April's First Friday to Go "Through the Looking Glass"

falls on April Fools' Day this month, but founder Sherry Tillman is hopeful the weather doesn't have any tricks up its sleeve.

"It's a time when we usually go outside, but I'm not so sure about the weather. We were planning to have a parade, but if the weather doesn't cooperate, all these events will be held inside MilkBoy," said Tillman, the proprietor of .

Whatever the venue, the Wolfpack Theatre Company will headline the proceedings with a performance of selections from "Alice in Wonderland" at 6 p.m. and follow-up with an encore performance later that evening. Also, as an additional riff on the "Through the Looking Glass" theme, First Friday will hold a "Mad Hatters" contest, where attendees are encouraged to fashion creative hats from recyclable materials.

The hats will be judged during a parade and the winners will receive various, and as of yet unspecified, prizes and also have their handiwork displayed in the windows of participating shops.

"We have Melmark, the school for children with autism, making hats right now. And though we've just learned they won't be able to come to the parade, the Wolfpack kids will be parading their hats for them," said Tillman.

Though Tillman is unsure of what the turnout will be given the uncertainty the weather forecast poses, she promises it will be a great event.

"April is tough to know because of the weather, but when the weather is great, we get tons of people. Either way, it should be a lot of fun for everyone."

Tillman began First Friday Main Line began with the intention of increasing the exposure of local artists. For the last four years, she has gotten area businesses whose wares often fall outside of what's generally regarded as "art" to display their work.

By placing art in these atypical venues, she says she's brought "art to people rather than waiting for them to go to the art."

This is a cause close to the heart of Tillman, who attended art school before opening Past*Present*Future. She says the market is often unkind to those in the visual arts, a problem further compounded by the fact that many artists themselves are less-than perfect pitchmen.

"I hate to say it, but we as a society don't value art the way we should. Art programs in school are being cut. People don't really buy art either," lamented Tillman.

Though she launched First Friday primarily as an antidote to this indifference, she's found that it hasn't just helped fledgling local artists, but the participating businesses as well.

"It works both ways," said Tillman. "People come for the art and get familiar with a store they may not know otherwise, or when going to a store get exposed to an artist they may not have known."

A rare win-win.

First Friday this month takes place April 1 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.