Cliff Giles leaves behind a number of legacies, one of which is the Havre de Grace First Fridays’ Drum Circle. When First Fridays began he would bring a couple of drums to set outside his wife’s shop, offering to let kids drum along with him. This gradually expanded to the huge affair it is today, a drum circle occupying a prime venue at the center of every First Friday event. I’ve been taking images from Cliff’s drum circle over the years – catching enthusiastic participants from kids & the Governor to belly dancers and people just dancing through, scattering dust from their funnel-cake. Often drum-circle images dominate my coverage of a First Friday. Images are gathered, in revers order of year, HERE… 

The intro image is from June of 2022 – somehow Cliff managed to look more and more distingushed as he grew older.

Some more with Cliff in them below:

2021

2019

2018

2017

We’ve known Cliff for decades – and were always excited to see him come into town to help celoebrate First Friday. I’m certain that the Circle helpers and regulars will not let it die – but it will never be the same.