuring artists Lynn Digby, Sue Steiner, and Vicki Boatright doing demos and featuring critters (some live!) as models and muses.

And, live music, great restaurants, and fun for everyone. Up-to-the-minute information and the full program map for all of the music, art, and dining events for June 5 – Jumpin’ June! is available at the official First Friday website:
http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.cantonfirstfriday.com.

First Friday is sponsored by the Downtown Canton Special Improvement District in cooperation with ArtsinStark, the County Arts Council.
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