2011 Downtown Event Schedule Downtown Canton’s stre etscape comes alive with fun fe stivals!
First Friday of every month
Every Sat. morning June 18 - Oct. 15
May 26
THE AURICLE - Say hello to Canton’s live music destination!
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anton’s newest live music hot spot is here! The Auricle opened its doors to 600-person crowd on April 1st, no fooling.
The Auricle is the brainchild of Nick Brewer, who together with brother (and 50 percent partner) Josh, and a tightly-knit team of twenty-something rockers turned entrepreneurs, are leading the charge for live music in Canton. With very little start-up capital, a great deal of ingenuity and plain old fashioned hard work, The Auricle launched in the space previously occupied by the Blue Olive Jazz Club in the lower level of the Metropolitan Centre (601 Cleveland Ave. NW). From state-of-the art lighting and sound, mega hospitality for bands, and the guarantee that there will be something for everyone, downtown Canton now has its go-to venue for all things entertainment. “There are three things you’re destined to find at The Auricle. The first is our extreme hospitality when it comes to bands, the second is customer satisfaction, and the third is a mix of entertainment for everyone and anyone in Canton and beyond to enjoy,” says Brewer.
June 10 & 11
June 29
September 15 M a rk your calendar and plan to atte n d !
PARTNERSHIP REPORT SPECIAL FEATURES • The Auricle • Canton Farmers’ Market • First Friday Tidbits • Spring & Summer Fe st i va l s • CVSR & SARTA • Community Garden & Color Downtown • Space Available WHATWHEREWHEN
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Downtown Developments is published bi-monthly by Canton Development Partnership, a department of Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with Downtown Canton Special Improvement District
by Michael P. Gill, director, Canton Development Partnership
Partnership Report Let the good times roll! It’s time to shed the winter coats and boots. The good times are just around the corner. Get ready for a lot of activity downtown this summer season. Plan now to attend Taste of Canton on May 26, Canton Blues Festival on June 10 & 11, Zing in the City on June 29, Vintage Canton on Sept. 15 and Light Up Downtown on Dec. 1. Staff and volunteers have been working hard to organize and plan these high quality events for your enjoyment. Best of all? Attendance is free! 222 Market Ave. N. Canton, OH 44702 (330) 456-0468 fax (330) 452-7786 cdp@cantonchamber.org www.DowntownCanton.com
Dennis P. Saunier President & CEO Michael P. Gill Director Kelly Blandford Bah Assistant Director Corleon "CJ" Taylor Assent Event Manager Annette Rosenberger Administrative Assistant Denise Burton Membership Director Jessica Bennett Marketing Director & Editor Sarah Bhatia Graphic Designer
The Canton Development Part n e rship is a coalition of area development organizations and city g ove rn m en t that share an interest in downtown C a n ton’s continual imp rovement, revitalization, image, and quality of life for its citizens. Its mission is to support and coordinate the activities and programs of its partner organizations in order to encourage and sustain community and economic development in downtown Canton. The partnering organizations include: Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Canton Special Improvement District, Downtown Canton Land Bank, Canton Tomorrow, Inc., and City of Canton. Information regarding downtown events and news can be submitted for reprint at the discretion of the Partnership director and publication editor. The Canton Development Partnership reserves the right to edit all copy. Deadlines are the 15th of the month, two months prior to publication (i.e., May 15 for the July/August issue). Statements of fact and opinion within Downtown Developments are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply the opinion of the members of Canton Development Partnership or its partnering organizations. Advertising rates and specifications are available by contacting the Chamber sales department at (330) 458-2067.
The Downtown Canton Special Improvement District has begun the process of identifying other activities or events that could be staged in our center city. These activities would create even more energy and interest for our downtown workforce and our visitors. Stay tuned for more information on these new activities and events coming next issue. The Special Improvement District will also be working on a portal to capture information and advise the community of ALL of the major arts, entertainment and event happenings downtown. Two things have happened downtown that will continue our goal of becoming a destination for art, dining and entertainment. First, Chef Josh Schory will open Lucca, an Italian-themed restaurant, in the former Iris Restaurant location at Fourth Street NW and Cleveland Ave. We are fortunate to have this new restaurant open in the heart of the Arts District. Lucca is scheduled to open in late June or early July. Look for a story on the restaurant in our next issue.
