Because July's First Friday falls on the nation's 232nd birthday, in addition to firecrackers, brews, hot dogs, and sliders, we also get to savor good art, as many of the Old City galleries stage their usual First Friday openings and extended hours. Note that some galleries will be closed on the 4th, so if you have a particular favorite that you always aim for, give them a call first to make sure that they will be open on the 4th.

Artists' House has a gorgeous Summer Group Exhibition going on through August 24, and we're especially impressed by the small portraits of Anthony Palumbo and the trompe l'oeils of Sarah van der Helm. Artists' House is located at 57 N. Second Street at Cuthbert.

Over at the 3rd Street Gallery (which is actually on 2nd Street), you can check out Michelle Malkasian Weisberg's "Disappearing Landscapes." The works are inspired by the artist's visits to Mexico's well-known artists' colony at San Miguel de Allende. The opening is from 5-9PM. 3rd Street Gallery is located at 58 N. Second St. at Cuthbert.

The F.U.E.L. Collection will be open and they have Style of Consequence and Music to My Eyes. The first exhibition ("Style of Consequence - A Look at Style and Fashion in Art") is curated by Katerina Lydon-Warner while the Second Floor Gallery offers "Music to My Eyes," performance and video work "incorporating music in process or concept." F.U.E.L. Collection is at 249 Arch Street at N. 3rd St.

If you're skipping town on the 4th, but still want to feed your gallery opening Jones, then Gallery Joe will open "sense of place," this year’s summer group show (curated by Sarah Holloran) on Thursday, July 3. There will be an opening reception on Thursday evening from 6-8 pm, and the show will continue through July 26. The gallery will not be open on the 4th of July. Gallery Joe is at 302 Arch Street, corner of N. 3rd St.

Image by Anthony Palumbo, courtesy of Artists' House.