Westville Village ArtWalk this weekend

Westville Village Renaissance Alliance
(203) 285-8539
13th Annual ArtWalk
Fri., May 7, 5—9 p.m. and Sat., May 8, 11 a.m.—10 p.m.

Press release

Westville Village welcomes one and all to the 13th Annual ArtWalk on Fri., May 7, 5—9 p.m., and Sat., May 8, 11 a.m.—10 p.m. This free, family-friendly community festival features art exhibits and open studios; three stages with live music, dance, and theater; an open-air arts and crafts fair; and a full day of varied activities, art-making, food, shopping, and fun for all ages, followed by dancing in the street on Saturday night. A sampling of events appears below. Visit www.westvilleCT.org, check the Friday, May 7th New Haven Register, or pick up a flyer at ArtWalk for a more detailed schedule of all the free, rain-or-shine activities and performance times.

Friday Evening, May 7, 5—9 p.m.

• 13th Annual ArtWalk kick-off parties, performances and events, including art gallery openings, artist receptions, ribbon cuttings, merchant open houses, fashion displays, refreshments, live models, wine tastings and musical performances at over 20 merchants throughout Westville Village.

• Dining at Westville Village's unique restaurants, cafes and bakeries.

Saturday, May 8, 11 a.m.—10 p.m.

• Live music, theatre and dance: Caravan of Thieves, A Broken Umbrella Theatre, The Skamatix, Edgewood Jazz Band, Mikata, Goodnight Blue Moon, the Crickstones, Luke Elliott and Sidewalk Dave. Two stages are located in Edgewood Park near the gazebo and the tennis courts at West Rock and Whalley avenues, and one stage is near the craft corridor art Central Ave. and Fountain St.

• Fun for kids of all ages, including Afro-Caribbean folk doll-making, baby and toddler play area, beading, box city, face-painting, hoping, magnet mural, Mehendi (henna) art, mini terrariums, New Haven Public Library Bookmobile, noodle art & jewelry, Yale Peabody mineral table, T-shirt tie-dye, tube bracelets, "Tunnel of Transition" tent and more! Edgewood Park at Whalley and West Rock avenues.

• Craft Corridor: Meet, talk, and shop with more than 40 local and regional artists and artisans. Discover unique Mother's Day gifts, including jewelry, pottery, textiles, glass art, photography, African crafts, sand art, paintings, antique prints, clothing, frames, Judaica, and more! Central Ave. between Whalley Ave. & Fountain St.

• Fine art exhibits and other activities at five galleries throughout Westville Village, PLUS the Westville Village Streetscape Mural Project

• Fashion and art shows, demonstrations, sidewalk sales, fitness demo classes, book signings, chair massage, sidewalk chalking, and other merchant events throughout Westville Village.

• 11 a.m.—3 p.m., Artists' open studios throughout Westville Village

• 11 a.m.—3 p.m. Grand opening tours of the newly renovated Austin Street Inn, 9 Austin St., (off Blake St.)

• 2 p.m. Walking tour with local historian and author Colin Caplan. Departs from Lyric Hall Antiques, 827 Whalley Ave.

• Lunch, snacks or supper at Westville Village's restaurants, cafes and bakeries and at vendors throughout the Village.

Saturday Night, May 8, 6:30—10 pm

• Dancing in the Street with two live bands: Bone Dry (6:30—8 p.m.) and Cosmic Jibaros (8:30—10 p.m.) on Central Ave. between Fountain St. and Whalley Ave.

• Dining at Westville Village's restaurants and cafes.

Historic Westville Village centers on Whalley Ave. & Fountain St. between Blake & Fitch Sts., 2 miles northwest of downtown New Haven and 1.5 miles southeast of CT Rte. 15/Wilbur Cross Parkway's Exit 59. Plenty of free parking available curbside and behind the shops on Whalley Ave.

ArtWalk is an annual event of the Westville Village Renaissance Alliance (WVRA), a non-profit organization dedicated to the revitalization, celebration, and enhancement of historic Westville Village.