Second Friday spirits sunny in North East despite cloudy skies

NORTH EAST — Threatening skies persisted and light rain fell a time or two Friday evening in downtown North East, but the weather did not seem to dampen the spirits of those who visited the town during its monthly Second Friday celebration.

A few open umbrellas could be seen at times as folks walked up and down the sidewalks along Main Street, popping into the gift stores, restaurants and ice cream shops along that thoroughfare. William Morgan and Jane Simon, who had traveled to North East from Reading, Pa., huddled beneath a dark blue umbrella at one point — but only for a moment or two before the drizzle subsided.

“It’s not too bad,” Morgan opined.

And he was right. Granted, it was not an early evening marked by blue skies and plenty of sunshine. But it is summer — so it was warm and the sun, which was obscured by clouds, still set late that night, meaning there was plenty of natural light.

Music performed by the October Oak acoustic duo floated up and down Main Street while folks dined inside nearby restaurants and on porches and patios at those establishments; and browsed in gift shops and walked up and down the sidewalks in downtown North East, some eating ice cream and frozen custard as they did.