On Friday April 1, Helper City will welcome back First Fridays with a new business opening on main street and will end with a candle light vigil for the people of Ukraine, that was requested by artist and Helper citizen Thomas Williams before his death last week.

Helper City mayor Lenise Peterman joined us in studio to talk about the event and following through on a request by Thomas.

“So what we were able to do is we had a citizen, Ryan Bromberek has stepped up and said,’Hey, I would love to lead this on behalf of the city to insure it still takes place.’  So what I did as mayor I said let’s make sure this is really tightly connected to the city, so Amanda Wheeler has taken point on behalf of the city, just to be support and to insure that the event happens,  because we think it’s a great event, it’s a great event for our small businesses on main street and we’re really looking to honor the small businesses on main April 1, but what a heavy event to lose Tom Williams this past week it really has profoundly effected the community.”

Before Williams’ passed, he had asked the Mayor if the city would consider a candle light vigil for the people of Ukraine, unfortunately he passed away before the city was able to make it happen. The vigil will take place at the end of  First Fridays beginning at Balance Rock Cafe and make it’s way to Main Street Park.

The make-up of First Fridays will be different. main street will not be closed, there will however be traffic control to slow vehicles as they pass through. The galleries will be open, plus great new businesses that are getting ready to come online.

“We’re hoping to excite people about the new businesses that are coming online, Aunt Nell’s will have a radio spot happening, the galleries will have their doors open and really we would just like to see the community come together especially as we’re seeing the COVID numbers falling, you know it’s just time to do that. And then I’m super excited about the May First Friday, Helper City is partnering with Cindy Curry, and we’ve got some great things coming up in May.”

First Friday will begin at 5 p.m. on Main Street in Helper and coming to a close around 8 p.m., and then bring your candles down and join in the candle light vigil for the people of Ukraine and memorial for Thomas Williams.

Below is the interview with Helper City mayor Lenise Peterman