Plaidurday First Friday events planned

By TOM LAVENTURE

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Ironwood — Get into the spirit with Plaidurday and First Friday with music and a traditional photo event downtown.

For the past few years Ironwood has won a friendly competition among cities to gather the most people for a downtown Plaidurday photo, said Gina Jacquart Thorsen, president of Stormy Kromer, a division of Jacquart Fabric Products in Ironwood.

Plaidurday is always the first Friday in October, so when downtown Ironwood started celebrating First Fridays, it made sense to link the two events, she said. People are invited to wear plaid and to take part in the aerial photo at 6 p.m. on Aurora Street near the Historic Ironwood Theatre marquee.

Stormy Kromer is the First Friday sponsor this year and is underwriting the live music for the event. There will be giveaways including Stormy Kromer wool plaid blankets – with information about how to enter posted around downtown on Friday.

Thorsen said the Plaidurday movement grew out of an idea in Lansing to become an international event. But the event has a strong connection to Ironwood and with Stormy Kromer, which put the plaid brand in a premium space.

“Bugsy Sailor, the person who created this fun day, is a good friend of the Stormy Kromer brand and from the very early days we got on board,” she said. “It just made sense – plaid is a key part of our brand identity and how people think of us.”

Over the years a friendly rivalry has grown between the Upper Peninsula cities of Ironwood and Marquette to see who can get the most plaid-wearing people in a photo on Plaidurday, she said. Ironwood is obviously the much smaller city but has prevailed every year, she said.

“We feel Plaidurday not only represents Stormy Kromer, but the spirit of the western U.P. and it’s a tradition we are glad to be a part of,” Thorsen said.

The city of Ironwood First Friday activities start with the farmers and artisans market in Depot Park along with art vendors around the downtown at 4 p.m., according to Tim Erickson, city community development specialist in his report to the Downtown Ironwood Development Authority on Thursday. Following the Plaidurday photo there will be an hour of live music from singer-songwriter Mike LaBo at Downtown City Square.

October is Sexual Violence Awareness Month and LaBo is an advocate who addresses prevention and awareness, said Amy Nosal, DIDA chair.

There will also be other events happening at the Historic Ironwood Theatre including the Flashback Friday movie “Forever Plaid” at 7:30 p.m. The Ironwood Carnegie Library will hold a book signing event at 5 p.m. with P.K. Perry, author of “Melancholy Until the Mountain” in Pocket Park.

Most downtown businesses will also be open later on Friday, Erickson said.