Secondly, The Auricle has opened its doors! Canton’s new live music venue is located in the Metro p o l i tan Centre building at Cleveland Ave. NW and Sixth St. NW. It is sure to create a buzz and a new energy in our downtown. The music club is up and running and scheduling bands for 2011 and beyond. Stop by and experience The Auricle, or check out our cover article for more details. Enjoy spring and the many events scheduled for downtown. Remember to support our retailers, restaurants and art venues. As always, thank you for your support of our downtown.
3 Fi rst Fri d ay TIDBITS
FRESH & LOCAL galore in store at this year’s Canton Farmers’ Market The C a n ton Fa rm e rs’ Market ret u rns for its eighth year of providing fun entertainment, local flavor and the freshest food around! The Canton Farmers’ Market is a producers-only market that provides consumers with an opportunity to buy fresh, quality products at reasonable prices directly from local growers in Northeast Ohio. Along with fresh local produce, the market offers baked goods, flowers, honey, cheese, eggs and meat, and so much more! This year’s market opens on June 18 and runs every Saturday through October 15! Not only is the Canton Farmers’ Market one of the best places to find fresh summer food, it’s a great place for meeting with others from your neighborhood and community. On any given weekend, the Canton Fa rmers’ Market offers community resources, nutrition and health education from Aultman Hospital, cooking demonstrations, organic gardening tips, children’s activities and art projects for people of all ages! Once again, the market will be making fresh food available to all members of our community by offering WIC and senior nutrition. The market lends itself to creating a higher quality of life for Canton residents and neighboring communities. Come to shop, come to play! The Canton Farmers’ Market has a fun-filled summer lineup that’s going to keep you coming back week after week! Throughout the market season, local artists will demonstrate their talents in the midst of marketgoers. We’ll have special events for the little ones, such as ‘make and take’ art with Sarah Shumaker, as well as a Kid’s Kafé Reading Corner. M a rk your calendar for a few special days! Saturday, July 18, will be our Canton Farmers’ Market Celebration, a don’t-miss event! On July 23, we will have our first day dedicated to our
furry, four-legged friends! Bring Fido to the market for a morning of outdoor fun. Your children won’t want to miss our interactive storytelling on August 23 with Lindsay Bonilla. On October 1, the market is going pink! In conjunction with Aultman Hospital, the official nutrition sponsor of the market, we’ll have special information on preventing, living with and fighting breast cancer. Throughout the market season we’ll have great live music, local chef cooking demos with some tasty recipes and delicious samples, free art classes for children and o rganic ga rdening qu e stions and answe rs by local gardening ex p e rt Cindy Pettiti. The list goes on and on. Check the website at CantonFarmersMarket.com for a full schedule of events! There’s something NEW each week at the Canton Farmers’ Market. With over 20 vendors and a slew of activities, the market is the best way to kickoff your weekend each week! The market season runs June 18 to Oct. 15, from 8 to 11:30 a.m. every Saturday in the lot at Cleveland Ave. N between Fourth and Fifth Streets NW. Come down rain or shine! The market is managed by the Downtown Canton Special Improvement District and is thankful for its supporte rs: Aultman Health Foundation, The Repository, Mix 94.1 & News-Talk 1480 WHBC AM, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Canton. Looking to join the fun? We still have a few vendor spaces available and we’re always looking for volunteers! Contact Corleon “CJ” Assent at CorleonA@CantonChamber.org or (330) 4582091! To learn more about the Canton Farmers’ Market visit www.CantonFarmersMarket.com.
