By Laura Mancuso
Art, music, games, wine and local flavors of every kind are going to be abundant in downtown Cave Junction Friday, June 14 from 5 – 8 p.m.
Main Street Cave Junction is bringing back the Second Friday Art Walk with the help of downtown businesses and direction from Illinois River Valley Arts Council and Southern Oregon Guild of Artists and Artisans.
Just come to any of the participating businesses Friday evening marked with signage to get a flyer with all the evening activities or you can stop by the Lions Club parking lot where there will be an information table hosted by Main Street Cave Junction board member Laura Mancuso. Look for a big bright hat on her head!
Main Street Cave Junction President Amy Lusson is very excited for the evening. “This is an opportunity to bring our community together downtown and feature our local artistic talent. It’s going to be great fun!”
Starting at the south side of downtown CJ here is a sample of the wonderful evening coming very soon:
*Oregon Caves Chevron will feature the art of Karen and Kiana Stiles.
*Sportsman Tavern with Mercy Bordeaux will display Paint and Sip art
*Taylor’s Sausage will host Megan Halling and her Sublime Aura Photography
*Pappy T’s will have the lovely watercolor and oil paintings of Mary Ann Clady
*Lions Club Parking Lot will have an outdoor living room, Arts and Crafts with Jacquie Bauwens and cornhole with Rhino Prince: Cost per team is $20, first place takes half and second place gets their money back.
*Low-Ki and Ascension Tea House will have an outdoor area with handcrafted art, clothes and jewelry
*Peaceful Pond Massage and Vitality Bodyworks will host Suki Baker Design Fiber artist
*Bigfoot Print Shop will feature the work of Joyce Dodson’s Beaded jewelry and Roxanna Chestney’s Purple Lady’s Scrubbies
*Illinois Valley News and Wild Herbs Apothecary will have the Needle Felted Art by Amy Lusson and there will be a wine tasting in the backyard by Bridgeview Winery
*Peach Rock Market will feature the art of Charlotte Gill
*The Replay will have art in the backroom and IRVAC is planning a Pop-Up Art Gallery in The Replay’s Alley Entrance. Come check it out! * Free Face Painting by Wrenn Arbouin, * Large Scale Paintings by Janet Downing, *Paintings & Art Demo by Taryn Michole, *Handmade Oregon Collection by Sue Lily, *Hand Painted Clothing by Geneva Vasquez, *Live Music with Kris Wildman, *Learning Through Arts Student Art Display and *2023 Gateway Project Gate Display
*Stellar Storage Grand Opening (102 S. Cave Ave) will celebrate with the bands: Fire Your Boss, Moonbow, Hornswagglers Brass Band, and much more! Gates open at 4 p.m.
*At the northside – TrueValue will have birdhouses by Connie outside.
This is a big first-time event and Main Street Cave Junction hopes residents will come out to show some community spirit. And don’t fret, there is enough time in the evening to enjoy both the Cave Junction Farmers’ Market in Kerby and the Art Walk.
There will be so much talent present in one evening that you will not want to miss it. IRVAC’s featured artist Janet Downing said, “I am anishinaabe (Native descendent). My Star Woman paintings are inspired by my mother’s stories of her mother, who was born on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota.”
This activity fits in perfectly with the Main Street Cave Junction mission which is to develop and sustain a healthy, vibrant downtown that recognizes the community spirit, creates local opportunity and inspires a high quality of life.
Illinois Valley News publisher Dan Mancuso is on the board of MSCJ. He encourages people to volunteer for MSCJ. “I volunteer because a thriving main street helps everyone in the community whether you own a business or not. It helps provide access to goods and services to everyone in the Valley.”
If you like that the Valley has events like the Art Walk and want to volunteer for MSCJ or decide you want to participate next month, please sign up with Laura Mancuso at the information table that will be in the Lions Club parking lot or send a message to President Amy Lusson at https://www.facebook.com/mainstreetcavejunction/