The Village of the Arts invites you to its art walk this weekend

Bradenton’s Village of the Arts recently lost its father figure in Herbie Rose, the beloved man and renowned artist who was among the prime movers of the neighborhood. He died June 26 after a prolonged illness.

But the celebration of life, art and creativity goes on in the village, which just about anyone will tell you is exactly what Mr. Rose would have wanted.

If you haven’t experienced the Village of the Arts lately, this weekend would be a great time to return — or maybe even visit for the first time.

On the first Friday and Saturday of each month — that’s this weekend — the Village of the Arts hosts an art walk. The galleries and studios are open for visitors, and the specialty shops, restaurants and other businesses are even more vibrant than usual. And there’s live music all over the village to add to the festive atmosphere.

If you’re averse to the heat, you might want to try to hit the art walk on Friday evening, from 6 until 9:30 p.m. But most of the fun is indoors, so if you want to check out the village between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, you can stay air-conditioned in the quaint and quirky restored cottages, except for short walks between establishments.

Details: July 7-8, Village of the Arts, 1017 12th Ave W. (and surrounding areas), Bradenton. 6-9:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Free. 941-747-8056, villageofthearts.com.

This story was originally published July 5, 2017 at 4:30 PM with the headline "The Village of the Arts invites you to its art walk this weekend."