Block party, LUMA and more at First Friday

To kick off Labor Day weekend, First Friday in downtown Binghamton will feature diverse creative offerings such as the State Street Block Party, a new restaurant venue with an art exhibit, live music outdoors and, afterward, the LUMA Projection Arts Festival.

The center of First Friday is on State Street and Artists’ Row, between Henry and Lewis streets, closed for the State Street Block Party and featuring numerous artisan and local food vendors, live music, plus art exhibits at the many galleries, artist studios and businesses open from 6 to 9 p.m.

Among the music acts scheduled are Peaches & Crime, Jodi Shaw, Randy McStine, The Stoutmen, Dirt Farm, Milkweed and Zydeco Po Boys.

Late night inside Atomic Tom’s (196-198 State St.), there’s live music by Atomic Zydeco, starting at 9.

The State Street Block Party continues from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, with musical acts Alpha Brass Band, Unity Group, Jarod Campbell, Xpresso Love (Ayana Del Valle and Lawrence Elder), Sonando and Woodshed Prophets.

Also included is the Binghamton Quest, an urban scavenger hunt through downtown Binghamton at 1 p.m.; registration is at 12:30 p.m. in front of Atomic Tom’s.

As part of the block party on First Friday, LUMA - A Projection Arts Festival will shine its light from 8 p.m. to midnight. Five buildings on State Street will be transformed into an outdoor art gallery of light, animation, projection and sound. The LUMA festival includes the first-ever computer animation of “B.C.” comics, structure-altering projection mapping projects, a community-sourced animated art gallery and four-story animations from Binghamton-based graphic artists. Among the many artists participating in LUMA includes JungleScience Gallery & Art Laboratories, which is hosting a pre-festival indoor projection exhibition in its gallery space (33 Court St., 2nd Fl.) from 6 to 8 p.m.

Learn more: LUMA’s light to shine on downtown Binghamton

Also on State Street:

• Community Options New York Inc. (182-184 State St.) will feature Alicia “AJ” Wagner’s “A Hero Loses Everyday,” with medical-themed graphic design, paintings and mixed media work.

• The September exhibit at Cooperative Gallery 213 (213 State St., Artists’ Row) is Judy Salton and MaryRose Griffin’s “Women on Women,” presented as a celebration of their marriage. It features paintings, drawings and prints of women. (A Third Thursday presentation at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 is “Lesbian Art and Artists,” which will include some adult content and should be considered R-rated.)

•Orazio Salati Studio and Gallery (204 State St.) has Bob Smith’s new non-objective paintings.

Other First Friday highlights include:

•Chatterbox Café, Tapas & Oyster Bar (21 Main St.), a new First Friday venue, will feature artist Christopher Lloyd Wright of Sidney with “Real and Imagined: Portraits by C.L. Wright.”

• From 6 to 10 p.m., Equinox Broadcasting at Holiday Inn Binghamton (2-8 Hawley St.) has the Cool 106.7 Cans ‘n’ Clams Goodbye to Summer Finale with music by Group du Jour.

• At Zona & Co. Grille (15 Hawley St.) will be music by Ship of Fools, a Grateful Dead tribute band, from 7 to 11 p.m.

• Garland Gallery (116 Gorgeous Washington St.) will have music by singer/songwriter Pat Raube.

•Orion Beauty & Balance (118 Gorgeous Washington St.) will feature henna artist Rachel Parsons with guest artist Holly Excel. $5 donation for small tattoo, $10 for large one. (All proceeds benefit National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Adirondack marathon at Schroon Lake.)

• The Shop (219 Washington St.) features Zach Seeger’s “Oops! (that parrot just cut your lifeline)”; Nathan Gorman’s “The Wall”; and Zoran Nenadich and Eugenie Zynda’s “We Heart Graffiti.” Music from 9 p.m. to midnight by Caribbean Drumming Group and two deep house DJs.

• Citrea Restaurant and Bar (7 Court St., Suite 3) features Aldo Borromei’s “Improvisational Art” and music by Joe Stento.

•Merlin’s (73 Court St.) has “Framed!”, which is MRM Photography’s spin on the classic pinup.

• At Phelps Mansion Museum (191 Court St.), the exhibition in the ballroom is “Spark,” featuring the art of Angela Cook with photography by Thomas Donato.

• River Read Books (5 Court St.) has Mary Turgeon’s “Collage.”

• Roberson Center & Science Center (30 Front St.) is $4 for First Friday, which includes entry to 7 p.m. digital planetarium show. Exhibits on view: 2015 Roberson Regional Art Exhibition (Dickenson West & Sawtelle Galleries).

•The Bundy Museum of Art & History (129 Main St.) has “Annie’s Unknown Banana” by S. S. Annie.

• The Gallery @ 5 Riverside Drive/Towers (5 Riverside Dr.) will showcase “The Art of Victor Lay” and Binghamton Philharmonic cellist Hakan Hromek performing. Gallery talk and reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by Hakan’s performance until 8:30 p.m.

• YMCA of Broome County/Binghamton (61 Susquehanna St.) will host Kids Night Out for ages 0-12, with fun activities for kids while parents enjoy First Friday. $15 for first child and $8 each additional child. Also, YMCA of Broome County Facilities (Binghamton: 61 Susquehanna St. & Johnson City: West Family Y, 740 Main St.) OPEN all day on Sep. 4 First Friday, free of charge for the community. Also on First Friday at the Binghamton Y, free blood pressure and BMI screenings.

• Confluence Running (46 S. Washington St.): Pub Run/Expressive Art: September 4 Pub Run starts at 7 PM from Confluence Running. All runners and walkers are welcome to join for 3 miles of running and walking with 4 stops along the way.

• Whole In The Wall Restaurant (43 S. Washington St.) will exhibit Barbara Ruth Blake’s “Just What I See” using traditional mediums in a whimsical fantasy genre.

•Lost Dog Cafe (222 Water St.) will feature Dan Soliwoda’s photo exhibit “Field Images.”

Also, the Parlor City Trolley Tours by PAST/Preservation Association of Southern Tier will depart from Phelps Mansion (191 Court St.) at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. with Joan Sprague (from PAST). Trolley circulates from 6 to 9 p.m. along a route; riders can get on or off at any time, free.

The First Friday Art Walk will feature 28 locations in Binghamton, downtown, west side and south side, and is open from 6 to 9 p.m., unless noted otherwise. For more information on September 4 First Friday Art Walk, go online to gorgeouswashington.com.