Farmington’s premiere of First Friday Art Walk April 3

FARMINGTON – Organizers of the inaugural First Friday Art Walk promise art, entertainment and more at the event to be centered downtown on April 3, from 5 to 8 p.m.

Several merchants and businesses will be staying open longer on Friday and will have special activities that include live music, poetry, refreshments and plenty of art.

While the idea of holding a special evening event on the first Friday of each month isn’t new, it’s a first for Farmington.

“This is going to be an art walk and more,” organizer Malcolm Porter, Jr. said on Monday. While Friday’s event is the first with many participating retailers and businesses, he hopes to expand it each month to include a variety of new venues and more activities. Included will be special events at Meetinghouse Park’s gazebo when warmer weather arrives.

For April’s First Friday, his store Enchanted Herbs & Botanical at 156 Main Street, which held its grand opening last weekend, is planning a special exhibit of local art work.

David Spinney-Porter, assistant manager at Walmart, is coordinating an exhibit of art work to be shown at Enchanted Herbs & Botanical that was created by 10 artists who work at Walmart. Refreshments will be provided by Walmart.

“I really would like our community to see some of the talent we have at our store. We have a lot of excitement within the walls of our store for this event; I think it is great for our associates and will help build our community,” Spinney-Porter said.

Across Main Street, the artists of the Upcountry Artists Gallery and Learning Center are hosting a reception with live music, a hands-on art activity, refreshments and a special discount on cards and unframed prints. Walkers are encouraged to stay a while, meet the local artists, and view their work in a festive atmosphere.

More music will be featured at County Seat Realty on Main Street when the live band, Down the Dirt Road plays.

Like other businesses in downtown Farmington, Minikins on Broadway will be open until 8 p.m. to welcome community members who are participating in the premiere of Farmington’s First Friday Art Walk, said store owner, Susun Terese. She will join her friends in the Merry Plinksters Ukulele Band as they play tunes for the public, from 5 to 8 p.m., right inside the store at 218 Broadway.

The Band is comprised of approximately 12—15 adults of varying ages and musical backgrounds. Mike Burd, who also teaches the adult education class, Ukulele 101, has coached the Merry Plinksters group for several years. The Plinksters have played at many venues in the greater Farmington area, and enjoy networking with other ukulele groups throughout the state.

Many of the songs in the Merry Plinksters’ repertoire are folk songs and familiar classics. The public is always welcome to sing, whistle or hum along as the Plinksters plink away. The band has tentative plans to play at Minikins for subsequent First Friday Art Walks.

Also on Broadway, DDG Booksellers will be hosting an open mic poetry reading—minus the microphone-on Friday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring their best personal work or a favorite poem or two written by someone else and be ready to use your most elegant reading voice, said Kenny Brechner of DDG. Or if you would rather just sit back and listen to the poetic voices of the Farmington community, by all means, stop in. Light refreshments will be available.

SugarWood Gallery also on Broadway, is holding an open reception from 4 to 7 p.m. for Theresa Haley as April’s Artist of the Month.

A half block up on Perham Street, an Open Studio & Art Gallery featuring oils, pastels, and prints by Tracy Medling will be held as part of the first Friday event. The event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., at 114 Perham Street. (Four houses up on the left from blinking yellow light.)