Art Walk Wednesday 4-2-08 (Jacksonville: home, theatre, high school)

[mawipafl]

Here I am again promoting one of my favorite Jacksonville events :-)

Tomorrow night from 5 to 8 or 9 (depends on venue). Free parking on the street after 6, or free garage parking (corner of Duval and Main) if you get your ticket validated at the library.

Here's the link to the map, and on page 2 are the details.

Downtown Jacksonville: play downtown: Art Walk

John Edward (the psychic) is in town if you're into that kind of thing or are just plain curious. Florida Theatre Wednesday and Thursday evenings (tickets $72.50 or $52.50). Pre-Jazz-Festival music at Hemming Plaza. Lots of local artists exhibiting in many venues. High School Poetry is the exhibit at the library. Official After Party is at the Dive Bar.

[JagFan27]

I have always wanted to go, and I think I will tomorrow!
So, tell me.....what will I encounter? What can I expect to do? Do I just walk around and look at booths that have the work of an artist? Is it like the Mandarin Arts Fest? Are there food vendors?
The Dive Bar? Is that on Bay Street? That's quite a hike from Hemming Plaza. Is the Art Walk all over the downtown area or just right around Hemming Plaza?
Sorry I have so many questions, but I want to make sure I don't miss something, and that I eat something before I go, if there is no food available.

[HIF]

I have a meeting that I swear I will leave at 7:30 so that I can get to the Art Walk.

Jag- just go to the MOCA and they will give you a map.

[mawipafl]

Answering all your questions within your post below ....

Originally Posted by JagFan27

I have always wanted to go, and I think I will tomorrow!
So, tell me.....what will I encounter? What can I expect to do? Do I just walk around and look at booths that have the work of an artist? Is it like the Mandarin Arts Fest? Are there food vendors?

I can't say if it's like Mandarin's Arts Fest - when and where is that!
The scoop with the downtown Art Walk ... we usually park in the garage at Duval and Main and go into the library to have our ticket validated so that parking is free. But the garage at Adams and Clay is free, too. Or if you arrive after 6, on-street parking is free.

After validating our ticket,we usually look at whatever is displayed in the library (this month is highschoolers' poetry), then we go into MOCA and get an Art Walk map. Depending on MOCA's exhibits, we might wander there for a while (MOCA is free on Art Walk night).

We then cut through Hemming Plaza which, monthly, is ever-changing. There, you'll find artists with their works as well as live music. I don't recall any food vendors' carts, but there may be some.

Next stop is Hemming Plaza Jewelers for a free glass of wine and to view the particular local artist's work that's on display.

After that we wander downtown using the map for guidance. One stop we make is at the Shugar Shack on Adams (it's usually open).

Somewhere between 8 and 9 we'll usually go to the place that's the Official After Party. As for food, sometimes we start off at the Nola Cafe at MOCA for a sit-down meal, sometimes we pick at hors d'oeuvres offered at different art galleries, sometimes we eat somewhere afterward, sometimes we don't eat at all.

The Dive Bar? Is that on Bay Street? That's quite a hike from Hemming Plaza.

Yes, the Dive Bar is on Bay, but really, it isn't that far of a walk. Even if it's a longer walk than you're used to, people and places along the way make it feel like a hop-skip-jump.

Sorry I have so many questions, but I want to make sure I don't miss something, and that I eat something before I go, if there is no food available.

Don't apologize!!! But, I seriously recommend taking a look at the map that's available online. It'll show you all the locations. There isn't enough time to do and see everything, but that's ok because there's always next month!

[mawipafl]

I was just sent the link to Urban Jacksonville ...

Urban Jacksonville

More info about what not to miss.

[JagFan27]

We went last night. What an experience! So cool to have that many people in the downtown area. And, what a party atmosphere with all of the musicians, playing on the street. We parked on the street a block or two north of the library.

We did a quick tour of the second floor of MOCA, but I wasn't in the mood to look at art that I couldn't afford.

We went across the street to Hemming Plaza. Not all of the artists were set up even though it was 6PM, but that was OK since we walked back that way on the way to the car. I like the work of a guy that had pictures of Jacksonville.

We walked over to London Bridge to get some dinner and passed several eating establishments. After dinner, we went into the old library. I bought a photo from a young lady who had them propped up on a ledge on the second floor. She had no prices, and when asked, she asked me what I would pay. I hate to insult an artist, so she finally offered a price. Sold! When I walked away, all of her friends who were there started screaming, so I think it was her first sale.

We went up above Burrito Gallery to see the computer display. WOW. We were so glad we saw that. I can imagine that art in the future willl be like that...a panel on the wall with changing images. My husband especially liked the mosiac of people's faces (in the far corner).

We ended the evening, sitting in Hemming Plaza, listening to some jazz musicians. It was interesting that the song they played after we sat down was "Back Home Again in Indiana", since Indiana is our home state.

All in all, it was a fun experience. I would recommend it for anyone, and I wil probably attend it again.

[mawipafl]

Hey JagFan27 - bet our paths crossed and we didn't even know it. I remember the artwork/photos on the old library's second floor. Congrats on your purchase.

The exhibit at the BG - that WAS fantastic (and Jacksonville is so honored to be the choice for that exhibit by the way!) My two favorites were the pretzel-log/candy-corn fire, and the imps getting the Sundance Film Festival fires burning. I also enjoyed the mosaic of faces. ummm wonder if we were unknowingly standing side by side?

Did you happen to see the mosaic of Jacksonville's skyline at The Art Center? (The Center as well as the Modis building had a decent spread of snacky foods by the way :-)

Glad you enjoyed the Art Walk!

[cricketfan]

We really need to lobby to get this Art Walk thing changed to a weekend. This business about the first Wednesday of every month is absolutely ridiculous ... I guess whoever came up with that idea wanted to make it as inconvenient as possible for people to attend. And why does it have to be only once a month? What a joke!

[mawipafl]

I feel your angst cricketfan!

Here's the place to send your suggestions ...

Downtown Jacksonville: about us: contact us

Originally Posted by cricketfan

We really need to lobby to get this Art Walk thing changed to a weekend. This business about the first Wednesday of every month is absolutely ridiculous ... I guess whoever came up with that idea wanted to make it as inconvenient as possible for people to attend. And why does it have to be only once a month? What a joke!

[mawipafl]

HIF, did you go?

Originally Posted by HIF

I have a meeting that I swear I will leave at 7:30 so that I can get to the Art Walk.

Jag- just go to the MOCA and they will give you a map.