Akron Life November 2023

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[ Managing Editor | Kelly Petryszyn | kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com | photo provided by Comet Wanderer Studios ]

Guide Book

Be an explorer in our community.

“The whole point for the Canton Light Festival for us was to ... put a new light on an old space and make people appreciate the surroundings that they see every day,” says Megan Wanderer, Comet Wanderer Studios co-owner. Read our guide on pg. 24 for handmade products, art and food to discover in Canton. It includes a story on Comet Wanderer Studios and holiday gift recommendations. I have enjoyed browsing Cantonology, which sells primarily handmade Canton and local pride items like prints, jewelry and more, and I got a “Home is Where the Heart Is” magnet. In our feature, owner Barb Resch shares a story about how her mother would bring cameras and take her on tours of the community. It’s such a won derful idea to be a tourist in your backyard. I’d love to do that with my toddler, Izzy. It makes me think, How can we all explore our community with that curiosity? Perhaps there’s a local destination you’ve never been to. A few years back I visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton for the first time. It was fascinating to see Harry Robb’s 1920s red Canton Bulldogs warmup jacket, Paul Brown’s football with Brownie, “Browns” written out and a crown on it that was awarded to him for the team’s 1955 championship win, Jim Brown’s jersey and more. There is a reverence about tak ing in the bronze busts of inductees in the Hall of Fame Gallery that prompts every one to go silent. My husband, Tony, is a Pennsylvania native and a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan, so watching the film about their stunning underdog Super Bowl victory was

emotional, and I remember getting misty eyed at the sheer show of grit and joy. I was blown away by the multisensory “A Game for Life” presentation that had holograms of former quarterback Joe Namath and other legends. That was my first time seeing a hologram like that, and it amazed me. First Fridays are an excellent way to check out city shops and spots you’ve never visited in one night. At a Canton First Friday, I saw ice sculptures all over downtown. It was cool to watch someone working on the printing press at Print & Press Shop & Studios, and we enjoyed the witty cards and Tony got a fun sticker for his beer fridge. Miss Larana’s Alchemical Apothecary was giving away free bath bombs too, and you can read about her interesting journey and products in our Canton feature. Another way to see our community in a different light is to volunteer. I’ve found that it’s always rewarding. Our new philan thropy guide on pg. 42 connects you with some local options and gives you a picture of what to expect. I’ve cooked and served meals at the Ronald McDonald House, and people were so thankful. I assisted kids with disabilities in riding horses at Camp Cheerful, and their smiles made it worth it. I’ve served homeless people food in down town Cleveland, and seeing them get a hot meal meant everything. I hope our guide helps you be a tourist in Canton, appreciate the community and find

Red curtains opened to blue-hued kaleidoscopic patterns as a chicken walked across a light projection on a wall at the Cultural Center for the Arts in Canton. A hand inserted a cassette into a magenta-outlined boom box as black and purple squares pulsed. Asteroids flew at the audience through a purple, pink and blue galactic sky as a black cat peeked into the picture. These images completely immersed me as I sat on the floor engrossed in the digital installation from Massillon based Comet Wanderer Studios at the 2021 Illumination: Canton Light Festival. It was one of the first times I was encompassed in digital art, and it made me see Canton in a way I never had before.

surprising delights at every stop. [ Managing Editor Kelly Petryszyn is an adventure seeker, forever a dreamer and an avid supporter of #TeamFiona. ]

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NOVEMBER 2023 | akronlife.com