This month marks the unofficial one-year anniversary of First Thursday, at least as we know it. The art walk portion of the event has been going on for longer than that, but August 2009 was the first attempt at bringing outside activities to the square. Remember?

A lot has happened since then. There was the unfortunate loss of ddp gallery, a shift in control of the event to the Visitors Bureau, the addition of street art on East Ave., and finally, a full-on beer garden was added in June.

Happy Sort-of Anniversary First Thursday!

Here’s what we know of for tonight’s event that kicks off at 5 p.m. on the square:

Fayetteville Underground

Located in the downstairs section of East Square Plaza, Fayetteville Underground will host four new art exhibitions.

Christian Demare – Ghosts in the Landscape #2
Hive Gallery

Christian Demare is a photographer living and working in Paris, France. Demare’s life is entirely devoted to his work, research and experimentation. Recent exhibitions at the French Institute in Thessaloniki, Greece, and at Les Insolites, in Tangiers, Morocco have brought great visibility to his work.

Fayetteville Underground artist Megan Chapman says she has always been inspired and impressed by Demare’s “dark, lush and mysterious photographic worlds” so she invited him to have an exhibition here in town. He agreed.

Shift Collective – Continental Shift
Revolver Gallery

Shift, a collaborative artists’ studio/gallery in the Pioneer Square district of Seattle Washington, will feature nine of its member artists in this exhibition.

Shift’s June Sekiguchi and Fayettville Underground studio artist Leilani Law co-facilitated this member exhibition exchange. Fayetteville Underground studio artists will be featured in October at Shift Collaborative Studio in Seattle.

Gregory Moore – Reclaimed Sufaces
Vault Gallery

For the past few years, Gregory Moore has been combing Fayetteville’s salvage yards, scrap heaps, recycling centers and dumpsters in search of materials to transform into art. He collects pieces of rusted, dented metal debris and paints on them making sure not to obscure their original texture and color. He seeks out objects that are notable for their interesting stains, rust and damage and he lets those characteristics guide his paintings.

Greg debuted Reclaimed Surfaces in October 2009, but since then, his subject matter has expanded to include feral animals along with weeds and wildflowers.

Karan Freeman – Let’s Eat
E-Street Gallery

As an independent potter working out of her home in Fayetteville, Karan Freeman thinks most about the functionality of her pieces. She prefers to work with white stoneware, midfire, that lends itself to long lasting, durable pieces.

“When someone tells me they have a 5 or 10 year old bowl or mug they still love and use regularly, it reinforces my sense of purpose and satisfaction,” said Freeman.

On the street

Twenty two artists will be set up on East Avenue for this month’s street side art walk including Kelly Price-Colston, Rachel Birdsell, and Jack Divine.

The New Belgium charity beer garden will also return to the east side of the courtyard in front of the Town Center, and will be open from 5 to 8 p.m. Proceeds from the beer garden will be donated to the Yvonne Richardson Community Center school supply program. A list of supplies needed can be found here.

The movie

An outdoor showing of the film Footloose is scheduled for this month in front of the loading dock of the Old Post Office at dark.

In case you missed it in 1984, Footloose stars Kevin Bacon who leads a bunch of kids in an ultra conservative town into a rebellion against their parents and the city council, who have banned fast dancing. It sounds weird, but it’s good. Also, there’s a remake coming out next year.

The rest

Besides all that, there’s music from DJ SoulFree, a living sculpture, an event at Matt Miller Studios, and a wine tasting and art show inside East Square Plaza. See you there?