Allison McGrath rested on a sofa during downtown Scranton's First Friday to admire the photography of her boyfriend, Kyle Reber, on a Ritz Theatre wall.
"I come to the Ritz a lot for First Fridays because it is open to a lot of different aspects of art," Ms. McGrath said.
In fact, First Friday has helped her adjust to Northeast Pennsylvania. Ms. McGrath hails from Long Island, N.Y., but First Fridays have helped her see Scranton's "hometown feel."
First Fridays give people a chance to explore their hometown's history, creativity and atmosphere that they wouldn't normally have, said photographer Marie Jordan, who specializes in capturing the iconic images of Lackawanna County.
Ms. Jordan's latest show, featured Friday at the Radisson at Lackawanna Station hotel, focused on trains. Ms. Jordan was inspired by natives and tourists' love for the trains as well as her own family history.
"My great aunt was a ticket agent here," Ms. Jordan said of the Radisson, a former train station. "So I have a love of history through her."
Arts on Fire
The Scranton Iron Furnaces also asked locals to remember the past with its Arts on Fire Festival, which continues today and Sunday.
"People always want to remember the past because it's a guideline to the future," Anthracite Heritage Museum board President Robert M. Savakinus said.
Contact the writer: eginader@timesshamrock.com