‘Live After 5’ Returns With More Acts, More Fun
Summer has arrived just in time for downtown Spokane’s first “Live After 5” this year.
Tonight and three additional nights over the next few months, downtown will pulsate with live music, art gallery activities, games for kids, giveaways and horse-drawn carriage rides.
“Last year was a huge success,” says Marla Nunberg, marketing director of the Downtown Spokane Partnership, organizers of the event.
“We piggybacked onto other community events — Hoopfest, the Royal Fireworks Festival, Night Before the Nats car show and the annual Visual Arts Tour— and thousands of people responded,” she says.
“We also found a mix of music and visual arts that worked well together.”
The mix worked so well that it’s being expanded on this year. Dozens of activities are planned to lure people downtown for an evening of free entertainment and fun.
Music begins at 5 p.m. on the Wall Street Main Stage with the Spokane rock band Civilized Animal. Homegrown blues band Too Slim and the Taildraggers takes over from 7 to 9 p.m.
More musicians perform from 5 to 7 p.m. at seven other locations scattered across downtown. Catch Paul Brasch at Lorinda Knight Gallery, Sidhe at Auntie’s Bookstore, LaRae Wiley at Colburn’s Gallery, Canned Music at the River Park Square Atrium, the Trailer Park Girls at Art at Work Gallery, Spokane String Quartet at Hotel Lusso and the Brian Flick Jazz Duo at the Flour Mill.
Many art galleries and other businesses are featuring special free activities. There are artist’s receptions at the Chase Gallery, Hotel Lusso, Madkat Gallery, Out of Our Minds Gallery and Spokane Art School. Artist demonstrations are taking place at Colburn’s Gallery and Pottery Place Plus.
Marty Johnson, a participating artist in the “Come Out and Play” display in the Hotel Lusso lobby, says this special one-night-only exhibit features “figurative to surreal” paintings, assemblages and sculptures by 23 regional artists.
Kids who drop in at the Children’s Museum between 5 to 8 p.m. can create their own Hoopfest-style backboard, says Jennifer Hampton, director of education.
“Each backboard in Hoopfest is as unique as the person or company that sponsors the team,” says Hampton. “Children will be able to create a personal backboard that represents their individual uniqueness.”
Hoopfest participants can pick up their packets in the Gondola Meadow of Riverfront Park between 4 and 8 p.m.
Spokane Transit’s green trolley will continue its circle route between the STA Plaza and the Flour Mill. Or, for a small fee, a horse-drawn carriage will transport passengers to any of the event’s venues.
Mark your calendar for future “Live After 5” events scheduled for July 27, Aug. 24 and Oct. 6.
This sidebar appeared with the story:
Live After 5 Activities
Art at Work Gallery (123 N. Post) Music by the Trailer Park Girls, 57 p.m.
Auntie’s Bookstore (402 W. Main) Acoustic duo Sidhe, 57 p.m.; at 7:30 p.m. author Molly Gloss reads from her new novel, “Wild Life.”
Chase Gallery (City Hall) “Variations on a Format” exhibit by Gina Freuen, artist reception 57 p.m.
Children of Children (Howard and Riverside) “Portraits and Stories of Teenage Parents,” photography exhibit by Michael Nye.
Children’s Museum (110 N. Post) Kids’ Hoopfest activities, 59 p.m.
Colburn’s Gallery (203 W. Riverside) Music by LaRae Wiley, 57 p.m., handcrafted furniture by Dan Donely of Blue Raven Designs, pottery by the Spokane Potters Guild, demonstrations by River Ridge Association of Fine Arts.
Douglas Gallery (120 N. Wall) International artists on display.
Flour Mill (621 W. Mallon) Brian Flick Jazz Duo, 57 p.m.
Hot Flash Gallery (509 W. Sprague) “For Men Only,” paintings by Denae and Clara Woods.
Hotel Lusso Lobby (1 N. Post) Spokane String Quartet, 5-7 p.m.; “Come Out and Play,” display by 23 regional artists in Art by Design.
Lorinda Knight Gallery (523 W. Sprague) Acoustic Delta blues from Paul Brasch, 5-7 p.m.; “Psalms” photographs by Carolyn Krieg.
Madkat Gallery (Flour Mill) “Faux Photos” by Gay Waldman, artist reception 5-9 p.m.
The Met (901 W. Sprague) “In The Pursuit of Mastery” exhibit by Melville Holmes and students.
New Dawn Books (Flour Mill) Astrology readings, 5-7 p.m.
Olde Mill Cafe (Flour Mill) Chelsea Luker, jazz saxophonist, 8-10 p.m.
Out of Our Minds Gallery (318 W. Sprague) “13 on Black” exhibit by Candace Taylor Lange, artist reception.
Pottery Place Plus (Flour Mill) Laura Dahl, demonstrations of sculpting metal and clay, 5-7 p.m.
Riverfront Park Laughs Comedy Club, 6 p.m.; 50Fifty, 6:30 p.m.; Meet Me at the Gondola, Light Rock KISC 98.1, 7-8 p.m.
River Park Square Atrium (Main and Post) Canned Music, 5-7 p.m.; Spokane Woodcarvers exhibit.
Spokane Art School (920 N. Howard) “Maps, H2O, Trees” exhibit by Karen Mobley, artist reception 5-7 p.m.
Thomas Hammer Coffee Stand (Wall Street) “Jive Before Live,” blues guitarist Michael Apinyokul, 4-5 p.m.
Wonders of the World (Flour Mill) Art of Africa exhibit, 6-9 p.m.