If she thought about it for a while, Brandie Patterson of Akron would have realized she was in no danger when Drip E. Faucet’s bucket started falling toward her head.
Mr. Faucet is a clown, after all, and the standard for the joke is to have little pieces of paper or nothing at all when a bucket falls on the audience.
But it happened in an instant at First Night Akron on Saturday, and Patterson ducked wildly as her family giggled.
Mr. Faucet is known as Doug Meek when he isn’t balancing a bucket on the end of a long pole.
“Most of the time, they react in some way,” the 20-year veteran of high jinks said.
On the whole, it was a night for giggling by thousands of people, mostly young folks in the early evening, who roamed the streets of downtown Akron, looking for fun and entertainment.
Ashley Wojcik, 11, of Stow was in the Akron-Summit County Public Library lobby, waiting to get a tattoo.
Her mother, Donna, was relieved to know the bird marking on the back of her hand was temporary.
Why a tattoo? Ashley said, “Because it’s funky.” That sent her cousins, Madie and Kaitlyn Morse of Cuyahoga Falls, into a minor fit of giggling.
First Night also is a delight for music fans, and Dick and Nancy Willett of Tallmadge came prepared with a plan. They had a brochure marked with events throughout the night, starting with a performance by Lisa and Heather Malyuk at the Akron Art Museum.
The Malyuks play dulcimer, guitar, violin and banjo.
For the Willetts, it’s just the start of an eclectic evening of tunes.
“We look forward to this, coming down and being able to listen to the variety,” Nancy Willett said. “We’ve got it all planned out.”
Vince Morvatz of Akron found a way to take in the sights and raise some money for charity.
Dressed in a coat and top hat, he sold trinkets and lighted necklaces.
“I just got a few goodies. I do it for a nonprofit organization, Global Education Foundation,” he said.
The toys sell for between $3 and $5. The nonprofit organization sponsors community education, recycling, environmental issues and aids education.
He said he has been selling the stuff at holiday events since 1989 and has been coming to First Night since it started 16 years ago under the sponsorship of the Downtown Akron Partnership.
Most people had to buy a badge to get into the events, but Della Wade of Barberton got her fun for free. She stood at a door to a Knight Center performance by musician B.E. Mann and danced the night away.
That’s OK, because she was a volunteer ready to help as needed. The night was going smoothly. But she was asked, isn’t standing around at the door boring?
“Do I look like I’m bored?” she asked as she moved to the rhythm. “The music’s great.”
Events started an hour later this year, at 6 p.m., and most of the early arrivals had kids. They hit the 9 p.m. fireworks show and said they would not be around for the midnight hour and a second fireworks display.
Wade is a bit older, but she got her fun and left before the traffic jam after the midnight fireworks.
“When they close here at 11:30, I go home,” she said. “I don’t stay for the fireworks.”
Dave Scott can be reached at 330-996-3577 or davescott@thebeaconjournal.com.