Art Walk LA ready to kick off
May 17—LEWISTON — The 2022 Art Walk LA season begins May 27 with an exhibit by a local school teacher, music by a local high school jazz band and a book sale at the public library.
The public is invited to all the events, held to foster community and celebrate the vitality of Lewiston and Auburn by turning the downtown into an art district on the final Friday of each summer month, from May to September.
By converting 30-plus businesses and empty storefronts into galleries, creative exhibitions and special performance spaces, Art Walk LA drives thousands of people downtown, making it a staple of culture, civics and economic development for the Twin Cities, according to its website.
This month's celebration is from 5 to 7 p.m. along Lisbon Street. Afterward, the first Music in the Park summer concert will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in Kennedy Park featuring the Lewiston Elementary All Star Orchestra and Forêt Endormie.
Visual art displays include:
The Studio, 291 Lisbon St., artists Grayling Cunningham and friends.
Lewiston Public Library, 200 Lisbon St., photographer Stephen Harris, plus a book sale.
Kimball Street Studios, 191 Lisbon St., portraits by Kate Cargile.
Forage, 180 Lisbon St., The CROW, works by Deanna Ehrhardt.
Downtown Handmade, 182 Lisbon St., 2nd floor, proprietor Sheri Withers Hollenbeck and friends
Food to go along the route will be offered by:
Sambusas and Somali tea at Mogadishu Store, 240 Lisbon St.
David-Made Pizza at Forage, 180 Lisbon St.
Spicy Tots at Boba, 97 Lisbon St.
Perhaps the third time will be a charm for Quiet City Books, which opened its latest location, 124 Lisbon St., across from its previous shop at 97 Lisbon St. Owner Courtney Schlachter started out with a tiny 125 square feet in the Jacques-Cartier building, also on Lisbon Street, six years ago. The new digs are literally cool — downstairs in the Sands building, surrounded by massive slabs of rock that offer natural air conditioning.
At roughly 1,700 square feet, Schlachter said she has more room to expand her offerings and hopes to resume story time for children, offer poetry and other readings for adults, and live acoustical music. She has more than 3,000 books, including fiction, nonfiction, some children's books and some cookbooks.
Some books are recycled or upcycled into mixed media art, bookmarks and other products. Schlachter is also an artist and would like to expand her art displays as well.
Quiet City Books is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday. Updates on events and new arrivals are on the store's Facebook and Instagram pages.
Permits have been acquired and renovations are underway at 739 Main St. in Lewiston for the latest MedCo cannabis shop. Alex McMahan, CEO of The Healing Community MEDCo, said this will be the company's second recreational store. It has two medical cannabis stores in Lewiston, one in Gardiner and a recreational store at Sunday River in Newry.
The new shop is next to MedCo's other one at 741 Main St. and is expected to be open in three to four months. McMahan hopes that will be around the time the Maine Legislature finalizes rules for the LD 1827, "An Act To Permit Limited Delivery of Adult Use Marijuana," which became law April 26 without the governor's signature. McMahan said he plans to add delivery for the new recreational store, when the rules are put in place.
Store hours will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and more employees will be hired closer to opening, he said.
