Main Street Kent is hosting two events the first week of April. Putt Around Downtown and the first of the First Friday Art Walks will take place in select businesses throughout downtown Kent.

First Friday Art Walks will start April 5 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will continue every first Friday of the month until Dec. 6. All businesses, galleries and studios participating will extend their business hours to 7 p.m. to give customers a chance to explore the art and their shops. Guests on the art walk can expect to see featured artists, demonstrations, poetry readings and other art activities.

“We have always shown art but now we are doing it in a way that everyone can enjoy,” said Jason Merlene, the owner of Last Exit Books.

A new Art Walk postcard raffle will also be added, which gives people a chance to win monthly artsy prizes. Guests can pick up a postcard at any of the participating locations along the walk. While out exploring the art they can get their card punched at any four locations of their choosing and be entered into the drawing.

The locations participating in the First Friday Art Walks are: Downtown Gallery, Each + Every, FJKluth Art Gallery, Group 10 Gallery, Handcrafted, Kent State Hotel & Conference Center, Last Exit Bookstore, McKay Bricker Framing & Black Squirrel Gifts, Red Letter Days, Standing Rock Cultural Arts, and Troppus Projects.

The second event is Putt Around Downtown on April 6 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Golfers will meet at Venice Cafe around 1 p.m. Upon checking in, golfers will receive a commemorative golf ball, a scorecard, a course map, and a raffle and drink ticket. From there they will walk the eighteen hole miniature golf course created by each of the participating businesses in downtown Kent.

Each of the following businesses will create a custom miniature golf hole: Belleria Pizza & Italian Restaurant, Carnaby Street Style, Cracked Escape, Franklin School of Dance, GV Art + Design, Handcrafted, Kent Cheesemonger, Kent Cycle, Kent Fabrics, Kent Historical Society & Museum, Kent State Hotel, Middle Path Counseling, Popped!, Red Letter Days, Rise & Shine Café, Scribbles Coffee, Sugar Rush, and Treno Ristorante.

“We have a more traditional hole, a putting green that goes across our sales floor and some bicycle tires and lights to putt around,” said Stefan Meyer, owner of Kent Cycle.

After going to all 18 holes golfers will meet back for the 4 p.m. raffle at Venice Cafe. Prizes for the raffle include rounds of golf, golf accessories and gift cards to Kent restaurants and businesses. Tickets for Putt Around Downtown are $15 per person or $50 for a group of four.

 Jorden Shevel covers business. Contact him at [email protected].