Experience Mount Vernon presents September First Friday 

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – Experience Mount Vernon along with Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Kenyon College, Central Ohio Technical College, and the Knox County Career Center Schools invite you to celebrate back to school at September First Friday!

Help us close out the First Friday season at September First Friday from 6-9pm on Friday, September 2nd. Central Ohio Technical College, Kenyon College, Knox County Career Center Schools, and Mount Vernon Nazarene University will join in the back to school celebration with a department and organization fair on West Gambier Street. Be sure to stop by to participate in activities and learn more about all the great things students and faculty are doing in our community!

Six Miles to Nellie will be helping us close out the season with a live street performance at W. High and Public Square sponsored by Open Road Renewables. Bring your dancing shoes and a folding chair to enjoy the music all evening long. 

MTVarts is back as the East Gambier Street Community Corner sponsor with the cast of Matilda, Jr. Along with performances by the cas,t Community Corner activities will include a round of Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader between artsIQ instructors and artsIQ students hosted by the Mount Vernon Arts Consortium and a chocolate cake eating contest for individuals 16 years of age and older sponsored by Half Baked Cafe! Spaces are limited, so be sure to sign-up for the cake eating contest between 6pm and 7pm with at the Experience Mount Vernon table on East Vine Street. 

The MVNU Cougar Athletics and Knox Board of Developmental Disabilities Activity Zone, sponsored by Knox Community Hospital, will be on South Main Street, between Gambier Street and Ohio Avenue, providing activities for the whole family.  Also featured in the Activity Zone is the Mount Vernon Fire Department and Mount Vernon Police Department Touch-A-Truck sponsored by PAK United!  Be sure to stop by the Ohio Avenue and South Main Street intersection to get a picture with local first responders and their vehicles.

Come hungry because the August Knox Foodies Food Truck Trail, sponsored by Ariel Corporation and Dumbaugh Insurance, will include Annie’s Concessions, Annie’s Concessions, Big Pappy’s BBQ, LaMacarons, Fried and Went to Heaven, Mama Lupe’s Kitchen, Truckin’ Trav Food Truck, Dreia’s Kitchen, Woolson’s Kettle Corn, Round Hill Dairy, and Sweet Treats. 

Still need tickets for the Mount Vernon Presents season of events? The Mount Vernon Arts Consortium will have their box office open at the New Directions Community Corner on East Gambier Street.

The A+ Autobrokers Cruise-In is back on Public Square for August! Cruise-In traffic should arrive no earlier than 4:30pm when streets will be fully shut down and be in place no later than 6:00 p.m. Please note that all Cruise-In traffic should enter and exit Public Square via Gay Street and/or Chestnut Street only. Public Square will begin two-way traffic at 4:30 p.m. For more information about participating in the First Friday Cruise-In visit www.experiencemv.org/cruise-in-info. To volunteer to help with the cruise-in, please email director@experiencemv.org or call/text 740-393-1481.

Beginning at 4:00 p.m., Main Street from Chestnut Street to Ohio Avenue, including one block east and west, and Public Square will be closed to both parking and vehicle traffic. All parked vehicles should be removed from said streets by 4:00 p.m. If you have questions, please contact Executive Director, Lacey Filkins at 740-393-1481 (call or text) or email director@experiencemv.org. Parking can be found at Public Lots on South Gay and Mulberry Streets as well as off of East High Street. Experience Mount Vernon has partnered with Knox Public Health to host a Bike Valet station located in the Blue Ash Parking Lot, located on the corner of East Ohio Avenue and South Main Street. Special thanks to Martha Edelblute for the use of the lot.  As part of the Active Transportation Plan, both Experience & Knox Public Health encourage those who can bike, to take advantage of this FREE service!

Save the dates for the Experience Mount Vernon season:

• October 6th: Johnny Appleseed Apple Festival presented by the Peoples Bank of Gambier
• November 25th: Shop Small Saturday
• November 26th: Winter in Downtown Kick-Off featuring the Holiday Parade, pictures with Santa, and the Lighting of Public Square
• December 16th: Pictures with Santa at the Mount Vernon Grand Hotel and the Festival of Lights Lighting Competition.

Media partners  include 90.9 WNZR, 100. 9  WMVO, and Super Q 93.7.

Experience Mount Vernon reminds you to shop small and shop local  all year long with our Shop Small Map: www.experiencemv.org/s/Shop-Small-Map-1.pdf

To learn more about First Fridays or to join the #experience, visit www.ExperienceMV.org.