Come sniff around the Downtown Canton Arts District on May 6 with a Gone to the Dogs themed First Friday! Bring your favorite furry friend and enter them into the Doggy Fashion Extravaganza or let them run the Super Doggy Agility Course. For those of the two-legged persuasion, grab a group of less furry friends and tour the new exhibits and enjoy all of the fine art, food, music and activities – there won’t be a thing that won’t make you want to “sit” and “stay” around downtown for the entire evening! Pack up those dancing shoes, warm up your love of live music and simply get ready to get down! The Downtown Canton Arts District will be celebrating on June 3 with a Get Down Tonight themed First Friday - by doing just that! Our main stage music lineup will include a montage of music from many genres including R&B, Hip Hop, Rap, Alternative Rock and finishing out the evening will be a much anticipated concert by the bluestacular Repository Battle of the Bands winner The Brighter Side Band. A Dance Battle contest will bring high-energy dance teams and crews from all over the area for a fantastic face-off, and we’ll even have an open floor for your inner break dancer to perform. Add to that the local eats that will make your taste buds dance and art galleries that will make you waltz with delight. Get up, get out and get downtown for First Friday! First Friday is celebrated every first Friday of the month from 6 to 10 p.m. in downtown Canton. First Friday is presented by ArtsinStark, the County Arts Council, and the Downtown Canton Special Improvement District. For the most up-to-date information, visit www.DowntownCanton.com and click on the First Friday logo.
SPRING & SUMMER festivals abound downtown
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nce again, downtown Canton is hosting FUNtastic outdoor family festivals and special community events this year! The Canton Development Partnership (a department of the Canton Regional Chamber) and their ge n e rous sponsors and part n e rs make these events possible, with help from hundreds of dedicated volunteers.
Taste of Canton | May 26 Taste of Canton, a downtown food festival now in its third year, will be held on Thursday, May 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on the Kresge Green in downtown Canton (near 301 Market Ave. N). This incredible spring festival, featuring local flavor and local fare, is brought to you by the Canton Development Partnership (a department of the Canton Regional Chamber) and The Repository. Downtown Canton never tasted this good! Food lovers will find themselves mingling with their munchables around the beautiful downtown cityscape and spending quality time with family and friends. Guests will get a true taste of Canton as more than 30 restaurants from Stark County, including Gervasi Vineyard & Italian Bistro, Bender’s Tavern, The Brownstone Steakhouse, Thorpe’s Market Avenue Grill, Napoli’s Italian Eatery, Sheri’s Sweets, The New Peter Shears Downtown, Almost Heaven Ice Cream, Loby’s Bar & Grille, Bombay Sitar, Donatos Pizza, Bluebird Farm Winery, and many more, showcase their delicacies in the form of small sample plates, available for $2 to $6 each. Selections will include appetizers, entrees and desserts from a variety of cuisines. In addition to these delicious “tastes” of Canton, the event boasts fine wines and beers. The delectable local fare comes complete with local entertainment and other performers throughout the afternoon and evening. Guests can enjoy the local flavor along with local art by strolling the artist’s row. Many of your First Friday favorites will be on-hand throughout the day! Whether you are heading downtown for family-friendly fun, or looking for a night out, it’s going to be a don’tmiss downtown event! Visit TasteOfCanton.com for more details. All dishes and beverages can be purchased with Taste of Canton tickets, sold individually for $1 per ticket and redeemed at each vendor booth. Tickets can be purchased onsite the day of the event, or in advance until May 25 at all seven Fishers Foods locations, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce or online at CantonChamber.org. Buy before the day of the event, and you’ll receive 30 tickets for just $25! Taste of Canton will be held rain or shine, and the entire Kresge Green will be tented for the occasion. This year’s Taste of Canton event is made possible through donations by our sponsors (to date): Presented by:
