Ironwood celebrates First Friday of August

By ZACHARY MARANO

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Ironwood - The Downtown Ironwood First Friday of August event was held in the city on Friday. Crowds gathered in the Downtown City Square to listen to live music by the Superior Horns and Blue Ice, a local band featuring more than 10 musicians.

Tim Erickson, community development assistant for the city of Ironwood, said that this month's First Friday event was part of their concert music series. There will be more concerts at the First Friday events in September and possibly in October, he said.

The First Friday event also featured vendor booths at the City Square. Arlene Schneller and Anne Atwood, artists from the Downtown Art Place, sent a newsletter to regional artists and craftspeople encouraging them to participate at the event.

Atwood said that the following artists and vendors were at the First Friday event: Ann Marie Batiste, Maryna Rouse, Virginia Bodenmiller, Tammy Kann, Bella Gaiser, Annika Borovich, Superior Impressions, Superior Rose Creations, Cozy Creations and Silver Properties.

"We keep growing the database list and keep looking for more artists to participate. And it doesn't even have to be artists. It could be service organizations like State Farm or Silver Properties, who have been there in the past. We welcome anyone to have an opportunity to network with people who are in the community," Schneller said.

Schneller and other volunteers from the DAP set up their own table at the event in the Downtown City Square, where they invited people to participate in the creation of a community art piece. Both children and adults had the opportunity to draw or paint a section of a three-foot-by-three-foot panel.

"Sometimes, we have really small children who just like to start painting and using our markers (on the panels)," Schneller said. "We let them scribble and draw because it's there for everybody. Sometimes the moms are a little bit hesitant to let their kids do something to make some marks on the piece. But, to me, it's a community art piece, so anyone can pick up a paint brush or a marker."

"I really want to encourage children – or even adults – to not be afraid and just start to draw, start to paint and start to create. You can't do anything wrong with art. It builds a little more confidence in them," Schneller said.

The theme of the community art piece was the Emberlight Festival's Art in the Park show. Schneller said that she encouraged artists to think of something related to nature, music and art.

Five other community art pieces were created at First Friday and other City Square events. The first was created in September 2020. Schneller said all six pieces will be displayed in the Range Art Association 66th Annual Art Show. The art show will be in the Ironwood Memorial Building Auditorium from Aug. 26 to Sept. 5.

Erickson said that the First Friday event organizers encouraged businesses in downtown Ironwood to stay open later as part of the event.

After the Superior Horns and Blue Ice band's concert and vendors closed their booths for the evening, the Historic Ironwood Theatre showed "The Karate Kid" as part of the First Friday Throwback Movie series.

First Friday also coincided with the Farmer and Artisans Market, which happens from 4-6 p.m. on Fridays at Ironwood's Depot Park. The last Farmer and Artisans Market of the year will be on Oct. 1.

Marty's Goldenaires will perform at the First Friday event in September and the theme of the event in October will be "Plaidurday," Erickson said.

"It's the worldwide celebration of Plaid," Erickson said. "Usually, we work with Stormy Kromer and they sponsor the event. We always take the world's biggest picture of people wearing plaid on main street. So far, we've never been beaten. We have a little rivalry with Marquette. Marquette was close last year, but we still beat them pretty handily."