A beautiful Maine summer evening greeted those attending the first Wiscasset Art Walk of 2021. The sidewalks were lined with 40 to 50 people at any given time at the Thursday, June 24 event, enjoying music, vendor displays, shopping and eating.

Lead organizer Lucia Droby was very pleased with how things turned out saying “the weather was perfect, people were delighted to be out and about, seeing friends, exploring, and enjoying camaraderie in a public setting again.  Our special events, which were intended to engage our visitors in art-making, were very popular!”

Artist Seth Bond Perry was featured in Hasenfus Gallery. This was Perry’s debut for his artwork; he recently transitioned from being a professional graphic designer for 20 years and eight years as a stand-up comic. When asked how long he’d been an artist, he said a very long time. “I was always the kid doodling in class.”

The evening had multiple musicians with Rick Turcotte on guitar outside Treats, Suki Flanagan on harp in Sylvan Gallery, David Lawlor playing jazz guitar in Wiscasset Bay Gallery and Heather MacLeod playing Penny Whistle on the sidewalk.

Attendees were invited to contribute to a community mural on Middle Street and paint rocks with volunteer Jan Whitfield at the “Wiscasset Rocks!” table. Both were busy throughout the evening.

Looking ahead, Droby said, “We’ll be building on the success of June’s community art projects with our talented volunteers, Celia Ludwig and Jan Whitfield, inviting WAW strollers to tap into their creativity each month. We’ll also be hosting special features through the summer like hip-hop dancers, Downeast Brass, and a twig artist – all bringing liveliness to our new sidewalks.  And, of course, we’ll continue to invite local community groups and artisan vendors to take part.”

The Art Walk is held the last Thursday of the month through September, from 5 to 8 p.m.