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Annual ‘Doors Open Jamestown’ Event Draws Crowds Downtown

Kaylee Melquist, left, and Sophie Evan felt like celebrities in the Tropicana Room at the Lucy Desi Museum and Center For Comedy during the annual Doors Open Jamestown on Saturday. P-J photos by Katrina Fuller

The doors of Jamestown businesses and organizations were thrown open with welcome Saturday in honor of Doors Open Jamestown.

Several area attractions, restaurants, museums and art galleries invited the public to visit and waived the admission fee for the day. The event was sponsored by Jamestown Up Close, the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation and the Jamestown Community Chamber of Commerce.

The Lucille Ball Desi Museum and Center For Comedy allowed visitors to explore the museum and playhouse, and also held a special event in the Tropicana Room for the day.

“We have an exhibit celebrating Desi Arnaz,” said Steve Neilans, National Comedy Center marketing and communications director. “It’s his 100th birthday this year, and we’re also doing a photo opportunity for people who want to have their photo taken with Lucille Ball’s 1967 Emmy Award.”

The award is normally on display as an attraction, but it was made a hands-on attraction for the special day, he said. Visitors were able to don white gloves, and feel like a movie star on the red carpet as Neilans took a photo.

Neilans said the organization has been participating in the event for the past few years.

“It’s a great day to really show the community what’s going on in their hometown,” he said. “I think a lot of the time people might take for granted some of the things that are in their community, so it’s nice to have a day that is specifically for the people of Jamestown and the surrounding area to come in and see what is going on and see how great the Jamestown area is. It’s fun to see people bring their friends, and see new people every year.”

He said overall, the event is helpful for everyone in the long-run. If someone is excited about what the city has to offer, it has an impact, Neilans said.

“It’s just fun,” he said. “It’s an honor to partner with all the other different organizations in the area who are also doing the same thing. It’s just an honor to work with them, and it’s fun to be part of something positive in town that people have shown that they appreciate and take advantage of.”

Throughout the day, Neilans said many people visited the museum, but the number of attendees wasn’t immeadiately known.

The 3rd on 3rd Gallery opened a new art show just in time for the event titled, “Hope in the Dark.” Debra Eck, gallery curator, said there is a rotating schedule of exhibitions, and the gallery wanted to make sure the opening coincided with the Doors Open Jamestown event to drive awareness of the gallery.

“The gallery has been here for three years, but a lot of people don’t know that there’s a place here at all,” Eck said. “This show is called ‘Hope in the Dark,’ because 2016 was not a great year globally. When we were thinking about planning the show, there were a lot of political tensions, and a lot of personal tensions, so Rebecca Solnit, who’s a writer, wrote a book called ‘Hope in the Dark,’ and so we used a quote from that book as the inspiration for the works.”

She said the works displayed in the show are a mix of local pieces and pieces from around the world.

“There are artists from Ireland, France, the U.K.,” Eck said. “It’s mix of local and international work. And the theme of the show is hope – what gives us hope?”

Visits to the gallery were steady all day, she said, adding the nice weather was helpful for the turn out. Karen Glosser, local photographer, has her piece, “Light and Peace,” displayed in the gallery for the show and was on hand during the event to greet visitors. She is originally from the local area, and has been doing photography for about five years. Her photo features waves from Lake Erie.

The show will be open until Feb. 4. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 116 E. Third Street.

Other attractions involved included the Audubon Community Nature Center, the Busti Grist Mill, Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame, Dykeman-Young Gallery and Vintage Emporium, Fenton History Center, Infinity Performing Arts, Northwest Arena and many others.

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