Fourth of July celebrations don’t need to be the end of this week’s fun.Â
July’s First Friday event in downtown Lancaster will feature more than 25 galleries, small businesses and events to check out, many of which displaying works from new artists, as well as new activities to try.
A reminder â especially as the summer months bring the heat â the First Friday Trolley will run on a loop from 5-7:30 p.m., with stops at Ewell Plaza, the 300 block of North Queen Street, the Ware Center, the 100 block of North Prince Street and Southern Market.
Here are 27 ways to celebrate July’s First Friday in Lancaster city.
Baldwin’s Gallery
For the first time, Baldwin’s Gallery will display works of art from a deceased artist. Artist Karen Schory’s works will be on display, with her photos featuring many places she traveled, including Rome and Venice. Schory’s works will be on display through the end of December.
More information: Baldwin’s Gallery in Altana (second floor), 26 E. King St., Lancaster | Hours: 5-9 p.m. | More info
Binns Park
Learn salsa and bachata dance moves at Binns Park, then dance the night away for First Friday. This class, in collaboration with the Lancaster Salsa|Bachata Fest and EmBodyment Wellness, is open to all skill levels, and starts with instruction at 6:30 p.m. A DJ will play songs to dance to until 8 p.m.
More information: Binns Park, 136 N. Queen St., Lancaster | Hours: 6-8 p.m. | More info
Covenant United Methodist Church
The Covenant United Methodist Church will host pianist Benjamin Wesley and vocalist Jeremiah Miller for First Friday as part of their Chocolate Chip Cookie Concert Series. Local artists Sandy Leonard and Joanne McIlvaine will have their works on display.
More information: Covenant United Methodist Church, 110 N. Mulberry St., Lancaster | Hours: 6-7 p.m. | More info
Curio Gallery & Creative Supply
Curio will continue to show works from Sherry Bowman and Nichole Madonna’s collection, “Artist. Woman. Mother.” The exhibition features works that display the intersectionality of the artists, and their identities.
This exhibition will be on display through July 27. There will be an additional artist talk with Bowman and Madonna at 7 p.m. July 10.
More information: Curio Gallery & Creative Supply, 106 W. Chestnut St., Lancaster | Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. | More info
David Lyall Home & Design
Works from Lynn Hocker’s collection “Enchanted Brushstrokes” will be on display at David Lyall Home & Design for July’s First Friday event in Lancaster city.
David Lyall Home & Design will debut an exhibition from artist Lynn Hocker’s collection “Enchanted Brushstrokes.” It features works inspired by the Amish.
This event will also be the book signing premiere for his book, “Living in the Land of Buggies.”
More information: David Lyall Home & Design, 241 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Hours: 5-8 p.m. | More info
Demuth Museum
The Demuth Museum debuted an exhibition in May called “Demuth Invitational: Still Life.” Local artists were invited to look at works from Charles Demuth, the museum’s namesake, and create pieces of still-life art in their own style.
This exhibition will be on display through July 21.
More information: Demuth Museum, 120 E. King St., Lancaster | Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. | More info
Ewell Plaza
“Markets & Makers” returns this First Friday, featuring several local makers with wares for sale. This makers market continues monthly on First Fridays through October.
More information: Ewell Plaza, 123 N. Queen St., Lancaster | Hours: 5-8 p.m. | More info
First Reformed Church
Jazz pianist Colin Mekeel will perform several songs for First Reformed Church’s free First Friday event, including “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” by Duke Ellington, “I Mean You” by Thelonious Monk and “Windows” by Chick Corea.
More information: First Reformed Church, 40 E. Orange St., Lancaster | Hours: 8-8:30 p.m. | More info
Freiman Stoltzfus Gallery
The Freiman Stoltzfus Gallery will debut a new collection, “Sea Song; 2024” for July’s First Friday in Lancaster city.
The Freiman Stoltzfus Gallery will debut a new exhibition called “Sea Song; 2024,” featuring paintings that combine oceanic scenes and musical inspirations. The exhibition will be on display through July.
Author Yvonne Stoltzfus will also be on site with a her new book, “The Pleasure of Healing,” from 5-9 p.m.
More information: Freiman Stoltzfus Gallery, 142 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. | More info
Friendship Heart Gallery
Friendship Heart Gallery will debut a new exhibition, “Sweet Treats,” for July’s First Friday event in Lancaster city.
The Friendship Heart Gallery will debut an exhibition called “Sweet Treats,” featuring colorful, bold works that capture summer’s sweetness. All works are made by artists with intellectual disabilities or autism.
Note: The gallery will only be open during normal business hours on First Friday.
More information: Friendship Heart Gallery, 118 N. Water St., Lancaster | Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | More info
Historic Preservation Trust
The Historic Preservation Trust will host works by artist Ceanna Davis, a Lancaster city-based artist who went to the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design.
“When discussing this body of work, I wanted to convey how strange it is to be a twenty-something-year-old woman grasping onto childhood and not allowing room for growth,” Davis says in an artist statement.
More information: The Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House, 123 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Hours: 5-8 p.m. | More info
Karen Anderer Fine Art
Works from Rene Romero Schuler, as well as Marlin Bert and Alexandra Squire, will be on display at Karen Anderer Fine Art for July’s First Friday celebration in Lancaster city. The work above is by Romero Schuler.
Karen Anderer Fine Art will shine a special focus on new works from gallery artists Marlin Bert, Alexandra Squire and Rene Romero Schuler. Each month this summer will spotlight the gallery’s artists.
