The kickoff for the 2017 Art & Wine Walks – this Friday, May 26 – may not only be a beautiful way to start a sunny Memorial Day weekend – it’s also a way to celebrate a bit of Snoqualmie history.
This is the fifth year of the art walk, which began with the Merry & Bright holiday open house and art walk in December 2012. Since then, the art walks have grown every year with many locals and visitors enjoying local and regional artists, art demonstrations in progress, live music, light hors d’oeuvres, and most recently wine, becoming the “Finally Friday Art & Wine Walks” as of 2015.
Art lovers of all ages are invited to attend this free event. For those who wish to partake in the wine tastings, you can purchase a souvenir glass that comes with five complimentary tasting.
“Of course, we do it for the art, but when it’s sunny and there’s music playing downtown, the wine adds a special touch,” said Sally Rackets, chair of the Snoqualmie Arts Commission and lead organizer of the events.
The art walks were born from a time when downtown Snoqualmie experienced less pedestrian traffic. With building vacancies in surplus from economic hardship following the housing crash of 2008, the Arts Commission took up a new idea called the Storefront Galleries – hanging art in vacant business windows to attract new business renters.
“It was a little too successful,” Rackets recalled of the Storefronts program. “It seemed the minute we had a display in an open location, people were attracted to the art and wanted to lease the space – and the next thing we knew, we were moving the art back out.”
The Storefront Galleries program evolved into collaboratively hanging art in active business spaces and then encouraging people to view displays with the art walks. The artists in action, live music, appetizers, and wine were all a natural evolution of the program.
Finally Friday Art & Wine Walk events are held the last Friday of each month through September, starting on May 26th.
Online tickets to include wine tastings are $15 each and available at www.FinallyFridayArtandWineWalks.org.
Day-of tickets to include wine are $20 each and available at Farmers Insurance, 8150 Railroad Ave SE at the corner of Railroad Ave SE and SE River Street.
