Considering that there are a lot of things to do on a Saturday night, enjoying an art walk might not be the first thing that comes to your mind. But, sometimes it’s cool to take the road less traveled.

It’s also nice to get an idea on what local artists are doing, and to attend a community event. Most of the venues had some light snacks and warm drinks, which makes the experience that much better. Enjoying artwork, in similarity to music, books, or movies can be a very relaxing experience.

The official web page for the art festivities at www.sacramento-second-saturday.org, labels the The Second Saturday Art Walk as “The brainchild of the late Michael Himovitz.”

Himovitz was a local art gallery owner, who convinced local restaurant and gallery owners to hold art walks every second Thursday of each month in 1992. The day of the week has since been changed to the second Saturday of each month, but the tradition seems to be here to stay. The exhibition has had a roller coaster ride of popularity in Sacramento.

According to Scott Farrell, President of the Sacramento Second Saturday Gallery Association,

“It went really well during the early 1990s; its (popularity) fell again in the late 1990s, and has since come back to popularity in the 2000’s.”

“Essentially we stole the idea from Portland, Oregon. There were three to four galleries, who got the idea from Portland. It’s something very casual to bring people out,” Farrell said.

Holding this event does just that. As I walked the streets of downtown Sacramento on a chilly December eve, most of the exhibitions that I visited were packed. The popularity was surprising, considering the cold weather and that it’s a holiday season, which made me think most people wouldn’t have the time. Yet, people were still very interested and involved, some were even doing their Christmas shopping in the gift shops/art galleries, in places like “The Galleria Tempest Bloom.”

Farrell estimated that the turnout for the evening of Dec. 8th was around 800 to 900 people overall. He said a busier evening, would usually be around 1100 to 1500 people, which is more typical in the warmer times of year.

The art is showcased in some unexpected venues. I was walking by what looked like apartments, but then I saw some bright lights and artwork through the window, and so I checked it out. It was an exhibition by Suzanne McClelland, and it was held in a quaint insurance office of all places.

Right next door was a traditional art gallery called “Phoenix” which had a great body of work to enjoy; they had some really beautiful pieces, of all different mediums. There were paintings, photographs, abstract pieces, masks, decorated mirrors, it was great. I also visited the Buckhorn Grill and Crepeville, which are both restaurants that had some artwork on display.

What’s great about The Second Saturday Art Walk, is the variety of locations and mediums that are sold at all of the venues. Most of the locations have copies of maps that outline the places that are participating. I started at Zanzibar, Tribal Art Gallery which is the first stop on the map, and is located on 18th and L Street. This general area is a good starting point.

If you are interested in going, the web page claims that there is free parking at the City of Sacramento Parking garage on 17th Street between Capitol and L Street. It’s the perfect place to park, but it’s not free, it’s a small flat rate of $2, so bring cash.

Kate Jones can be reached at [email protected]