CANTON, OH — First Friday is always a great time in downtown Canton, Oh, but the first weekend in august is always a little more special being Hall of Fame Week.
Getting there a little early that night I had a chance to walk along the parade route being set up for the Hall of Fame Parade the following morning. The streets are clear of cars volunteers were setting up seats along the sidewalks. It takes a lot of time and coordination for these dedicated people, without them, we wouldn’t have a Hall of Fame celebration.
It gave me a great opportunity to get photos of the parade route, and the buildings along it. Along this route is a sculpture called “the birth of the NFL” which is a football shape that contains stained glass letters inside that spells NFL. Some of the other attractions include murals, and a statue set of the 1936 NFL draft. Canton certainly embraces its heritage of being the birthplace of football.
Also, downtown there are some murals. The one of Cleveland Avenue depicts Establishing the National American Football Association in 1920 at Ray Hay’s Hupmobile Dealership, and another featuring the great Jim Thorpe who not only played and coached the Canton Bulldogs, but also played and coached for the Cleveland Indians.
Making our way back to the festivities, there were different areas featuring talented local live musicians in a variety of genres of music. There are also numerous local artists, from painters, to photographers to jewelry makers who sell their wares along the streets. Local area shops have extended hours for First Friday as well.
First Friday is also a wonderful opportunity to show your fashion sense and showcase your personality through fashion and makeup. I met this lovely young lady, Bri who did her makeup featuring cosmetic gems, and wanted to give a shout out to her talent!
At the event, I was able to meet Beth and Christian who volunteer at Beech Creek Botanical Gardens and Nature Preserve in Alliance. Until now, I had no idea that this place existed!
They brought along some live butterflies from the us Butterfly house and let us know about all of amazing things they offer at the Nature Preserve. I fully intend on visiting soon to write an article about this nonprofit. If you wish to visit their website, it is www.beechcreekgardens.org
Beside Beech Creek, Circus Inversus had an area set up and were showcasing some amazing talent from their performers. Circus Inversus trains locally but brings their shows all over Ohio. Photographed here are Samantha (in orange) and Caitlin. You can view their Instagram at @circusinversus.
Canton First Fridays are every month! You can find out more at www.dwntwncanton.com