You’re gonna have to trust me on this one, folks. If we continue to embrace the arts in Redding, we’re gonna grow into one of the best small cities in the country.

I see glimpses of it all the time. Typically, I see them during 2nd Saturday Art Hop, which took place over the weekend.

Majical performs during the Art Hop kick off.

On Saturday, I traveled to a few Art Hop venues with Adam Mankoski, one of the creators of the event. We started at the North Valley Art League’s Carter House Gallery in Caldwell Park, where the Latin band Majical kicked off Art Hop for a nice crowd in the park.

We then headed to downtown Redding, where the scene was vibrant and active with so many people out and about.

Is this Redding? The scene in front of Sherven Square.

At one point, I was out in front of Sherven Square seeing folks everywhere. As I looked south into the beautiful open plaza of the downtown mall, a huge crowd was gathered at the Fashion Revival event, which featured a fashion show and live music by Mumblefinger, the Clevie B Trio and vocalist Amberly Thiessen. (The Fashion Revival wasn’t an Art Hop event, but it sure seemed to tie in nicely. Presented by Posh-Mama, Ability and the Kimberly Nicole Boutique, the event benefited House of Hope.)

Fashion Revival organizers (from left) Kimberly Nicole Woods, Tanyalee Ralston and Kendra Schubert.

I was chatting with some folks and then I turned around and saw a woman with a sword on her head and one leg suspended behind her. It was a pretty incredible pose by performance artist Marie Littlewolf.

Performance artist Marie Littlewolf.

I’m looking around at all of this thinking, “Am I in Redding?”

It seems that the individual Art Hop businesses are working hard to promote their own venues, and, hopefully, gaining more customers because of the overall publicity of the event. I’ve learned of and visited a number of businesses I would have never known about had it not been for Art Hop.

Artists and musicians provide a good excuse for frequenting the businesses and they also gain attention for their work. Plus, people are just getting out and connecting with their neighbors. I think it’s helping to reinforce our sense of community.

One stop that blew me away was Old City Hall (1313 Market St.) and the exhibit of work by 89-year-old Cissi Lundgren. I’m going to spend some more time viewing her incredible paintings, but she’s quite the hidden treasure. (There’s a story on her in this month’s Enjoy! magazine. The Swedish native has lived all over the world and now calls Redding home.)

We finished off the evening at the lovely bar at Maritime Seafood and Grill, where owner Unni Song asked me to do a celebrity bartender gig in September. So now I have to figure out how to become a celebrity. (I know I’m already a legend in my own mind.)

Anyway, there’s more news to come about Art Hop. I can’t wait to tell you about it. Oh, wait, I have to wait.

What did you guys do Saturday?

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