8 things to do: Canton First Friday, Ridgewood art event, Tom Petty act, Big Day at Malone

Here are eight events you shouldn't miss this week in Stark County:

1. Ridgewood art showcase

The Historic Ridgewood neighborhood in Canton will host its annual artist event from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

The 2024 Artists' Showcase and Sale will feature more than 30 artists, plus live music.

Artwork will include jewelry, pottery and ceramics, watercolors and mixed media, photography, and fabric and paper creations.

Large plaques with balloons will designate the participating homes. Artists include Laura Donnelly, Susan Clough, Jen Collins, Matthew Kauffman, Lisa Gasper, Jonathan Becker, Terri Barnes, Margie Blake, Patti Lazar, Dale Krieg, Nancy Darrah, Paula Mastrioanni, Kay Malloy, Deborah French, Sue Jenkins, Laura Milligan and Russ Hench.

Musical acts will include a barbershop chorus, acoustic guitar player and jazz trio.

The general area for the event will be 19th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd streets NW, as well as Harvard Avenue NW.

Visitors can enter the Ridgewood neighborhood at Market Avenue N and 21st Street NW. For GPS directions, use 125 21st St. NW.

Raffle basket tickets will be sold at the 21st Street NW entrance.

2. Canton Latino Fest

The third annual Canton Latino Fest will be noon to 10 p.m. Saturday at Centennial Plaza in downtown Canton.

The event features authentic Mexican, Puerto Rican and Honduran food, vendors, beverages, live music and children's activities.

Food vendors include Red Rican, Pedro's Taqueria, Taco Birria El Bajio, Sol Mexican Restaurant, Taco Veloz, and La Sabrocita Hondurena.

Entertainment includes Daniel Padilla 1-2 p.m.; Grupo Fuego 2:30-4 p.m.; Herencia Nortena 4:30-5:30 p.m.; folklore dancers 5:30-6:30 p.m.; Susana Garcia 6:30-7 p.m.; Konde Norteno 7-8:30 p.m.; and DJ Big June 9-10 p.m.

Centennial Plaza is at 330 Court Ave. NW and along Market Avenue N.

3. Tom Petty tribute at Jackson Amphitheater

King's Highway, a popular Tom Petty tribute band, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Nash Family Jackson Amphitheater.

King's Highway is led by Tim Eastgate of Coventry Township in Summit County. Eastgate dresses in Petty-inspired attire and mimics the late musician's stage act and vocals.

Eastgate also performs with a full band, including backup singers as a tribute to Tommy Petty and the Heartbreakers. Eastgate started the tribute band about 10 years ago.

King's Highway 5 cool things about Friday's Downtown Canton Music Fest: Big crowd, terrific Tom Petty act

King's Highway plays a plethora of Petty hits, including "Runnin' Down a Dream," "Free Fallin'," "Refugee," "Mary Jane's Last Dance," "Breakdown" and "American Girl."

Gates open at 6 p.m. for the concert. Tickets, $10 for general admission and $20 closer to the stage, can be purchased at https://www.jacksonamphitheater.com/ or by going directly to ticket provider Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.co

Jackson Amphitheater is at 7454 Community Parkway NW across from Jackson High School.

4. Canton First Friday has art theme

Art will be the theme for September's First Friday event this week in downtown Canton.

"Artist Unhoused-Art in the Streets!" will be open 5 to 9 p.m. for First Friday activities, although some restaurants, bars and businesses stay open later than 9 p.m.

Art-oriented activities will be happening throughout downtown. The food truck court will be in the parking lot area of the Eric Snow YMCA, 420 Third St. NW.

Starting at 6 p.m., New Wave Nation, a popular '80s tribute band, will be performing at Centennial Plaza, 330 Court Ave. NW along Market Avenue N.

Strauss Studios, 236 Walnut Ave. NE, will feature an art exhibition by Stark County creator Therese Cook, featuring her abstract, imaginative and colorful paintings.

"Connections" showcases a collection of encaustic works, plus two collaborative pieces with Canton artist Steve Ehret. The exhibition will be on display until Oct. 11.

5. Yankee Peddler Festival

The Yankee Peddler Festival is Saturday and Sunday at Clay's Resort Jellystone Park in the Canal Fulton area.

The annual festival is 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and continues on Sept. 14-15 and Sept. 21-22.

Yankee Peddler is a pioneer-themed event featuring arts and crafts, as well as colonial-style food cooked over open fires. Entertainment includes bagpipe players, puppet shows and live music.

Clay's Resort is at 12951 Patterson St. NW in Lawrence Township. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://www.yankeepeddlerfestival.com/.

Tickets cost $11 for adults; $10 for seniors; and $3 for children ages 6 to 11. Children 5 and younger are admitted free. Tickets also can be purchased at the festival gates with cash or personal check but not credit or debit cards.

6. Big Day Fest at Malone features live music

The Big Day Fest on Saturday at Malone University will feature live music, inflatables, games, local worship bands and food trucks.

Featured musical acts include Joseph O'Brien, Josiah Queen and indie tribe, a Christian hip-hop group. O'Brien is a Nashville artist who performed on "America's Got Talent."

Festivities will be on Malone's campus, and headlining acts will perform in the Johnson Center for Worship and the Fine Arts, 2600 Cleveland Ave. NW.

Josiah Queen performs at 6-7 p.m. followed by Joseph O'Brien from 7:15-8:15 p.m. and indie tribe from 8:30-9:30 p.m.

For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://bigdayfest.org/. Tickets cost $25 for access to all indoor and outdoor events. Tickets for Malone students cost $10 for indoor concerts. Outdoor events are free for Malone students.

“We’re excited to launch the Big Day Fest this fall just as the new school year begins,” Eric Young, Malone's vice president for enrollment and marketing, said in a prepared statement. “We are looking forward to the festival as an additional opportunity to connect with regional churches and youth groups as we continue to serve as a hub for Christian education and culture in northeast Ohio.”

The festival opens at noon for outdoor activities and performances by local worship bands.

7. Watch the Browns game at Centennial Plaza

Browns fans will gather at Centennial Plaza on Sunday to watch the Cleveland Browns open their season at home against the Dallas Cowboys.

The game starts at 4:25 p.m. and will be shown on the large video screen at Centennial Plaza in downtown Canton at 330 Court Ave. NW along Market Avenue N.

Seating is not provided but attendees can bring blankets and chairs. For a list of rules and policies at Centennial Plaza, go to https://cantoncentennialplaza.com/.

Game time Centennial Plaza becomes Browns Town during Sunday afternoon games

Watch parties are also scheduled at the plaza for Browns games on Sept. 15, Sept. 22, Sept. 29, Oct. 6, Oct. 13, Oct. 20, Oct. 27 and Nov. 3. Game times vary. Details are available at https://cantoncentennialplaza.com/events/.

8. 'Jekyll & Hyde' at Players Guild Theatre

"Jekyll & Hyde" opens this weekend at Players Guild Theatre at Kent State University at Stark in Jackson Township.

Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. A second run of shows will be Sept. 13-15.

Theatrical landscape What happened to live theater in downtown Canton? No Players Guild, but the show goes on

For more information and to purchase tickets for "Jekyll & Hyde," go to https://playersguildtheatre.com. The box office also can be reached at 330-244-3224 and via email at [email protected]. Tickets cost $25 to $45.

Players Guild Theatre is at KSU Stark in the Mary J. Timken Theatre, 6000 Frank Ave. NW.

Reach Ed at (330)580-8315 and [email protected]

On X (formerly Twitter) at @ebalintREP and Instagram at ed_balint

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton summer fun: Yankee Peddler, Latino Fest and Browns watch party