by Curtis D. Tucker
Posted: 05/03/14 | Updated: 04/01/15
First Friday's Bringing Life Back To Downtown
When I was a kid, downtown Enid was where all the action was. The square was so busy every Saturday you couldn't find a parking space. The sidewalks would be packed with shoppers and kids being dragged from store to store. There were rows and rows of stores to buy things, places to eat and places to hang out.
If you remember those busy Saturday afternoons in the 50's, 60's and 70's and you want to experience that sense of community again, make a trip downtown to the next First Friday. Main Street Enid's First Fridays are getting so popular they are beginning to remind me of those Crazy Day Saturdays.
It amazes me that some residents have not come down to a First Friday but others say they have never even heard of it. April's First Friday is the first big one of the year and it should be hopping!
As one of the First Friday photographers and reporter for Enid Buzz, I make it a point to hit every segment of First Friday. Truthfully, there are many times when I am unable to cover absolutely everything in the three hours that I have. Here is just a glimpse of what I experienced during Free Art Friday 2014.
Free Art Friday began just before 6:00 pm when I made a quick walk around the square looking for free art to photograph. Yes, free art. You see, Free Art Friday takes place during First Friday in April. Enid's most creative folks contribute free art for residents to find and take home. The art is created on assorted materials chosen each year and are placed throughout the downtown area.
At six o'clock, art hunters began staking claim to their free art pieces. As I wandered around snapping pictures of happy art hunters I made my way to the Breezeway on Randolph. A jazz band had just set up and began to play music for anyone that wanted to stop and listen. Callahan's had a beer truck backed up and was selling beverages in the alleyway.
It wasn't long before I found the hottest spot of the evening. It was along Independence in front of Pearl Junkie and B Hip Kids. I am not exaggerating when I say there was a line filled with kids and families the entire three hours of First Friday, beginning at 6:00 pm and ending at 9:00 pm. They were there to meet Elsa and Anna, characters from the very popular movie Frozen.
Turpin Tunes, located in Gaslight Theatre, had 'Words and Music' which invited an array of Enid talent to sing and read some of their favorite prose. It had a very cozy atmosphere and I happened to catch Amy Kelly and Dave Abbott sing a great tune and then had the privilege of hearing Robert Barron reciting his favorite sonnets, even dedicating one to his wife, which brought out a little emotion from the audience.
From there I made my way from store to store passing Callahan’s, PaneVino and On the Sidewalk, which all had outdoor patios filled with patrons. Stores stayed open late for nighttime shopping and many had First Friday specials going on. Drew Ritchie stood out in front of his insurance business and gave out free water. Tessa Raven was on the sidewalk drawing caricatures with a twist. She gives each character only one eye and turns your portrait into a cyclops.
For You had live music from Billy Beck while Broadway Exchange had live music by Scott Carson. I also ran into Casey and Minna walking down the sidewalk playing live and a three young men were playing in front of Goldspot Ice Cream Parlor. People stopped to listen and continued down the sidewalks soaking in all of the festivities. Wess Gray drove by and yelled out his window for me to snap his picture. A little ironic since he's a professional photographer.
Another big event of the evening was the reveal of Enid's Lego Builder. ELB, as he's affectionately known, decided it was time to reveal his secret identity so that he could have more freedom creating art and doing those famous art treasure hunts. He posted clues on Facebook which led his most loyal fans to find him at the Felt Bird. Every time I saw him throughout the evening there was a crowd of fans gathered around him asking questions and complimenting him on his creativity. If you couldn't make it down, it turns out ELB is none other than Carl Fielder!
Angel Delight had prepared great food and nachos for Friday shoppers. They even had cookie decorating supplies for the kids. I caught two brothers having a great time devouring their creations. Downtown Kitchen Store had a layout of free food samples available for anyone that walked in the door. They also had relatives that had traveled from Australia in the store experiencing an Enid First Friday.
I passed Cafe Garcia which had an awesome band on the patio belting out a perfect rendition of a Fleetwood Mac song. The patio area was completely packed with patrons. The sidewalks were filled with residents window shopping and enjoying the fresh air. The greatest thing about First Friday is that you can have a genuinely great time and not have to spend a dime!
I spent a bit of time at Five80 Coffeehouse quenching my thirst with a perfect iced tea. There were not one, but two bounce houses set up in front. And they were free! I spoke with many friends and even shook hands with a few future political candidates. Jason and Torry Turnbow were there with their kids and we talked about the upcoming Enid Farmers Market. Five80 is such a great place to hang out and spend time with friends.
There were other great activities going on that I missed due to lack of time. Creative Arts had an open house while Downtown Threads had t-shirts for the kids to decorate. Enid Roller Girls were near the gazebo giving away goodies, doing face glitter and pressing on temporary tattoos.
The evening began to wrap up with the Go For Glow 5k and Fun Run which was held on the square. Hundreds of participants lined up at 8:30 pm and circled the square to raise money for Chisholm Schools. Many were dressed in crazy outfits while others carried glowing objects. The streets around the square were blocked with barricades to prevent traffic from entering the area.
All in all it was a fantastic evening and I’m confident the remaining First Fridays will only get bigger and better. The May First Friday is already gaining momentum as it will not only include the Jazz Stroll but will also include most of the Tri-State events including the marching parade on Friday night rather than Saturday. If you have not been to a First Friday this would be a great one to attend. As you can tell there is plenty to do and this is a very family friendly event that should remain an Enid tradition for years to come.
Below is just a sampling of photos I took at First Friday. You can see more on the Main Street Enid First Friday page. Enjoy!
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