First
Fridays
return to
Putnam!
Are you ready? Putnam is!
This year the Putnam Business Association’s First Fridays returns to its roots — celebrating the arts. Artists, vendors, performances and more will fill Main Street in downtown Putnam.
After a two-year hiatus First Fridays returns with a creative vengeance from 5 to 9 p.m. on May 6, June 3, July 1 and Aug. 5.
Gary Osbrey, president of the Putnam Business Association, said: “We’re back by popular demand. After a two-year hiatus, First Fridays will return with music, art, food and family fun. Our new chairperson Kayla Trant and her committee are putting together a compelling series of First Fridays events that will continue to cement Putnam as a destination town. Our locals love the Putnam events and every event brings new and repeat visitors to our community. It is a privilege to live and work here and we are blessed with a vibrant and energetic Putnam Business Association and a strong commitment of cooperation from the Town of Putnam.”
This event series is the vision of local artists and galleries coming together to create a monthly event centered around the arts that highlight the diversity Putnam has to offer. It also brings in talent from around the region in celebration of the arts and culture, according to Kayla Trant, First Fridays chair.
Each First Fridays will be filled with art, music, handmade crafts, food vendors, entertainment and more. In addition, the event series shines the spotlight on volunteers and community involvement. Live performances, live installations, wood sculpturing, and live mural demonstrations will abound. Meet and Greet the artists. And art vendors will also be selling their work.
Funding to help propel the return of First Fridays comes from a regional marketing grant. “We received a Regional Marketing Partnership Matching Grant for $8,000 from the Eastern Regional Tourism District (ERTD). The ERTD created a matching funds program to promote regional tourism opportunities in eastern Connecticut. Businesses, non-profits and municipalities were invited to collaborate and develop a marketing partnership that will be matched with funds from the ERTD,” said Karen Osbrey of the PBA.
The return of First Fridays will inspire you to return to Putnam because the PBA isn’t sitting back after the last First Fridays. In September the wildly popular Savor the Flavor will be held on Sept. 11. The famous Zombie Fashion Show is Oct. 7 and on Oct. 15 come one, come all to the Great Pumpkin Festival.
Plenty of free parking. For event info, go to: www.Discoverputnam.com. For info, registration for all vendors, go to: https://www.discoverputnam.com/firstfridays-getinvolved

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