Port gets arty with banners, walk

Art Walk will return to downtown Port Washington Sunday, May 30.

The event, sponsored by Port Main Street Inc., is intended to not only mark the opening of the summer season in Port but also to draw people to the downtown businesses that have struggled during the pandemic.

“It seems like there’s a lot of enthusiasm for it,” Main Street Executive Director Kristina Tadeo said of Art Walk, which returns to the downtown after an absence of roughly two decades.

“I think it will be a great event for people to stroll through downtown, see the artists and find something new.”

It will also be a time for people to check out the colorful new banners along the city streets. The banners were commissioned by Main Street and designed by Port artist Nicole Shaver.

Art Walk will run from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. and will feature artists who work in a wide variety of media setting up inside downtown businesses, demonstrating their craft and offering pieces for sale.

The artists, who will come from Port Washington and throughout the Milwaukee area, work in jewelry, painting, ceramics, mixed-media, urban assemblage, leather and other media.

A demonstration of paper-cutting will be done at Gallery 224 by Kelly Alexander from the ArtServancy program that sends area artists to nature preserves for inspiration.

Alexander is the gallery’s featured artist of the month for May.

There will be a children’s area where youngsters can make art to take home, as well as a chalk art station.

A number of downtown restaurants and bars will run specials that tie into the Art Walk theme, and there will be live music at Beanie’s Mexican Restaurant.

Main Street will run two raffles during Art Walk. 

Those attending the Art Walk will receive a map that will be stamped for every $5 they spend. A raffle ticket is awarded for every five stamps, with the grand prize being a gift basket with items from downtown shops.

Tickets for the other raffle will be $5 and offers the chance to win a kayak from Sherper’s.

“We’re excited about this,” Tadeo said. “Now all we need is nice weather.”