YOUNGSTOWN — At the latest First Fridays Youngstown event, adults took over the child-friendly learning atmosphere at OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology.

The April edition dubbed itself a Nerdy Night Out with “A Night Rooted in Color.”

“We wanted to have a bit of fun with the event name and lean into the science museum theme,” said Adam Lee, program director of Youngstown CityScape. “The Rooted in Color portion came from the staff of the museum, based on the time of year — Earth Day and art and design — as well as the activities they are doing.”

OH WOW! Executive Director Katie Seminara-DeToro added, “Oftentimes, if people don’t have children or grandchildren, they feel as though OH WOW! is off limits. Offering adult-only opportunities to explore is crucial in our desire to create an ongoing curiosity culture in Youngstown.”

Over three floors, attendees encountered and enjoyed more than 65 interactive exhibits throughout 13 galleries, also known as WOW! Zones. They had the opportunity to make and use paint using natural ingredients at the Nature’s Palette table, attempt to conquer the Freedom Climber wall that moved clockwise with each step taken, bring home a 3D-printed earth puzzle, try their hand as a weather forecaster in front of a green screen, play an assortment of percussion on the Rhythm Machine or the laser guitar, decipher how to make their way through the A-MAZE-D Challenge and much more.

“What we are seeing now with some of our newer spaces is that adults have an interest and desire to better understand 3D printing and also adults who love to interact with our robot, Pepper,” she said. “But we have something for everyone’s enjoyment and subscribe to the notion that we should never stop playing.”

Tabletop and card games were available within the vicinity of the live music performed by Youngstown-based Ke’Von & the Vybes (Ke’Von Gordon on guitar / bass, Chase Reiter on keyboard / guitar and Stephen Dorbish on drums). The trio showcased its hybrid take on funk, hip hop, rock and R&B.

Friends of the Mahoning River provided insight into the ecological aspects of the area, while the Youngstown Environmental Sustainability Society offered information and handed out seedlings of flowers meant to attract butterflies. Butler Institute of American Art representatives set up attendees to participate in scratch art and Mill Creek MetroParks Ford Nature Center educators highlighted the unnoticed wonders of nature.

Seminara-DeToro said she was quite pleased to have OH WOW! Involved with First Fridays and attracting people to the area.

“OH WOW! is a critical part of the downtown fabric and continues to be one of the most important drivers of traffic to Youngstown on a consistent basis,” she said. “Every business and organization in downtown should be supporting each other and promoting Youngstown as the wonderful destination that it is. We are all stewards of advancing the city we love.

“One of the best parts of us existing in the core of the city is that we are providing a positive experience for so many young learners who visit the museum. One of our favorite things is watching kids get off a bus downtown and immediately look up at the ‘big’ buildings. It’s not just about promoting our mission. It’s about cultivating the next generation of leaders who see the possibilities of a stronger Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.”

OH WOW! will host another adults-only event at its annual fundraiser Aug. 8.

“OH WOW! On Tap is another great example of collaboration of businesses in Youngstown and surrounding areas lifting each other up. We are proud to showcase many of our local breweries, wineries and food destinations,” Seminara-DeToro said.

Acknowledging the connection to First Fridays’ support of the downtown area, she added, “Like many others, we want to live in an area where people are proud to highlight all the wonderful amenities and opportunities that exist in the now and be active in the development of more cultural and educational beacons for our future. Hopefully events like First Friday continue to be the push people need to get out of their standard routines and try something new or try something again in downtown Youngstown. Once they have a positive experience, we hope it translates into more frequent economic impact for the city.

“Additionally, First Fridays opens up the possibility for us to reach new audiences, especially this week as we are encouraging adult curiosity seekers to explore the Happiest Place in Youngstown.”

The May First Fridays event will be located outdoors on Phelps Street. The Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre will have RDNA perform at the end of the evening as part of the Premier Bank Community Series.