Downtown Boone will host its popular monthly cultural showcase or “Art Crawl” event this Friday.
Stores will stay open up to three hours later than usual and artists will present their work on King Street. Each store brings something special to the Art Crawl, making it a unique experience to witness the musical and artistic side of Boone.
The Qhuere+ Art Show will be featured at 3rd Place. This show will be display the work of LGBTQIA identified and gender nonconforming artists in Boone. This Friday at 6 p.m. will be its opening night, and the art will remain at the location through the month of November.
The art show will host multiple types of art, including paintings, drawings, recitals, acapella and poetry.
Megan Gatts, a senior at Appalachian studying studio art, will showcase 10 pieces in the art show of all different sizes and colors. She said most of her work is portraits, which gave her the opportunity to explore faces. She will also be displaying other pieces like her “This is Not a Monster” series and a collage.
Gatts said that seeing the artists and what goes into their work brings a sense of community that makes this art show special.
“It’s basically just a chance to bring attention to the fact that LGBTQ identified artists exist,” Gatts said. “I think it just gives these artists a chance to express that there are a lot of different ways to be queer and a lot of different ways to express that experience. It’s a chance to show that there are a lot of things queer and LGBTQ identified people can put out in the world and it’s not completely dependent upon their sexuality.”
One of the many stores participating in this upcoming Art Crawl will be Art Walk. The owner, Lee Jacobs, said her store has hosted successful art crawls in the past. The store hosts a wine tasting for shoppers and stays open as long as it continues to get customers.
“We basically concentrate on handcrafted items from artists all over, so we look for different and unusual things,” Jacobs said. “We crank up the music, try to have a good time and serve some wine.”
The Dancing Moon Earthway Bookstore will be welcome shoppers during Art Crawl as well. Amantha Bradley, one of the employees at the store, said that the bookstore will keep its doors open until 8 p.m. that night. They are working to get the Boone Belly Dance Collective there for Art Crawl in addition to finger foods for guests.
Anna Banana’s will continue to celebrate Art Crawl. Anna Roseman, the owner of the store, said that there will be face painting, wine and food from The Local, and henna art. With the stores recent reopening, there will be new inventory shoppers can look out for.
“It’s our favorite night of the month,” Roseman said. “We love being able to treat our customers to a full party.”
Story by: Molly Flinchum, Intern A&E Reporter