LEWISTON — Take this summer’s successful downtown art walks, then add hot chocolate and a scarf: Organizers are planning a winter art walk Saturday, the first Festival of Art and Lights. Thirty-eight artisans will have tables inside 14 businesses along lower Lisbon Street. Kids’ events are planned by the Art Van in the plaza across from the court house, snow painting if snow is there, chalk art if it’s not, said Tammie Grieshaber, one of the organizers and the curator at Gallery 5.

The event, a collaboration between L/A Arts, Lewiston Auburn Magazine, Captive Elements Art House and Lewiston Public Library, runs from noon to 5 p.m., rain, snow or shine.

“A lot of other communities have a big artisan fair around the holidays, we don’t have anything here,” Grieshaber said.

They wanted to change that.

People will sell paintings, jewelry, pottery, soap and other handmade wares. Several artists will set up inside the library. A new wine shop, The Vault, will have artists, a wine tasting and “two-thirds of the Three Point Trio,” Grieshaber said. “She said, ‘We don’t have room for the drums.'”

Community Little Theatre will transform the former Lamey-Wellehan store into winter scenes and have photos with Santa. There will also be a raffle based on receipts — spend so much and get entered to win.

Grieshaber said they put out the call on Facebook to gauge interest from artists and were happy with the response. There was no charge to be a vendor and there’s no charge for the kids’ activities.

“It’s not a fundraiser for us, it’s a community-raiser,” she said.

Dan Marquis, a Lewiston native, said he participated in all but one of the monthly summer art walks and had sales of his photography, a mix of nature and cityscapes, at each one. He’ll bring more pieces Saturday.

“I try and show the Twin Cities in a favorable light, which probably a of people don’t take advantage of,” Marquis said.

Kate Casparius of Greene belongs to a group of artists who paint. She’ll bring her watercolors and pen-and-ink landscapes.

“I think that promoting the arts here in Lewiston and everywhere is good for the community, good for economic growth,” she said.

Grieshaber is hoping to make the Festival of Art and Lights an annual event. It could grow, stretching up or down side-streets.

She said she likes the idea of people coming to see “there is life on Lisbon Street.”

kskelton@sunjournal.com

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