02/04/2026
My Thoughts on the cancelation of Art Walk:
As someone who regularly set up for Art Walk for a while; I dont think it should be canceled but I agree with reform for the event. I stopped setting up because it no longer felt like it was centered around art or creativity anymore, rather just drinking and food trucks(No hate to them, they're just local businesses too). But those were the things that were being promoted the most. It drained the attention away from artists. Yes there's other local events but a lot of the time it's a big gamble for artists because the vendor fees tend to be high and then the event very under promoted. Art Walk felt like you had a fair chance to show people what you created and share appreciation for everyone else's creations. Not to mention the most random things have popped up in the event that aren't even close to art, and the hordes of unruly kids/teens that openly disrespect small businesses and vendors because they have no supervision. This has caused some small businesses to purposely close on the Art Walk because it's more of a loss than a gain.
Art Walk needs a face-lift, but I don't think Downtown Development has shown it any real love from the beginning. Maybe the artists and small businesses could collaborate for something better. 🤷🏽♀️
