Second Fridays A Slammin' Shindig

Great Googly Moogly, now that was a celebration! Mother Nature blew us a kiss for our June art and music outing and folks came in droves. Music and art were found throughout the downtown and the good times carried on late into the evening. Downtown Excelsior Springs threw a slammin' Second Fridays shindig for June and it was a fine time had by all.

Crowds milled around the shops, artists sold their wares and music filled the streets. It's most certainly a kick to see the streets filled with shoppers and revelers, as the downtown merchants and supporters have been working so hard for this very result.

Each shop and location had its own unique part to play in this downtown party. The Mooks, Nelsons and Pyper's Pretty's all showcased fabulous lofts, apartments and office space. Mind, Body and Soap featured a massage therapist giving free neck massages that added to their already zen-like atmosphere. The Hall Of Waters hosted a student artist from Job Corps displaying his impressive Manga art. The Gallery Off Broadway held another packed-to-the-hilt Corkscrews and Canvases class that had their students Pop Art their pets (more on this in the next post).

Once again, the live music has been making this event sing. Jazz fusion group Blues For Brains rocked out in the parking lot across from the Hall Of Waters. Billy Beale threw down some smooth blues at the G.O.B. The Atlas's band had them nearly dancing in the streets. The Merc was party central with the most awesome sounds of The Kilmer Weaver Project, poetry readings by KC Metropolitan Verse and art by scrimshaw artists and flintknappers! Daphne's been on our mind as her darling and extraordinarily brave daughter Madi has weathered some major surgery this week but there she was, relishing a seriously busy evening; wearing that same dazzling smile that welcomes us all to the Merc.

We had dinner with TJ, Cress and Cress's daughter Caitlin at Ventana. I enjoyed a cup of that cheesy baked potato soup and savored the spicy Cajun grilled fish for dinner. TJ and I both had chilled bottles of Blue Star beer and Caitlin sipped on a bottle of Blonde Bitch. K and I split a slice of that amazing blackberry cheesecake with the crushed walnut crust.

At the end of the evening, as we were helping tear down, I noticed that there will still folks all over; milling about, still in conversation, enjoying the beautiful night air. It is beyond gratifying to see everyone's hard work paying off with satisfied guests spending the evening with us.

This has been a tough week for many Excelsior residents and downtown supporters reeling from loss and personal strife, but when it came time to put on a show; they rallied as they always do and hosted a great night for local and visitor alike. The past couple of weeks have been pointedly rough for the girls of the G.O.B and I'll write more about them in the next post....