THOMAS BODOH
STAFF WRITER
The Halloween-themed First Friday on Fourth celebration on Nov. 2 in downtown Steubenville, complete with hayrides, live bands and a haunted maze, brought in thousands of costumed visitors for an evening of spooky family fun.
This night of first Friday festivities was the last for the year in the monthly series of celebrations organized by the Harmonium Project in an effort to revitalize downtown Steubenville “through the revolutionary power of music and art,” according to the Harmonium Project Facebook page. The event drew townspeople from all over, including many students from the Franciscan University of Steubenville.
After an evening of trick-or-treating at the downtown shops and vendors, the alternative hip-hop band Label Me Lector performed before an enthusiastic crowd, followed by swing dance and costume competitions. Other performers included the Steubenville Brass Band and Daniel in Stereo later in the evening. The music drew large crowds around the stage in front of Leonardo’s Coffeehouse and the Steubenville Popcorn Co.
In addition to activities, such as Day of the Dead face painting and visits from ghosts of Steubenville’s past, a special memorial table was set up in the top floor of Leonardo’s Coffeehouse. Visitors brought pictures and candles to light in memory of their departed loved ones.
Local food vendors sold homemade food and other goods, such as bracelets and soap, while the North Fourth Street stores remained open for townspeople and visitors alike. Entire families arrived in colorful costumes, ranging from unicorns and witches to ninjas and fruit. Some brought in elaborately carved jack-o’-lanterns for the carved pumpkin competition, and Fourth Street was flooded with the soft glow of candlelight throughout the evening.
“There were some beautiful, hand-made crafts on display, and the band did its part to liven up the night. It was a really family-friendly environment,” said Christina Pugh, a sophomore who experienced downtown Steubenville for the first time during the first Friday festivities. “The First Friday on Fourth was a very exciting getaway.”