Side Street Studio Arts presents expanded First Fridays in downtown Elgin

Side Street Studio Arts is collaborating with Explore Elgin Area, the Downtown Neighborhood Association, and a variety of downtown Elgin businesses and area artists to grow First Friday events in 2018.

First Fridays continue Friday, April 6 at Side Street Studios, Elgin Public House, Jimmy John's, Maiden Bedlam, and beyond and are supported by an organizational grant from the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission.

First Fridays and similar events have been community highlights across the country since the 1980s.

These monthly gatherings often highlight an artistic community, as well as local food and wares. The consistent and energetic nature of these events allows a city's residents to plan on them for monthly affordable and accessible entertainment and a way to discover or rediscover what their community has to offer.

Side Street Studio Arts is hosting and producing collaborative programming including the "Intellectual Mercenary Show," a comedy, music, and poetry variety show, led by Luis Arevalo at the Theater at Side Street Studio Arts; art-making projects for the whole family at Jimmy John's on Grove Avenue; Fred Zimmerman "The Chicago Mentalist" at Maiden Bedlam, 166 E. Chicago St., T. J. Regul "The Quad City Magician" at Elgin Public House, and more. There is a $5 suggested donation for the "Intellectual Mercenary Show."

Downtown businesses are encouraged to offer First Friday specials for roving audiences.

The evening will also feature Side Street Studio Arts's monthly "Small Wonders" drop-in for young artists aged 4-12. The monthly event runs from 4:15 to 6:15 p.m. For a $5 suggested donation, young artists are able to participate in visual and performing art classes, led by professional teaching artists.

The "Install" exhibition will be available for in-process viewing and artist talks on process. The Lab will be open for drop-in art making. And, in front of the building on Spring Street, Mario's Cart Food Truck will be serving their Italian and Mexican specialties starting at 5:15 p.m.

"We believe that pushing this idea forward will increase foot traffic for retail, restaurants, local artists, and the other resources downtown Elgin has to offer; initiate a positive economic impact on the area; and highlight downtown Elgin as a monthly destination for community gathering," said Tanner Melvin, founder and executive director. "Inspired by the growth of the Elgin Fringe Festival, the move of the Going Dutch Festival from Chicago to Elgin, the scary magic of Nightmare on Chicago Street, and the new beginnings of organizations like the Downtown Neighborhood Association, we know that the possibilities for successful First Fridays are great, and the time is now to make this happen."

Side Street Studio Arts aims to create an easy-to-follow structure for those interested in participating that can be maintained for the foreseeable future, following the culmination of an Elgin Cultural Arts Commission funded year. For more information on First Fridays or any of its programming, visit www.facebook.com/sidestreetstudioartselgin/, www.sidestreetstudioarts.org, or call (847) 429-2276.