Artists prepare work Friday for a pop-up art show later in the evening. (Photo: Central Square Business Association)

The Out of the Blue art gallery space rides again for a few hours Friday for an underground-style pop-up art show, part of the free Fifth Friday Celebration taking place throughout Central Square.ย 

Fifth Friday events include everything from a petting zoo and ugly sweater contest to a beer garden, board games and holiday shopping from local vendors from 5 to 8 p.m., part of the Central Square Business Improvement District of shops and organization thatโ€™s banded together to keep the square clean and safe.

As caretaker of the squareโ€™s Cultural District designation, Michael Monestime is highlighting the art show, in which the mural artists whose building-size works are appearing around the square get more intimate โ€“ย creating live works on the walls of the 6,025-square-foot space at 541 Massachusetts Ave., the former Out of the Blue art gallery (which Revolutionary Clinics may yetย turn into a marijuana dispensary). Other artists will join in, said Monestime, executive director of the Central Square Business Association.

โ€œWe keep seeing a net loss [of Central Square culture]. Hereโ€™s an opportunity to add on,โ€ Monestime said. โ€œThis is not placemaking, this is an effort of place-keeping.โ€

Along with the pop-up art show, Fifth Friday events include:

bullet-gray-small A petting zoo on the lawn at City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave.

bullet-gray-small A lighting ceremony and unveiling of holiday lights

bullet-gray-small Hot cocoa with at Carl Barron Plaza, provided by 1369 Coffeehouse

bullet-gray-small A performance and reception at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave.

bullet-gray-small Live music at the La Fรกbrica Central restaurant, 450 Massachusetts Ave.

bullet-gray-small A board game night at 730 Tavern, Kitchen & Patio, 730 Massachusetts Ave., provided by Pandemonium Books & Games

bullet-gray-small Holiday card making at Eastern Bank, 647 Massachusetts Ave., and an ornament-making workshop at NuVu Studio, 450 Massachusetts Ave.

bullet-gray-small A photo booth with Santa Claus at the fire station in Lafayette Square, 378 Massachusetts Ave.

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