On August 17, the monthly Sanford Art & Jazz Night was held in Historic Downtown Sanford. Every third Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. attendees can enjoy art, music and drinks at this free event with different participating bars.
The event was organized by Sanford Main Street, Inc., a nonprofit ran by a group of volunteers and community leaders focused on preserving local history, while promoting spending with businesses in Sanford.
The nonprofit is part of a national network of about 2,000 accredited Main Street programs across the country, according to Dan Ping, the executive director of Sanford Main Street, Inc.
“The Main Street mission is preservation-based economic development. Downtowns like Sanford are historic and unique. We want to preserve that history because it’s what sets us apart from modern shopping centers and malls,” said Ping.
The nonprofit plans and promotes events such as Small Business Weekend, Christmas in July and the Art & Jazz nights to draw people to downtown Sanford.
“The best way for visitors to participate [in the Art & Jazz night] is to start at the Sanford Information Center (230 E. 1st St.). Visitors can enjoy work by local artists in our gallery and hear live jazz,” said Ping.
Miles Newsom performed music in the information center on the 17th, while the highlighted artist was 92-year-old Sanford resident Ken McIntosh. McIntosh, co-founder of the law firm Stenstrom, McIntosh, Colbert & Whigham, P.A., became “a prolific artist” after taking art classes at Seminole State at the age of 86, according to Ping.
A list of the venues participating in the art and jazz nights were available in the Sanford Information Center to direct people where to go throughout the event. Participating venues change from month to month.
The venues that participated during the August event included the Sanford Brewing Company, Deviant Wolfe Brewing, The Alley Blues, Dees Brothers Brewery, the Imperial at Washburn Imports – Sanford, the Unfurl Collective, Hollerbach’s Art Haus and the new upstairs Uberkeller.
Deviant Wolfe hosted their monthly art show curated by Andrew McMillen for the Aug. 17 event.
The theme of the art show – which was announced in advance on social media — was cartooning, focusing on cartoons or cartoon style art available for purchase. The show featured the work of local artists.
breasbuzz.com 