The first Friday of every month is celebrated by Lynchburg's art community, the Lynchburg Museum and many downtown vendors. Most months, Lynchburg Community Market is also open late; however, most of the interior of the market is closed this week and will reopen on Jan. 8.
First Friday is a monthly celebration of the arts which includes the Lynchburg Art Club, located at 1011 Rivermont Avenue, and local galleries staying open late. There are free trolley rides provided between downtown and Rivermont Avenue.
The James River Council for the Arts & Humanities, located at the corner of Ninth and Jefferson in the Riverviews Artspace, will hold an open house starting at 5:30 p.m. In addtion to live music, food and artists' studios, there will be an instrument petting zoo for the kids. Kids can try out various instruments and learn more about music.
In addition to the art exhibits, the Lynchburg Museum is open for free from 5-8 p.m. Each First Friday, the museum hosts a special exhibit. On Jan. 4, the exhibit will be "Stars, Movies and Theaters of Lynchburg."
There will be posters, programs, photographs and more highlighting Lynchburg's theater history. Those who grew up in Lynchburg will especially enjoy seeing photos of the Isis, Paramount, Warner and other historic theaters. Stars including Minnie Pearl, Mary Pickford, Pavlova, Will Rogers and Billie Burke made personal appearances at some of these theaters.
The movie The Vanishing Virginian, featuring the Yancey family of Diamond Hill, premiered in Lynchburg in 1942. Frank Morgan, who played the Wizard of Oz in the movie, played the lead role of Captain Bob Yancey.
While you're at the museum, be sure to check out the permanent exhibits which include photos and artifacts from life in Lynchburg, Lynchburg's role in the Civil War, antique toys and more. A free trip to Lynchburg Museum may be what's on the calendar for your family to ring in the first weekend of 2013.
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