Tack on another venue to the list of cities that host monthly art walks in Arizona and say hello to Chandler's 1st Wednesdays ArtWalk, hosted by the Chandler Art Guild. The Chandler Art Guild now offers its own personal pallet of the fine arts, joining downtown Phoenix's First Fridays and Scottsdale's Art Walk on the first Thursday of each month.
The sidewalks flooded with patrons during the inaugural 1st Wednesdays ArtWalk in downtown Chandler on Feb. 7. A steady murmur of conversation spilling from the audience could be heard outside of artists' showcases, fluidly mixed with an occasional gasp, and followed by a shrill—"I have to have that!"
Everything from jewelry made of wood and brass to photography and paintings were on display along the streets. The artists' backdrops were quaint shops and a beautiful sunset. And with the new art walk in Chandler, there's an art walk in three different cities and on three different days, which gives people some options to work around a busy schedule.
"We chose to hold the event on a Wednesday for more than one reason. Not to compete with other existing ArtWalks," said Sal Costanza co-founder of the Chandler Art Guild. "Its purpose is to bring people to an area on a day they might not otherwise come."
According to the Chandler Art Guild, approximately 500 people will visit almost 50 artists for the second art walk held on March 7. The group expects even more visitors in April.
Chandler Art Guild President Ron Floyd said he anticipates crowds to grow with time.
"Once it's established, it will be a calendar item for many people," Floyd said.
Many ASU students are familiar with downtown Phoenix's art walk series called First Fridays. 1st Wednesdays offers the same type of atmosphere for those students traveling to the East Valley.
"We admire what they [First Fridays] have done and are in talks with them about cross-pollinating our efforts," Costanza said. "We are not trying to compete with them and want to offer a totally different atmosphere in Chandler."
And with the recent renovations in Chandler, that is just what they are offering.
In recent months, Chandler has been developing goals to turn its downtown area into a "vibrant cultural and retail district" that will appeal to a wide variety of residents, according to Chandler's Chamber of Commerce website.
New, high-end condominiums are expected to bring a more youthful crowd to the area, and this free event is seen as a huge step forward in Chandler's efforts, according to Beverly Moss, a real estate agent for Realty Execs.
Restaurants including a teashop and The San Tan Brewery, a one of a kind microbrewery are also scheduled to open in the Chandler downtown area.
Other restaurants like the Kokopelli Winery and TZ's Market Place offer a wide variety of dishes and alcoholic beverages for passersby and visiting guests.
"It will truly be a great event that you don't want to miss," Costanza said.
The event is held in Old Town Chandler located on Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard, just north of the Loop 202 San Tan Freeway and the Arizona Avenue exit.
Parking and admission is free to the public.
For more information and directions, visit the ArtWalk Info link on www.chandlerartguild.com.
Reach the reporter at: casey.kelsey@asu.edu.
