It was a sight for sore eyes in downtown Hopkinsville Saturday, as people walked the streets for the many events that were happening downtown, from the Art Guild’s Art Loop to the launch of the Downtown Entertainment District.
There was art on every corner for the Hopkinsville Art Guild’s first ever Art Loop, from fiber artists to glass work, to paintings and water colors and so much more, and they called the inside of several downtown businesses home on Saturday. From Sixth Street and the Alhambra, from the Hopkinsville Brewing Company over to the Book and Bottle Shop, Milkweed Health and Harmony Emporium and the Museums of Historic and people walked the streets to visit them all. It was also Alien Invasion Day, so there were statutes of little green men spotted around the city.
That wasn’t the last of the festivities however, as the City of Hopkinsville officially cut the ribbon on the Downtown Entertainment District, which has technically been open for a couple of weeks now, but the big party was held Saturday. Mayor J.R. Knight says it was a big day with a lot to celebrate and it’s been a long time in the making.
With special branded Entertainment District cups, folks can wander through the district and take their drink with them from spot to spot with participating businesses. The mayor says it’s all about making downtown more inviting, giving it more life and more reasons for people to visit. He’s hopeful there will continue to be more growth downtown as they turn the upper floors of buildings in apartments and living spaces, with talks underway to maybe bring some type of small grocery market to the downtown area.
City Public Information Officer Amanda Brunt says this district has been about two years in the making, and they’ve been really honored and impressed with input from businesses themselves.
And there was certainly plenty to see and do downtown Saturday, with live music and wine tastings, a video game truck, axe throwing, aerialists and stilt-walkers, food and drinks vendors, and numerous businesses kept their doors open late, welcoming in visitors.
It was a bustling scene in downtown, but that wasn’t all going on, with the Boulevard Bash taking over with a Farmers Market and sales and a celebration of that side of the City. It was certainly a full day of things to do locally, and there’s still more yet to come for Hopkinsville.
