×

Fire & ice downtown

First Friday promotion pairs heat with the cold

Wess Apshaga-Meaux, 36, of Marietta, spouts fire from his mouth during a performance on the Armory lawn in Marietta Friday. The Marietta Times

Fire and ice filled Marietta’s frosty downtown for the first Friday in January with visitors treated not only to later shopping hours but also with vibrant and contrasting entertainment.

“We dressed for the cold in layers just to come out to the event,” said Ashley Wagner, 28, of Devola, who was on a girls’ night out with her mother Sandy Wagner, 49, of Lowell. “The fire show was the best part of the night and it’s nice that so many people came out to see it and look through all of the stores.”

First Fridays are a new event replacing the Merchants and Artist walks which brought visitors downtown during the warmer months of each year. The event will occur, as its name implies, on the first Friday of each month from 5 to 9 p.m. with shops open later to accommodate shoppers.

Twice on the Armory lawn a dance troupe called The Burning Dawn blew flames into the air above a crowd of more than 30 onlookers.

“It’s these kinds of events that bring tourists into the downtown,” said Sandy. “That boosts the economy even in winter.”

Burning Dawn performer and Marietta resident Wess Apshaga-Meaux, 36, said it was a delight to perform Friday.

“We got the chance to perform in a fire and ice festival, and they already had the ice, so why not bring the fire?” he said. “I love Marietta and anything I can do to make it more beautiful and fun, I’m there.”

In the next block of Front Street at the eclectic boutique, Twisted Sisters, Tyson Whistler, 32, of Marietta, showed off a hidden talent in the chill of the night.

“I’ve been a chef for 15 years and about 10 years ago someone handed me a block of ice and said to carve it,” explained Whistler, who works as the executive chef at Glenwood Retirement Community. “I’ve been doing art since I was 7 years old and this was a new challenge that I’ve really grown to love. It has a certain elegance to it.”

Whistler carved a swan in front of visitors Friday but also was the artist behind five other  ice sculptures downtown.

“I think the music notes in front of Peoples Bank Theatre were one of my favorites I’ve ever done,” he said. “There’s a peace that comes as you’re carving and creating something that not many people ever get to see in person.”

Peoples Bank Theatre held an open house at the same time as the First Fridays event downtown, giving tours to more than 30 visitors of the inner workings behind the stage as a small celebration of one year since its opening.

“We decided to sponsor an ice sculpture and give people tours of the theater as a way to thank those who have made it such a great year but also to bring more people through our doors,” said Chuck Swaney, manager of the theater. “The hope is that if they’re not currently a patron that this tour will inspire them to come back and see a show. We have such a great lineup for the rest of January like The Hit Men next weekend, and Dr. Zhivago and the Golden Dragon Acrobats later this month.”

Marietta residents also took the opportunity Friday to speak with Small Business Revolution host Amanda Brinkman, who is in town this weekend to speak with residents and small business owners about why Marietta should be featured on her show with Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec.

“They need to see that Marietta is more than just a small town with charm, it’s a small town that has history at every turn,” said Councilman Mike McCauley, who pulled Brinkman aside Friday night. “Everything here is on the upturn but with roots in that history and as long as we can keep the business district in the second ward vibrant, we can keep that small town community.”

Chuck Sulerzyski, president of Peoples Bank, and his wife Lisa, said they hoped more residents would make it out Saturday to shop and eat downtown to show the Small Business Revolution team that Friday night wasn’t a singular event.

“I’m really excited by nights like this but we have a lot to be proud of in the day, too. More storefronts are being filled, and for me it’s the combination of beauty, history, shops and restaurants when you’re going downtown,” said the bank president.

“You have all of that, but then you can walk down to the river and just feel the peace and charm and almost step back in time to the first settlers,” Lisa added.

Brinkman planned to spend Saturday filming downtown and speaking with locals to determine if Marietta should be selected from its current spot on the top eight list to its final five in the nation.

If selected Marietta will be in the running to win $500,000 for downtown revitalization and need-specific guidance for six small businesses in the areas of marketing, branding and business administration.

“We’re looking for a town that can take our spark and run with it,” said Brinkman. “We really want a self-starting community because half a million dollars isn’t going to solve every problem, but it’s that investment that we hope can kick off even greater change and growth.”

Brinkman said she hopes that regardless of which community wins the competition, that small businesses use the national exposure from participating as a “springboard” for further success and outreach.

“We just live in this time where people are more isolated than ever even though we have all of these forms of communication and social media to connect,” said Brinkman. “But when you step into these small towns like Marietta you look up and there’s that connection and those smiles, that’s what we’re trying to showcase.”

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.15/week.

Subscribe Today