Mid City Merchants’ Hot Art, Cool Nights is back! The festival, which invites Baton Rougeans to stroll around our city’s arts district to buy from local makers, listen to live music and eat at several of the area’s locally owned restaurants, is being held on Friday, May 6, and will span shops from Jefferson Highway to Goodwood Boulevard, including businesses like Red Stick Reads, French Truck Coffee, Mid City Mercantile, Cannatella Grocery, Woodhaven Furniture Co., Local Leaf Gallery, Government Taco and more.

“Mid City Merchants’ mission is to expand the visual and performing arts in our cultural district,” says Garrett Kemp, board president of Mid City Merchants. The organization hosts two events a year, with Hot Arts Cool Nights in the spring and White Light Night in the fall.

 

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“There simply isn’t enough gallery space for every artist to showcase their work or craft,” says Kemp, “so events like these provide an excellent opportunity for them to get out and show their masterpieces to shoppers who otherwise might not see them. Moreover, it’s a great way for amateurs and pros alike to figure out what sells, what doesn’t, and bounce ideas off other artists and shoppers.”

This year, 38 businesses will provide space for hundreds of local artists to showcase and sell their work. “Events like this provide a great—and arguably crucial—learning experience for artists and musicians,” Kemp says. “It also doesn’t hurt that it’s just good fun!”

Click here for more information on locations, parking, shops and more.