Season Premiere of the Fourth Fridays Art Walk
When was the last time you could experience a street theatre production, tour artist showcases, and purchase custom creations all in one place? Try our Fourth Fridays Art Walk in Downtown Lee's Summit. If you haven't yet been, mark your calendar for the fourth Friday of each month from April through August to enjoy pop-up artist displays inside dozens of local businesses.
Much like the U.S. version of The Office, Fourth Fridays is a spin-off of the renowned First Fridays event held in the Crossroads. So, how did it come to be? Several years back, a team of business owners and volunteers with Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street sought out to enhance our cultural event offerings in Downtown. There is an abundance of talent in our community: artists, potters, storytellers and makers ready to share their gifts. Main Street created a space to connect local artists with local business owners, and with their powers combined, Fourth Fridays was born! The 2021 season kicked off last Friday night on April 23rd with 13 artist showcases. Blue Heron featured Shea Lejeune's paintings in their store, famous for unique jewelry and fair trade items. Elle & Em set up mannequins styled with Indigo Dragonfly Jewelry, handcrafted by local jewelry artist Heather Hoskins.
What sets Fourth Fridays apart is that it is walkable (it is an Art Walk after all) and it caters to all ages. This past month featured Rock Painting Kits for families to pick up at the Downtown Main Street Office. Hiding and searching for painted rocks in downtown was a mainstay in downtown well before the pandemic hit, and its a trend we hope to continue for decades to come.
The Fourth Fridays Art Walk is one of dozens of free community events brought to you by local non-profit Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street. It wouldn't be possible without the financial support from our donors and investors. To keep events like Fourth Fridays going strong, please visit downtownls.org/invest. If you missed the April Fourth Fridays event, we hope you join us on May 28th. Follow along on Facebook to find out the featured artists and activities for each month.