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STEUBENVILLE -- Harmonium Project President Marc Barnes has a message for area residents expecting the same, fun-filled First Fridays on Fourth tonight:
Just wait.
This year, Barnes said they've added some new wrinkles -- like an expanded festival area.
Beginning today at 6 p.m., First Fridays on Fourth will wrap around the block onto Market Street between Antique Warehouse and the Pocket Park.
"I'm very excited about this year because we are expanding the First Friday footprint down Market Street because we have so many vendors and participants that we really have to get bigger," Barnes said. "This includes opening a second stage in Pocket Park, across from Malta's Pizza."
That's right, a second stage. He said the vibe in Pocket Park will be more mellow than the main stage around the corner on Fourth Street.
"Our second stage will have more focus on acoustics, instrumentals and quieter acts," he explained. "We did a survey, asking people what we could do to improve First Fridays. One of the requests we got was to provide more spaces where people could sit and talk and still enjoy music because the main stage tends to be more raucous. With this stage, we'll try to have more of a garden feel, where people can get a glass of wine, sit on a bench and listen to jazz music. It will be tucked away in the park, that's another thing we got feedback on -- a lot of Steubenville locals wanted us to create more spaces within First Fridays so they could just sit and enjoy."
A bonus of the new layout, he said, "is we'll be able to double our musical acts throughout the night."
"Our expansion is motivated by necessity, fitting all our vendors in and our desire to provide more for Steubenville," he said, adding they figure they typically draw between 5,000 and 6,000 people to a First Friday event, though he concedes it's hard to estimate crowd sizes during a four-hour period and several blocks.
"I think it got bigger because people want a downtown, they don't want to live a life where they drive to places, patronize them and drive home. They want a city center where they can see their neighbors, visit multiple spaces at once in a pedestrian environment. First Fridays fills that desire. First Fridays is always about a better downtown, it's not about itself."
The idea is to create a "fun, festive, family friendly downtown."
"A lot of the new businesses that have opened up in the footprint of First Fridays have said that First Fridays gave them the confidence they needed to open up in Steubenville because they know they're always going to have a really good day every month," he said, adding it makes a difference when small business owners decide it's time to pass the torch. "Even though Bookmarx closed, (the owner) said his ability to sell to a new generation as opposed to letting it drop, could be attributed to First Fridays and all the work the Nelsons have done to make the downtown a viable spot. It seems like a no brainer that you want thousands of people to show up, one way or another."
As the new season kicks off, Barnes said the Harmonium Project has its fingers crossed there'll be "no disasters or catastrophes."
"We're hoping for good weather. We're hoping that, for this First Friday, things go smoothly with all the new spaces and extended parts.
"Besides that, we hope for every First Friday that when people see it, they won't just say 'this was fun' and go home, that they'll think downtown Steubenville has a lot of potential and maybe they should be part of it as well.
The Week 1 First Friday theme is "Roaring Twenties." The lineup includes:
— Main stage: The entertainment starts with the Steubenville Big Red Band at 6:15 p.m. Then, at 6:30, the Skyliners will take the stage, followed at 7:30 p.m. by Tap Dancing Extravaganza; 8 p.m., Matt Hill & Friends; 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the Dance 'Til You Drop competition; 9:15 p.m., Tap Dancing Extravaganza II, and 9:30 p.m., Big Blitz.
Those participating in the Dance 'Til You Drop' competition must dance non-stop and survive "dance challenges" to win the prize. Anyone who wants to participate should show up at the Main Stage with their dance partner to receive instructions from Steubenville Swing Dance's Joseph Palmer.
— Pocket stage: 6:30 p.m., Matt Hill Takin' It Easy Jazz Band, with festival goers invited to bring an instrument and join in the fun, followed at 8 p.m. by Faire May.
— In the festival area, look for the Kid's Mocktail Bar, a Secret Speakeasy and Bouncy Castles by the Grand Theater for the Performing Arts.