MANSFIELD, Ohio – Summer fun is in full swing for this month’s First Friday Shop Hop in Mansfield, and downtown businesses are not short of activities for local children to enjoy.
For the first time this Friday, Richland Carrousel Park is hosting a special children’s event for the Shop Hop with children’s karaoke night. Sharon Bishop, co-director at Richland Carrousel Park, said the park will host a DJ with a wide variety of Disney songs, including the popular songs from the movie “Frozen.”
“We will flash the words out so the children can sing, and they can sing while they’re on the carrousel,” said Bishop. “Our children all know the Disney songs, they come in here singing anyway so we might as well have music for them. It should be a lot of fun for everyone.”
Bishop said the carrousel will also offer specially priced rides, five rides for $2, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday night. Free flags will also be given out while supplies last.
Just down the street, Little Buckeye Children’s Museum will be offering half price admissions to the museum from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Operations Manager Maureen Kuiper said Little Buckeye has enjoyed participating in First Fridays for almost a year now.
“It’s an opportunity for people, especially working parents who can’t get here because of our hours, to experience the museum,” said Kuiper. “It’s so much fun here, the interaction and the playing and the fun that goes on coupled with the learning is absolutely marvelous.”
Little Buckeye’s neighbors will also be offering kid-friendly activities for this Friday’s Shop Hop. Shoppers who make a purchase at Little Bo-Tique will receive a free family pass to a pool party at Crestline Pool on July 26.
“When you come in to make a purchase you’ll get a pass for up to a family of four,” explained owner Rob Hawks. “We’ll take everybody’s name and number and a week before the pool party we’ll verify you’re coming. If you do have more people that’s OK, it’ll be open for the whole family.”
The pool party will feature a shallow kid section, a mushroom sprayer, a twirling slide and lots of fun swimming space. Hawks said Little Bo-Tique really wanted to create a sense of community within their shop.
“Most of our customers have little kids, so it’s always good to create relationships with other families with young children,” he said. “We wanted to give that opportunity to people.”
The Boot Life stays on theme with the Independence Day holiday weekend with “True to the Red, White and Blue.” The shop will feature apple pie, “Teddy Bear” puppies from Burton Creek breeders, and an Ariat Apparel clearance sale.
According to Downtown Mansfield Inc., more than 50 independent businesses now populate downtown Mansfield’s city center. Most businesses will offer entertainment, unique events, giveaways and specials during the First Friday Shop Hop. For up-to-date information, visit Downtown Mansfield Inc.’s Facebook page.
