WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) – If you go downtown Thursday, chances are you’ll get caught up in the midst of crowds of people, walking down the streets. The first after-hours art walk of 2023 kicked off.

Vendors tell me that it’s always a good time of the year when event season starts to pick back up. It’s back and better…the Wichita Falls Art Walks just made its return for this year.

“A good way to kinda ease into, is this really what I want to do. Is there a market for this, and kind of tip your toes in the water more, also you build connections with your neighbors setting up with different artists, and you can make connections with downtown business owners, so maybe they carry your line down the road, so it’s a great opportunity I think for artists in this community,” Marketing Director for Downtown Development, Jeanette Charos, said.

An opportunity that owner Kelsi Miser has taken part in for the past three years.

“Having something to even go to and grow with like we started doing this and doing this has built our customer base. Just having this opportunity to get out and about and see the town, and build relationships with the community; that’s what art walk is all about, and we truly appreciate it as a small business, it has helped us grow tremendously, we don’t even know how to explain it,” Owner of Cups and Cakes Bakery, Kelsi Miser said.

“For my business personally, the art walk is something that’s really helpful in getting it out there. Especially because it’s kinda hard to find places online to sell stuff because it’s really expensive nowadays, with fees and stuff like that, and I feel like the artwork is the perfect opportunity to actually get to sell your product and get to meet your customers face to face,” Local vendor, Heaven Hernandez, said.

Marketing Director of Downtown Development, Jeanette Charos said every Artwalk is unique to itself, stepping into the Easter weekend. This evening, families can expect to find a treat for the kids as well.

“So a couple of neat things happening tonight, is White Realty they got inflatables, so they are closing down a portion of 8th street between Lamar and Travis, and they are going to have inflatables for the kids and 8th street café house is going to have live music and I heard the Easter bunny is going to make an appearance over at B Coco, so art walk is a huge footprint, we have a big downtown,” Charos said.

Coming together to grow together, and for the next six months, you will have the opportunity to be a part of the change, for a better downtown.

The Artwalk will last until 9:30 p.m. tonight. There are also opportunities for grab & go’s, where businesses offer beer and wine to-go while walking through downtown, and make sure not to miss vendors also set up inside Big Blue.