PUTNAM --- The 2014 season of First Friday events will commence in under a month and the excitement builds for the first one, May 2, a  kickoff of the outdoor art-based street festival. First Friday this year explores Cultural Diversity.

First Fridays this year will be held May 2, June 6, July 11, Aug. 1, Sept. 5, Oct. 3. They start at 6 p.m. and the events are free.

 The May 2 First Friday will focus on the cultural element of Song, and it is safe to assume that Main Street will be filled with the rhythmic sounds of voices and instruments throughout the evening. The headlining band for the May 2 event will be the Rick Harrington Band Featuring Angela Howell. This local group is known for their Blues, R&B, and Soul music, a genre with deep roots in the American South. Visitors should keep their eyes and ears open for a returning First Friday favorite – Art Attacks. Created and planned each month by the Putnam Arts Council, Art Attacks are spontaneous art installations and demonstrations. The cultural significance of Song will be reflected in the May Art Attack.

Two new features of this year’s First Friday events are the Putnam Puppet Troupe Collaborative and First Friday Community Art Projects. These new additions will engage with the seasonal theme in creative ways to give each First Friday an interactive feel. The Putnam Puppet Troupe Collaborative is a collective of local puppeteers, artists, and performers, and they have some exciting things in store for each First Friday. May 2 will see stilt walkers, jugglers, and hula-hoop dancers mixing in with the crowd while the Collaborative’s puppets demonstrate how Work Songs have made work easier through synchronizing movement with voice. With a goal to create large-scale monthly art projects, the First Friday Community Art Committee invites visitors of all ages to join them in the creation of butterflies from recycled bags during the May 2 event. Once crafted, the butterflies will be hung over Main Street, giving the illusion of colorful Monarchs, Swallowtails and other butterflies hovering over the sights and sounds of the festival.

As always, each First Friday will feature events hosted by Putnam’s celebrated downtown galleries. For the May 2 event, Arts & Framing’s featured artist will be Tim Oliver, a self-taught artist who uses a variety of mediums, including oils, watercolors, Ginko leaves, and even egg shells! The Gallery on Main Street - Empty Spaces Project will feature the 2014 Mobile Masters Winners with iPhoneography from Around the World. In addition, there will be a performance by Bobby Gadoury. Award-winning artist, Edward Santos will be at Flying Carpet Studio, which will also feature a performance by Susan Lizee La Palme. And Pomfret School painting instructor/artist in residence Jean-Paul Jacquet will be exhibiting a collection of his works from the past several years at Silver Circle Gallery with “Jean-Paul Jacquet: Perspectives.” 

This season, the First Friday committee and the Putnam Business Association invite  all "to discover why Putnam is gaining the reputation of being the arts capital of Northeast Connecticut."  For more information: Visit the Discover Putnam Website: www.discoverputnam.com