Great Bend’s downtown Art & Wine Walk returns this Friday with some familiar faces and some new artists. Shoppers are invited to visit shops and businesses from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on May 3 to sample wine and enjoy works by area artists. More than two dozen artists will participate at 22 locations. There are writers, sculptors, painters, photographers and more; some are professionals and others are enthusiastic amateurs. There will also be demonstrations at some locations.
Each business will have its own free samples of wine (for participants at least 21 years old) or other goodies.
“The Annual Downtown Art and Wine Walk is one of the most successful retail events we host in Great Bend,” said Christina Hayes, community coordinator. “It’s a wonderful chance to browse stores, taste wine, and see wonderful art by local and regional artists. The stores and artists love this event and we absolutely love the people that come out to experience it all!”
This is the 10th year for the annual event.
“This event was on my list since the year I started, but I didn’t start it right away because I had to find the perfect opportunity to get it off the ground,” she continued. The opportunity came when Dr. Roger Marshall was president for the local Rotary group and brought the Kansas Rotary conference to town.
He asked Hayes what could be done to create something fun for the conference goers. “This was the perfect pairing and that was the birth of the first Art and Wine Walk.”
The Great Bend Tribune, located at 2012 Forest Ave., will feature two artists. Author Darcy Leech will be there with her book “From My Mother,” and Jeanette Soukup will show her custom felt hat burning.
There are also two city employees whose art will be featured. Great Bend Police Chief Steve Haulmark will have paintings, photos and small statues at Images by Emily Photography, 1419 Main, and Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo Supervisor and Curator Ashley Burdick will have some of her photos of the zoo’s animals at The Studio, 1908 12th St.
The complete walk runs from 16th Street to 12th Street with stops on Williams Street, Main Street and Kansas Avenue. For those who don’t want to walk the entire route, the Dolly Trolley will offer free rides courtesy of the Roots & Wings Foundation. The Trolly will stop at 16th and Main, Forest and Main, Lakin and Main, 12th and Main, and Lakin and Kansas Ave.
