So hot, so cool

Imagine strolling at dusk in and out of Mid City shops filled with live music and hors d’oeuvres, browsing past paintings, sculptures and ceramics all created by local artists. This will be the scene May 10 when Mid City Merchants presents Hot Art, Cool Nights.

Liz Walker, owner of the Elizabethan Gallery, says the annual event attracts visitors of all ages from around the state.

The event was created as an offshoot of the fall White Light Night usually held in October or November. The spring equivalent is more casual and less crowded inside the venues due to the pleasant warmer weather. “There’s more interaction between the artists and the public in the spring,” Walker says. “People like to get out and walk up and down listening to live music. It’s very welcoming.”

Members of Mid City Merchants, including art galleries and businesses such as Reginelli’s Pizzeria, American Gateway Bank and Government Street Hardware, feature the works of local artists, some of whom can be found painting live.

Walker says the aim of the event is ultimately to entertain people. “We want people to go somewhere they’ve never been before,” she says. “We want them to be surprised.”

Shuttles will pick up and drop off patrons at each venue from 6 to 10 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to park at the Government Street locations of either Piggly Wiggly shopping center or Calandro’s Supermarket. midcitymerchants.org