By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Downtown Hays will filled with an “estimated 1,500 or more art lovers” Friday night during the annual Hays Arts Council Fall Art Walk, according to HAC Executive Director Brenda Meder.

“The fall event tends to be the biggest” of the three art walks held throughout the year, she added.

This year’s walk features more than 20 exhibitions throughout the downtown area, including live music — and live painting.

“A group of plein air artists will be set up in the Union Pacific Park. They’ll have a display of their work and they’ll also be ‘painting live,’ doing what plein air painters do, which is painting outside — creating their work right there in the environment,” Meder explained.

Most sites will be open from 6:30 to 9:30 Friday night.

One of the exhibits in the gallery walk that starts early is at Hays City Hall.

Between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., participants are invited to view scenes of Hays by local photographer Thomas Zimmerman, who will be on hand to talk about his work.

In front of City Hall is “another kind of artwork,” the city’s Drought Tolerant Demonstration Garden, according to Water Conservation Specialist Jason Riegel:

“Residents will be able to see that a drought-tolerant garden means more than cactus and rocks,” Riegel joked. “Our garden looks really good right now.”

City personnel will be on hand to talk about xeriscaping projects.

A full schedule for this weekend’s art walk can be found HERE.