On Friday, a few of my friends accompanied me to my first First Friday in downtown Augusta. I was a bit skeptical, but I let them lead me around anyway. We began our night near the Augusta Common where a car show was being hosted. The eye-catching colors and wow-worthy personality of each vehicle were unforgettable. One showed off the inside of its trunk where an array of horrific faces and flashing lights greeted passersby. We wandered the streets, taking in all the intriguing Augustan characters.
Things suddenly became interesting when a blood-curlding scream sounded from across the street. We turned to see a 7-foot-tall skeleton waving to a small crowd that had gathered to watch a belly dancer show off her moves. Upon joining the onlookers, we spotted a small clown in oversized pants. Teenagers in t-shirts advertising Nightmare Plantation, a haunted house opening Sept. 24, passed out cards with all the necessary information.
From there, we made our way to The Bee’s Knees, a restaurant that seemed to be the hot spot for the evening. While waiting for a table to become available, we rounded the corner to find a lovely little book shop known as The Book Tavern. It offered used books of every genre. It was undoubtedly my favorite part of the evening.
In front of a men’s clothing store, we spotted Augusta Preparatory Day School’s Schools for Schools booth. Their club sponsors a school in northern Uganda that offers education as an alternative to war for impoverished children. They raised $133.82 in donations at First Friday. We glanced at a few other setups selling art and other novelties before enjoying a delectable dinner at The Bee’s Knees. After eating too much, we set out to wander again.
This time, we stopped at every jewelry booth we came across. A mother and daughter duo ran a stand that offered an unbelievable vintage selection. I came away with a beautiful owl pin. Later, I found a pair of earrings with dangling white elephants. The woman who sold them to me also offered my friend and me an anklet, free-of-charge.
It was a wonderful evening. The sense of community was incredibly refreshing. I encourage other teens to check it out. The experience is bound to be positive.
Xtreme Teen Board Member Kayla Vinson is a senior at Augusta Preparatory Day School.
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