Liidlii Kue/Fort Simpson - Coffee was flowing in Fort Simpson during the inaugural First Friday Coffeehouse.

Michael Blyth was one of the musicians who took to the stage during the First Friday Coffeehouse in Fort Simpson. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

True to its name, visitors to the event held on Sept. 7 had the option of purchasing seven different types of coffees from cappuccinos to macchiatos. Standing behind the specialty coffee machine, Micki Honkanen was kept busy pouring coffee and frothing milk.

"A lot of people are saying I've never had one of these before," said Honkanen between orders.

But people at the event were doing much more than getting a caffeine fix. The participants, numbering more than 25, had the chance to listen to musical stylings of local artists and try their hand at an art workshop.

These components will be at the core of the series of coffeehouses, said Lynn Canney, the executive director for the Open Sky Society that hosted the event.

The Open Sky Society has been running coffeehouses in the village for a number of years but not on a regular basis, said Canney.

The First Friday Coffeehouse series will change that because one will be held on the first Friday of every month.

For Open Sky the coffeehouses offer a chance to practice organizing events, but for the rest of the community they're just for fun.

"It's just to get people out to enjoy the arts," said Canney.

She expects that the coffeehouses will grow in popularity as they progress.

"Fort Simpson's actually very rich in art," she said.

Whether people are interested or involved in performance, music or the visual arts, the coffeehouses are open to them.

Musicians are welcome to come and jam or take to the stage and perform on their own, said Canney.

At the first event, Mike Canney was on the stage at the recreation centre playing the drums while Michael Blyth handled a guitar.

They were joined by a number of other performers including Wesley Hardisty and Karen Gelderman on the fiddle.

The coffeehouses are a cool idea because they give youth the chance to get on the stage and play, said Chuck Blyth who was listening to the music.

"It's like a no pressure situation because it's very laid back," said Blyth.

With some youth already getting a taste of performing in front of the public maybe they will bring more of their friends with them next time, Blyth said.

Artists are also welcomed at the coffeehouses.

People with crafts can come and display and sell their wares or teach a skill to interested participants.

For the first coffeehouse Marion Storm ran a session on painting designs on light-switch covers.

The craft was something easy to do that didn't require a lot of time on a Friday after work, said Storm while surrounded by five people wielding paintbrushes on their lightswitch plates.

"I think it was great," she said about the first coffeehouse. "People seem to be festive and smiling."