Tonight I stumbled onto something that filled me with awe and glee – pianos on Main Street. I’m not sure who is spearheading this effort – the Chamber of Commerce? The owners of various businesses? – but it’s beyond cool.
A piano from a similar project in New York City
There are going to be several upright pianos installed on the sidewalk in downtown Littleton that are available for anyone to play. The first one was put in today. It’s painted in pretty colors with whimsical pictures and it’s secured to the sidewalk so that it can stay as a semi-permanent installation through the summer. Apparently it will be covered at night and in bad weather. Anyone can sit down and play it at any time. The guy I was talking with was saying he hopes that people will come downtown with their friends and bring a guitar or something else so they can jam together.
Tonight there was an open house at the businesses where the first piano is installed (for locals it’s in front of Emma & Co. and Smooch) and there were some guys there to play music. They’d brought a set of drums (which aren’t part of the installation! 
) and were playing a lot of old jazz classics. It was so much fun!
I’m really excited to see what the rest of the pianos look like and where they’ll be installed. While I was there covering the businesses, there was someone there from the newspaper covering the pianos so I look forward to reading his article this weekend and finding out who has sponsored this.
This kind of thing makes me so happy – art just for the joy of it.
SO COOL!
4 comments
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Dotan Negrin
June 17, 2011 at 5:04 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Play Me, I’m Yours inspired me to travel across America with my upright piano. They were in NYC last year in June and I decided to try it myself in July. Now I took to the streets with my upright and have traveled all the way to California and played on the streets of 14 cities….so far. Thanks for spreading this wonderful project!
http://www.facebook.com/pianoacrossamerica
Leah Carey
June 17, 2011 at 5:57 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Hey Dotan – I’ve just been checking out your website and what you’re doing is amazing! I love the video of you with the two random strangers.
When do you think you’ll be back on the east coast? I’d love to meet you! Best of luck in your travels – and no more pianos falling on your hands, okay?
Andrew Smith
September 4, 2011 at 6:47 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
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Jim
May 27, 2012 at 6:39 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Leah,
I graduated from Lisbon, NH (early 80′s) and currently live in southern NH.
Saturday I was up north visiting my folks and stopped at the Coffee Pot in Littleton for a bite to eat while on my way to visiting my Dad in Lancaster who’s currently in a nursing home.
After a relaxing meal, always great service at the Coffee Pot, my 16 year old daughter and I noticed a piano across the street at the Barber Shop (rather colorfully painted) and we walked across the street to glance at it. To my surprise, she sat down and played “The Pink Panther” theme. Da-Da… Da-Dum… Da-Da… Da-Dum… I didn’t even know she could play! I couldn’t help but grin as I glanced up Main Street with the sun shining Saturday morning and “The Pink Panther” rhythm playing to folks walking by at this (wildly painted) public piano.
This was a nice start to a beautiful Memorial Day Weekend and a brilliant display of Littleton hospitality!!!
A good cup of coffee and a good chuckle on a Saturday morning… Life is good!
If you visit Franconia Notch this summer, I’d suggest a quick walk up Main Street in Littleton… tickle the ivories… chuckle… and give thanks to true community spirit with the Littleton Piano Project. You can’t find more New England charm than this!
-Jim