The Massillon Museum’s annual Island Party on Friday, July 12,
will be a Caribbean- and Hawaiian-inspired evening under the stars in
the heart of downtown Massillon. The family-friendly evening will be
free and open to everyone. No reservations are necessary. The Island
Party is the Museum’s thank you to the community for its continuing
support.
The gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Food and
beverage service will begin at 6:00 p.m. and guests can enjoy reggae
music and entertainment from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Rudy Turkal will emcee
the show, which carries on rain or shine.
Carlos Jones + will perform on the Island
Party stage on Duncan Plaza next to the Museum from 7:15 to 8:15 pm and
9:00 to 10:00 pm. The band delivers soulful roots reggae with lyrics
that concentrate on a message of peace and harmony within the human race
and the environment. The group creates a festival-like atmosphere
everywhere they play, drawing crowds spanning all ages and backgrounds.
The music is uplifting, including many original songs and an array of
Bob Marley, Culture, and other recognizable covers. Voted “the Best
Reggae/Ska Band” in Northeast Ohio by the Scene Magazine readers’ poll, Carlos Jones has appeared onstage with The Wailers and Ziggy Marley.
The Jackson High School Steel Drum Band
will perform from 6:00 to 6:45 pm. Divine Harmony Performance Art will
organize bubbles on the lawn from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, circulate among the
crowd on tall stilts from 6:45 to 7:30 pm, and present fire manipulation
and hula dancing from 8:15 to 9:00 pm. Museum galleries will remain
open until 7:00 pm.
The event will span the Museum’s lawn,
Duncan Plaza, and First Street SE. There are two entrances to the
party—one on Lincoln Way East near the corner of Lincoln Way and First
Street Southeast and the second in Duncan Plaza near the municipal
parking lot.
Free parking is available on side streets;
in city lots accessed from First Street NW, Second Street SE, and Erie
Street N; the city parking deck on Erie Street S, and the St. George
Greek Orthodox and St. John’s UCC parking lots (south of the party).
Drivers who want to drop off guests at an
additional accessible entrance may enter First Street from Tremont, drop
off passengers, and turn onto Charles Avenue to find parking in city
lots and the parking deck. A map of parking options is available on the
Museum’s website: massillonmuseum.org. New wayfinding signs will help direct guests to parking.
Food trucks—Big Deal Whitfield, A Moveable
Feast Food Truck, and Kona Ice—will offer chips and salsa, jerk chicken,
lobster rolls, Hawaiian poke bowl, smoked pulled pork, arroz con pollo,
fruit salad, crab rangoon nachos, and other island favorites for sale,
beginning at 6:00 pm. Greatness Cafe in the Museum lobby will be open
until 9:00.
The cash bar will offer beer including
Jamaican Red Stripe and the local Paradigm Shift Island Juice, frozen
margaritas, wine, and soft drinks. Buehler’s and Aqua Ohio will provide
complementary water.
Cash and credit cards will be accepted for
beverages, memberships, and party merchandise. No outside food,
beverages, or coolers may be brought into the party.
Picnic tables will be scattered throughout
the party area and permanent seating is available in Duncan Plaza, but
guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets.
Admission will be free and open to the
public. Tropical souvenirs, leis, and colorful 2024 Island Party
t-shirts designed by Israel Katrina Art will be available for sale.
In collaboration with a Stark Parks initiative, the Island Party has been designated a tobacco-free event.
Hula hoops and limbo lines will challenge
all ages. Children’s activities will be fun and free, but parents must
remain in the children’s activity area with their children. The event
will carry on, rain or shine.
Since 1995, the Island Party has been a
Massillon Museum tradition—an annual “thank you” to the community for
its continuing support. Each year, 2,000 to 3,000 or more area residents
share the fun!
The City of Massillon provides in-kind
support for the party. MassMu receives operating support from the Ohio
Arts Council, ArtsinStark, and the citizens of Massillon, as well as
marketing support from Visit Canton. This event is funded in part by the
National Endowment for the Arts. More than 100 volunteers make the
Island Party possible each year.
The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon. For more information, call 330.833.4061 or visit massillonmuseum.org.
Comments
Post a Comment