Wall Street Alley will become "Art Alley" during Thursday nights Art of Downtown Street Faire, featuring artists from BECA. Photo courtesy of Christina Sweet, pictured

"Royal Peacock" by Sara Fultz will be on display and for sale in Wall Street Alley during the Art of Downtown Street Faire. Photo courtesy of BECA

By Terry Telford

Just in time to celebrate the end of tax season, a fun, family-oriented and, perhaps most importantly, free event takes place this Thursday, April 15.

The first of the year’s seasonal Downtown Business Association Street Faires, designated as the third Thursday of each month from now until June, takes place from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Chester Avenue between 18th and 21^st streets and features vendors from the association’s membership.

This month the theme is “The Art of Downtown” and several art-related activities will be incorporated into the event. Cathy Butler, president of the Downtown Business Association, says, “We’ll have everything from a farmers’ market, arts and crafts, entertainment, and of course there’ll be added attractions such as the gallery opening with Alberto Herrera and also the big event at the Fox Theater.”

The Best of Kern Concert Tour Kickoff

At 7:30 p.m. the Fox Theater will play host to the Kickoff Concert for the Best of Kern Concert Tour, which features a triple-bill of local acts Soulajar, indie-rockers Near Miss Mallet and R&B soul singer Ron McOwen. The concert is part of a year-long grant-funded tour promoting local musicians who have earned a spot in the program and is sponsored by the Arts Council of Kern.

Soulajar, known for their energetic funk-infused jazz grooves, recently made headlines after their singer, Jim Ranger, auditioned and made it to the Hollywood round of American Idol. With that exposure, the band has increased their fan base and sales. Along with their participation in the arts grant and a new album on the horizon, the band is poised for a very good year.

Drummer Brian Boozer says the concert won’t feature the typical set one might catch the band playing at a bar show. Instead, expect a “journey through different musical landscapes that require attention in a quiet and intimate setting.” The band will play plenty of tunes from their upcoming album, “Pipe Dream,” which they hope to release this summer.

Tickets to the concert are $10 general admission, and $5 for students, seniors and Arts Council members. However, up to two free tickets to the concert are available for each person who brings their March or April unemployment check stub and ID to the Arts Council of Kern booth, between 18 th and 21st streets, beginning at 6:30 p.m. the night of the Street Faire. To purchase tickets, visit www.vallitix.com or the ACK, 2000 K St., Suite 110.

Art Alley

Bakersfield Emerging Contemporary Artists (BECA) will be lining Wall Street Alley, between 18th and 19th streets, with a display of works plus various arts and crafts available for purchase. BECA will be sharing space with vendors from Caffeine Supreme, the downtown coffee drive-through (formerly Supreme Bean before a change in ownership) which has recently begun a Farmers’ Market, Artisan and Merchant Fair each Saturday at their location at the corner of F and 20th streets. Visitors to the Street Faire will get a taste of the specialties that Caffeine Supreme and BECA collaborate to bring to the public each weekend. Besides visual art, there will be an assortment of handmade items such as hats, shawls, aprons, journals, doggy beds and clothing, wood work, journals and photo buttons.

Artist demonstrations and a 30-minute performance by belly-dancing troupe Tribal Moon Rising will round out the art activity in the alley. New artists looking to get involved with the Bakersfield arts scene are encouraged to stop by and get more information on joining BECA.

Also, the Bakersfield Art Association’s Art Center, located directly across from Wall Street Alley at 1817 Eye Street, will be open with art displays both inside and outside on the sidewalk. Children’s tables will be set up inside the gallery for the little ones to create their own masterpieces alongside professional artist demonstrations, and live music will be provided to set the mood.

Opening Reception: Alberto Herrera

The Center for the Arts at JP Jennings, 1700 Chester Avenue, hosts an opening for artist Alberto Herrera from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The exhibit, sponsored by the Arts Council of Kern, will feature all new art from Herrera, whose work gallery owner Justin Jennings describes as, “a hot palette of reds and yellows.”

Jennings, who met Herrera through the Arts Council, says the artist’s “use of primitive figures and folkloric style conveys a wonderful amount of levity on the surface of many pieces, while, at the core, [the art] remains a solid tie to the facets of human character.”

Keyboardist and Best of Kern Concert Tour participant, Jay Smith, will entertain during the opening. The exhibit of paintings and sculptures will be displayed until June 22.

Family friendly activities

Plenty of free activities will also be geared toward families with children. Historic trolley tours are a new addition to the Street Faire this year. The tours will run during the event, and will be conducted by the Gaslight Melodrama. Also, horse-drawn wagon rides by Bakersfield Carriages will be provided courtesy of Channel 23, a doggy parade sponsored by Biscuit Boutique and Doggy Spa will take place at 7:15 p.m. and an outdoor movie, “The Bee Movie,” will be shown near the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History around dusk.

For more information about the Downtown Street Faires, visit www.bakersfielddba.net.