Canton Blues Fest | June 10 & 11 Some truly sensational rhythm and blues will be rolling into downtown Canton this June for the annual Canton Blues Fest. This two-day affair – celebrating 10 ye a rs of rocking and rolling in 2011 - boasts major music on Friday, June 10, and Saturday, June 11. The FREE outdoor summer jam is happening in downtown Canton with incredible headliners Michael Burks and Ronnie Baker Brooks, and music all day from noon to 10:30 p.m.! Visit CantonBluesFest.com for more details, a full lineup of performances and tips on how you can get the best views of the stage. Guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Michael “Iron Man” Burks stands tall as a major contemporary blues figure. With a nickname earned by his hours-long, intensely physical performances, fearsome guitar attack, tough, smoky vocals and the thousands of miles logged behind the wheel of his touring van, Burks is a modern blues hero. Nobody in today’s blues world successfully bridges searing electric guitar blues with unbridled rock and roll energy like Burks. Chicago guitar-hero Ronnie Baker Brooks puts his own special twist on bluesrock, a twist that involves enlivening the genre with deep soul, modern hip-hop vocals and funk rhythms. He draws on t he choppy, hip-shaking rhythms of funk, the emotional truth of soul and the forcefulness of rock to bring a distinctive dimension to his groundbreaking sound. Boogie woogie your way downtown, kickback with a refreshing, ice cold drink, delicious midway fare, super cool tunes and great friends, and enjoy the best outdoor music festival north of Memphis! Want the best seats in town? Buy a two-day Blues Fest VIP Pass online for $75 and take advantage of FREE food, beer and incredible views of the stage. Visit CantonBluesFest.com for a full list of festival performers, including special guest stars Tinsley Ellis and The Rusty Wright Band!
Fri. headliner Michael Burks Sponsors to date:
Sat. headliner Ronnie Baker Brooks
Zing in the City | June 29 Come downtown on Wednesday, June 29, for some red, white and blue music under the twilight’s last gleaming at Zing in the City! This FREE spectacular summer symphony performance & fireworks celebration is sure to have you waving your flag! Prepare to take an amaZING Patriotic Adventure with the Canton Symphony Orchestra under the direction of assistant conductor Matthew Brown! You’ll be proud to be an American with moving performances of 1812 Overture, The Stars and Stripes Forever, America the Beautiful and the Star Spangled Banner. Theatre-style concession snacks will be on sale for munching. The Star-Spangled Spectacular begins at 8 p.m. and a dazzling array of bombs bursting in air will kick off at 10 p.m. Come downtown early to save your seats and enjoy all of the pre-show activities from 5 - 7 p.m., with other patriotic celebrations happening at 7 p.m., including a Salute to our Soldiers, presented by Gasser Fine Jewelers. Have little ones? Bring them down for crafts and make-and-take activities, or stroll along the “artists’ row” while enjoying in-crowd entertainment from clowns, magicians and other performers! The amaZING Patriotic Adventure is happening in downtown Canton along Market Ave. N between Third and Fourth Sts. NW in the Kresge Green and surrounding area. Visit www.ZingintheCity.com for more information and a full schedule of the evening’s festivities.
SPONSORS TO DATE ...
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All Aboard! Summertime means train-hopping fun for visitors to downtown Canton
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his summer, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and SARTA will team up to give visitors to our region a grand view of what downtown Canton has to offer!
From June through August, the CVSR will operate trains to and from downtown Canton, with visitors taking day trips from any station in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, including Akron’s Northside Station. The train arrives downtown around noon, and passengers have the opportunity to hop on the Downtown Loop provided by SARTA. The bus will take visitors around town, with stops at the McKinley Monument, First Ladies Historic Site, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton Classic Car Museum, the Canton Art Museum and arts district and any festivals happening downtown. Tickets for the train ride are just $15 for adults, $10 for children (age 3 to 12). Wednesday trips are just $6 for everyone! Admission to each attraction is separate (where applicable). The CVSR offers similar journeys from the Canton Lincoln Highway Station in downtown Canton north to Akron and Peninsula. The CVSR is celebrating its 39th year of passenger rail service this year. The tracks and scenic views between Akron and Canton are historic, as the tracks were originally built in 1880 to transport coal, crops and passengers from south of Tuscarawas County to the developing steel mills in Cleveland. Today, along those same tracks, you can see the remnants of what made Northeast Ohio a growing and important state! For tickets and information, visit www.CVSR.com.
