Downtown Canton heats up: New group takes over First Friday with 'wicked cool' fire theme

CANTON A trio of believers in downtown Canton sat in an upstairs office on a recent afternoon, a sweeping view of Centennial Plaza visible through a window.

Todd Herberghs, Mike Sturdivant and Jonathan Becker, who have taken over planning and coordination of First Friday activities, spoke energetically and thoughtfully as they discussed both the present and future of the monthly downtown event that takes place at the plaza and beyond.

The Downtown Canton Partnership is now leading First Friday instead of ArtsinStark, the local arts advocacy organization that had contracted with Lynn and Dave Shimko, of 720 Events in Stark County, to rebrand the event. Their efforts included boosting marketing and creating new signage, barricades and maps, as well as some changes aimed at making First Friday even more family friendly.

Herberghs, however, said not to worry. While changes are planned, First Friday is here to stay, including the Feb. 3 event featuring fire and light spinning, which is being presented by DoubleTree by Hilton Canton Downtown.

First Friday hours of 5 to 9 p.m. will remain, although some businesses, restaurants and art galleries stay open past those times.

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Where can you watch fire spinning at First Friday?

Becker described fire performance as "a complete art form."

"Not only is it beautiful, but it's relaxing," he said. "And then it's wicked cool."

Fire spinning will be demonstrated by trained vendors at multiple downtown locations, including:

Hall of Fame City Ice Rink, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (provided by Orenda Arts & Entertainment)

Centennial Plaza, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (Circle City Fire)

Fourth Street between Cleveland and Dewalt avenues, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Inferno Circuit)

Light spinners will be at John Strauss Furniture Design, 236 Walnut Ave. NE, from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m.; Bender's Tavern, 137 Court Ave. SW, from 6:30 to 7 p.m.; Julliard Arts/Creative Dreams, 610 Market Ave. N, from 7 to 7:30 p.m.; Gator's Joint, 235 Cleveland Ave. NW, from 7:30 to 8 p.m.; and Court Avenue between Second and Third streets, from 8 to 8:30 p.m.

What else is there to do at February First Friday?

Shops, businesses, restaurants and bars will be open for the "Fire Up Downtown" event. Patina Arts Centre, Strauss Studios and Silo Arts Studio will have art exhibitions. BZTAT Studios will feature new artwork, as well as make-and-take fire breathing art projects for $2. Julliard Arts Center will have glass bead making demonstrations.

Canton Museum of Art and the Akron Zoo are partnering for a free family event 5 to 7 p.m. with a closer look at the ceramic art exhibition, "Thinking With Animals," and activities throughout the museum. Museum admission is also free 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday.

Grapes in a Glass, 575 Market Ave. N, will be offering two specialty drinks, including "The Flaming Karen," which features a lime drop martini with a flaming-sugared lime. "Bailey's Comment" is a combination of Baileys, butterscotch and cinnamon with a flaming fig. Live music also will be happening.

Fromage du Monde, 340 Fourth St. NW, a cut-to-order cheese and wine shop, will be offering brie brûlée.

Kendall & Blue, 217 Second St. NW, a boutique making room for new clothing inventory, will offer a 50 percent discount on total orders store wide.

What's the purpose of First Friday?

Herberghs and Sturdivant are both with the Downtown Canton Partnership and the Special Improvement District (SID). The SID falls under the Downtown Canton Partnership, a new entity that has registered to become a non-profit group.

The non-profit SID partners with the city to promote and assist downtown businesses while providing economic development-related programming.

Herberghs, executive director of the Downtown Canton Partnership and SID, said First Friday is critically important to downtown businesses. For many, it's the the busiest day of the month, he noted.

Sturdivant said First Friday also promotes and markets downtown Canton to the broader community.

"It's really an event that transcends beyond just the first day of the month" in terms of getting people interested in visiting downtown businesses throughout the year, said Sturdivant, communications director of the partnership group and SID.

"Downtown Canton gives you that big city feel in a smaller, more manageable location," he said.

"The potential here is extraordinary," Sturdivant added. "No matter what you're into (art, music, restaurants, shopping and family activities), you're going to find something for everybody here."

Who manages First Friday?

Becker, an award-winning custom theater mask designer and artist, formerly was based in Muncie, Indiana. Becker's business, Theater-Masks.com, is now based in Canton.

The Canton resident will manage First Friday and bring "his skill sets as a small business owner, community builder, events planner and artist that has spent the last 35 years involved in the entertainment industry worldwide," Herberghs said.

Becker said "it's important to keep (First Friday) fresh and exciting for people so there's always new things to discover."

Another focus is "to increase growth and sustainability of the Downtown Canton economy," Herberghs said of Becker.

Taking over the planning has happened quickly. Herberghs and the others met with downtown business owners and other interested parties just prior to Thanksgiving. Participants included food truck operators, vendors and art gallery owners. City government also was represented.

Input was sought on "what's working and not working with First Friday," Becker said. "... And we wanted an open line of communication."

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New ideas include a possible Cinco de Mayo theme

The group says it will maintain some of the popular First Friday events such as January's ice sculptures and "Chalk the Walk" later in the year.

New possibilities include a Cinco de Mayo-themed May First Friday, Becker said. April's First Friday will be art-themed with a plethora of artwork by fifth grade students in Canton City Schools.

"We have tons of opportunities," Herberghs said. "There's a lot of fun stuff you can do."

Expanding the "footprint" of First Friday activities downtown is also being explored, Becker said.

Added Herberghs: "All options are on the table."

First Friday transition was 'mutual' and 'amicable'

Becker complimented Lynn and Dave Shimko and their First Friday involvement.

"They did a wonderful job with everything," he said, noting the couple has been helpful with the transition. "Their contributions are very high quality; they've been great."

Becker described the transition as "mutual" and "amicable."

Lynn Shimko said she and her husband had been contracted by ArtsinStark to help with First Friday for a year before the contract expired in December.

"First Friday is a huge undertaking," Shimko added. "And we are now assisting in ensuring a smooth transition. The SID team has expressed to us their gratitude for having First Friday in a good place."

David Whitehill, president and CEO of ArtsinStark, said First Friday has grown over the course of more than 15 years from an art walk with a handful of participants to an event drawing thousands of people from Stark County and beyond.

Following the opening of Centennial Plaza, and in the wake of the pandemic, "there has been a groundswell of support to reimagine First Friday," said Whitehill, a board member with the Special Improvement District.

"We felt it was important to transition the event to an organization equipped to handle event operations and management," said Whitehill, who noted ArtsinStark will continue to support and help fund First Fridays.

Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com

On Twitter @ebalintREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: 'Wicked cool' fire spinners to heat up downtown Canton First Friday