First of the Fourth Fridays Art Walks is a guarantee of spring fun in Lee’s Summit
If tulips, daffodils and flowering trees don’t give you the hint, another reliable sign of spring in Lee’s Summit is the start of the Fourth Fridays Art Walks, offered April through August. The first of the popular free series, now in its 11th season, will begin Friday and include local musicians and artists specializing in categories like fine art, pottery, jewelry and illustration.
Each Fourth Fridays Art Walk, offered by Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Art lovers should add Friday — along with May 24, June 28, July 26 and Aug. 23 — to their calendars.
“The event is a favorite of our downtown businesses and arts community,” said Rachael Fitch, Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street creative content and design coordinator. “It brings so many different community members, non-profit organizations, artists and small businesses owners together to explore and share creativity in our historic downtown.”
Each Art Walk will offer several free art-related activities, with participating downtown businesses also staying open late for shopping.
The April 26 kick-off Art Walk will feature a Public Art Scavenger Hunt throughout downtown Lee’s Summit. The free activity will begin at 5 p.m. with participants picking up scavenger hunt sheets at Art School, 307A S.W. Market St. This is the first year the hunt has been offered at a Fourth Fridays Art Walk.
To be entered to win a $25 gift card to downtown Lee’s Summit businesses, find and fill out info on seven of the 10 sculptures by 8 p.m., Fitch said. Successfully find all 10 and double your chances to win. Completed scavenger hunt sheets must be returned to Art School or a photo of the sheet emailed to rachael@downtownls.org no later than 8 p.m. on April 26.
Visitors to downtown Lee’s Summit can become more engaged in the Downtown Sculpture Walk anytime by downloading the OtoCast Mobile Audio Guide app on their mobile devices, she added. The app will be updated as the downtown sculptures change during the 2024 season.
Other activities planned for the April Art Walk include free rock painting in the park with Alyssa’s Wishes, free take-home art sets (while they last) at Art School, the LS Creates Community Mural and an artist exhibit at Dean’s Trophies.
The May 24 event theme is Art Grows Here. It will feature a new activity called Help Build a Sustainable Sculpture with artist Lily Erb. This free activity, as well as the April scavenger hunt, are made possible by the Lee’s Summit Cultural Arts Division.
The 2024 Downtown Sculpture Walk will also kick off at the May 24 Art Walk, with Project Happiness providing plant pots for children to decorate as well as seed packets. In addition, Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City will offer a veggie print activity to help kids learn about the various parts of the plant.
Rainbow Connection will be the theme for the June 28 Art Walk, which will feature a friendship bracelet activity and a STEAM (science, technology, education, art and math) project with KD’s Books.
July’s Art Walk, with a Rock and Chalk theme, will include chalk art with LS Creates and rock painting with Alyssa’s Wishes. The theme for the final community event on Aug. 23 is It’s All Fun and Games, with special activities like a mural artist and an Art School raku pottery demonstration.
Lee’s Summit’s Music in the Park Series begins in May with the following local performing artists scheduled for the final four art walks: Southern Nights on May 24, Main Street Mojo on June 28, The Huixqui Sisters on July 26 and Summit Theatre Group on Aug. 23.
The Art Walk season’s presenting sponsor is Aristocrat Motors of Lee’s Summit, and the supporting sponsors are Saint Luke’s East Hospital and the city of Lee’s Summit Cultural Arts Division, Fitch said.
Music in the Park’s presenting sponsor is Budget Blinds of Lee’s Summit and Cass County, she said, with additional assistance from supporting sponsor Security Bank of Kansas City.
For more information about Fourth Fridays Art Walks, go here.