More information: Karen Anderer Fine Art, 146 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. | More info
Lancaster Art Vault
Lancaster Art Vault will continue to show works from an exhibition called “Movement Through Mediums,” with works from artists Carla J. Fisher, Stephen Pidcock, Sherry Snyder, Frank Welles and Kathleen Chrzanowski.
Artist Brad Maurer will do a live body painting demonstration from 6-8 p.m.
More information: Lancaster Art Vault, 100 N. Queen St., Lancaster | Hours: 5-8:30 p.m. | More info
Lancaster Galleries
Lancaster Galleries will host a closing reception for artist Ruth Bernard’s collection, “The Act of Painting.” The collection features works from Bernard that she has made from the last 30 years.
More information: Lancaster Galleries, 34 N. Water St., Lancaster | Hours: 5-8 p.m. | More info
Lancaster Museum of Art
The Lancaster Museum of Art debuted its 62nd annual Community Art Exhibition in mid-June, featuring works from more than 115 local artists.Â
This exhibition will be on display through July 21.
More information: Lancaster Museum of Art, 135 N. Lime St., Lancaster | Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. | More info
Lancaster Science Factory
Every First Friday, the Lancaster Science Factory offers free admission and features over 70 interactive exhibits for kids and adults alike to enjoy.
More information: Lancaster Science Factory, 454 New Holland Avenue, Lancaster | Hours: 5-7 p.m. | More info
Mulberry Art Studios
Works from Karen Chandler’s collection, “Flo Show,” will be on display at Mulberry Art Studios for July’s First Friday event in Lancaster city.
Mulberry Art Studios will continue to show works from artist Karen Chandler’s collection, “Flo Show,” including a few new works. Chandler paints from her home studio, and her works feature a variety of subject matters, from sea creatures to landscapes.
More information: Mulberry Art Studios, 19-21 N. Mulberry St., Lancaster | Hours: 5-8 p.m. | More info
Neighbors Cafe & Community Center
Neighbors Cafe will host a “Swahili Conversation Cafe” event, encouraging those who are learning Swahili to come out and practice speaking.
More information: Neighbors Cafe, 450 N. Prince St., Floor 1, Lancaster | Hours: 5:30-7 p.m. | More info
The Parrot Gallery
The Parrot Gallery will debut a new exhibition, featuring works from painter and glass artist Renee King’s collection, “Glass on Glass Mosaic.” King’s works are inspired by artist Alma Thomas, who often made colorful, mosaic-like works of art.
This exhibition will be on display through Aug. 31.
More information: The Parrot Gallery at Community Mennonite Church, 328 W. Orange St., Lancaster | Hours: 5-8 p.m. | More info
Penn Square
Penn Square will transform into a swing dancing party, with tunes from Philadelphia-based swing band, Parlour Noir. There will be a pop-up beginner swing lesson, too, teaching the Lindy Hop, also known as swing dancing. The Lindy Hop was popular in Black communities in Harlem, New York, in the 1920s.
More information: Penn Square, at the intersection of King and Queen streets in Lancaster city | Hours: 6-9 p.m. | More info
Peoples Bank
Peoples Bank will host works from artist Stephen Michael Haas, an illustrator from Harrisburg. Haas has designed projects for several regional businesses, including Sheetz, Neato Burrito and Broad Street Market.
More information: Peoples Bank, 101 N. Queen St., Suite 105, Lancaster | Hours: 5-9 p.m.
Pennsylvania College of Art & Design
The Pennsylvania College of Art & Design will debut its “2024 Senior Exhibition” collection, made up entirely of works from PCA&D’s Class of 2024. This is a smaller-scale exhibition of May’s Senior Show event.
This exhibition will be on display through July 19.
More information: Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, 204 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Hours: 5-8 p.m. | More info
Pocket Books Shop
Indie bookstore Pocket Books Shop will host a book trivia event themed around Black literature. The winning team will get a $50 gift card to Pocket Books.
More information: Pocket Books Shop, 903 Wheatland Ave., Lancaster | Hours: 7-9 p.m. | Cost: $5 per person | More info
Red Raven Art Company
Red Raven Art Company will primarily showcase works from artists Beth Bathe’s collection “Carving Away a Painting” and Katherine Horst’s collection “Delight.” The gallery will also show works from artists Kristin Blanck, Justin Johnson and Christine Mercer-Vernon, and scholarship winners Hollyann Carzola and Elisabeth Reinhart.
More information: Red Raven Art Company, 138 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.| More info
Tiny Town
Want to spend the night out for First Friday? Consider dropping your kids off at Tiny Town for a Kids Night Out, which will have food, snacks, drinks, games, crafts and playtime. Tiny Town recommends this event for children ages 3-10 years old.
More information: Tiny Town, 533 Janet Ave., Lancaster | Hours: 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Cost: $35 per child | More info
The Ware Center
The Ware Center will host a talk with Eileen H. Gregg, author of “Lancaster’s Hidden Treasure: The Rocky Springs Dentzel Carousel,” for First Friday. The talk will also feature videos about the Rocky Springs Amusement Park, an art display of carousel-themed works, an exhibit that features clippings from newspapers and more. Read a recent LNP|LancasterOnline article about Rocky Springs here.
More information: The Ware Center, 42 N. Prince St., Lancaster | Hours: Starting at 6:30 p.m. | More info
Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse
As part of the theater’s monthly First Friday Fright Night series, Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse will show 1982 action/horror film “Raw Force.”
More information: Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse, 112 N. Water St., Lancaster | Hours: Starts at 9 p.m. | Cost: $13 for adults, $11 for seniors and students | More info