AURICLE ...
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The staff will have no trouble delivering on the first two. Half of the core staff members have traveled the country on tour in bands, Brewer included. They know what artists are looking for (and what they’re dreading) when it comes to touring venues of all sizes. Artist amenities at The Auricle will include a swanky lounge with private shower facilities, big screen televisions and gaming galore. And while everyone on staff wears a variety of hats, Curtis Miller and Luke Gaul will focus almost exclusively on band satisfaction, from booking to stellar event-night hospitality. And the venue itself? Brewer and company have done a wonderful job of improving on the ambiance of the space. The menu will include some cold sandwiches and sides, and they hope to provide a full service bar (license pending) later this summer. So, just what kind of entertainment can you expect? “We’ll cater to all tastes – from rock, blues and jazz, indie, alternative and hip hop, to dance and comedy nights and maybe even some movie showings thrown in for good measure. We’re booking everything. Literally.” Ultimately Brewer wants The Auricle to be a hot spot every night of the week, with four or five concerts on tap. They have a wide range of bookings already slated for May and June, including a CD release party for The Big Sweet, Canton’s indiepop-rock sweethearts, happening on June 3. Look for a full schedule of events on their website (TheAuricle.net) and Facebook page as the venue gears up. The key to his success, it seems, is his willingness to ask for help and resources. “We had only had the keys for a month before our grand opening. Everyday, five or more volunteers showed up to help us build this place. It’s an incredible testament to the music scene here and the ownership that Canton’s youth have about making their community better,” explains Brewer.
CALLING LOCAL GREEN THUMBS! Downtown Canton is ripe with projects for you Sewing seeds of success! The Downtown Canton/Summit Neighborhood Community Garden is open and ready for business – the business of growing, that is! Located at the intersection of Fifth Street and High Street NW, this year’s garden packs 85 beds, overflowing with a variety of veggies, perennials and more! Individual 9’ x 9’ plots are ripe for the picking at $10 each and are designed to grow a multitude of garden vegetables for family consumption. NEW this ye a r: we ’ ve partnered with Pro j e c t Rebuild to build thirty raised beds and personal gardens will fill the space! These raised beds will provide even greater access to those who want to dig in! Our gardeners use organic gardening practices and can consume the fruits of their labors themselves or donate them to charity. The garden will increase locally grown food and help ease food costs for the residents of the Summit Neighborhood while providing a source of resident social interaction, building a greater sense of community pride and increasing personal connections. The garden provides an avenue of access to locally produced food and engages both children and adults in food production. Bring your kids down to teach them about the complex relationship between food, health, nutrition and the environment. Individual 9’ x 9’ plots are available for the annual fee of $10, which includes water, tools and gardening help from a master gardener. The downtown Summit Neighborhood Community Garden is sponsored by the J.P. Morgan Chase
Foundation and the Stark Community Foundation. To learn more about the garden and to secure your spot, please contact our garden coordinator Marcie Otto at BigCommunityGarden@gmail.com. Available plots are limited and going fast! Watch our garden bloom this summer.
Color Downtown seeks volunteers – help us beautify downtown on June 4th June 4 marks the eighth annual Color D ow n tow n project in downtown Canton. This annual planting of colorful flowers in the downtown flowerbeds continues to be an imp o rtant beautification element spanning the center city. Once again, volunteers from church groups, area businesses, youth groups and downtown property owners are needed to help with the planting. VOLUNTEER! All volunteers should meet at 8 a.m. at the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, located at 222 Market Ave. N. The Downtown Canton Special Improvement District will provide flowers and supplies for this project – bring your tools if you can! To volunteer for this project, or for more information, please contact Annette Rosenberger at the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce at (330) 458-2092 or email Annette@cantonchamber.org.
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Want to advertise here? Contact Denise Burton, 330.458.2067. Cost is $75 per issue.
Through May 8
Jesus Christ Superstar Players Guild Theatre PlayerGuildTheatre.com
Through June 5
“Celebrate the Sixties” Wm. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum McKinleyMuseum.org
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MAY “Piano Men” 2nd April Galerie & Studios SecondApril.org 2011 OCMA Pool Tournament Canton Memorial Civic Center CantonCivicCenter.com Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival Queens Pageant Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org Canton First Friday – Gone to the Dogs Downtown Canton Arts District CantonFirstFriday.com BLIND DATE 2011: The Romance of Word and Image Anderson Creative Studio AndersonCreativeStudio.com (through June 2) Sara & Friends Canton Museum of Art CantonArt.org Marti Jones & Don Dixon 2nd April Galerie & Studios SecondApril.org FREE admission for Mothers Wm. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum McKinleyMuseum.org Battle of the Magicians Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org Canton Cougars vs. Eastern Kentucky Drillers Canton Memorial Civic Center CantonCivicCenter.com Jewish Film Festival – Saviors in the Night Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org “Guys and Dogs” Acme Artists AcmeArtists.com Theatre Dance Show Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org Twelve Angry Men 2nd April Galerie & Studios SecondApril.org Wilma Mankiller: Chief of the Cherokee Nation National First Ladies’ Library FirstLadies.org
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Canton Cougars vs. Saginaw Canton Memorial Civic Center CantonCivicCenter.com Jewish Film Festival – Jews and Baseball & Eli and Ben Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org Jewish Film Festival – The Jazz Baroness Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org 65th Anniversary Dinner Wm. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum McKinleyMuseum.org Daddy Real Entertainment presents Alan Kaye as Joe Cocker and the Elect Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org (through July 24) Celebration of Women in the Arts Canton Museum of Art CantonArt.org Jewish Film Festival – 5 Hours from Paris Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org Movie Night Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography JosephSaxton.com Coffee & Crafts: “Dollhouse Miniatures” Wm. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum McKinleyMuseum.org Taste of Canton Downtown Canton TasteofCanton.com Colleen School Dance Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org Hollywood Hit Movie Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org Canton Cougars vs. Johnstown Generals Canton Memorial Civic Center CantonCivicCenter.com JUNE Canton First Friday – Get Down Tonight Downtown Canton Arts District CantonFirstFriday.com Briana Elite Dance Institute Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org IN THEIR SHOES: Anderson Creative Partners with Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities Anderson Creative Studio AndersonCreativeStudio.com Scared Scriptless Improv Comedy 2nd April Galerie & Studios SecondApril.org
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Candy Apples Dance Performances Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org Ida Saxton McKinley B’day Celebration Saxton McKinley House FirstLadies.org Canton Blues Festival Downtown Canton, CantonBluesFest.com (through July 24) Barbara Stanczak Canton Museum of Art CantonArt.org Great Lakes Cat Fanciers Association Regional Cat Show Canton Memorial Civic Center CantonCivicCenter.com Summer Kid’s Movie Special: “Megamind” Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org (through August 6) GOOD SPORT: Portraits of Athletes by Matt Swetel Anderson Creative Studio AndersonCreativeStudio.com EXHIBIT OPENING: “Green Revolution” Wm. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum McKinleyMuseum.org FREE admission for Fathers Wm. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum McKinleyMuseum.org Summer Kid’s Movie Special: “Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were Rabbitt” Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org CPTA Annual Meeting Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org 10th Annual Cruisin’ thru History Car Show Wm. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum McKinleyMuseum.org Diana Durkin School of Dance Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org Summer Kid’s Movie Special “How To Train Your Dragon” Canton Palace Theatre CantonPalaceTheatre.org Zing in the City Downtown Canton, ZingintheCity.com Movie Night Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography JosephSaxton.com (through July 30) Jan Bell Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography JosephSaxton.com
For more downtown event information log on to www.DowntownCanton.com