HOLMES BEACH – This year’s second Holmes Beach Market Night on Nov. 10 drew no shortage of people coming out to holiday shop during extended hours at retailers in and around the Island Shopping Center.
“We couldn’t find a parking space. This place is packed,” Julie Wilcox said. “I’m glad we did though, because this is really cool. There’s a pirate playing a ukulele on the sidewalk and everybody has ice cream on their face. This is a blast!”
Market Night replaces the former Art Walks from years past. Since Island Gallery West moved its Holmes Beach gallery to Bradenton, a rebranding was in order.
“We went around over the summer dropping off letters and letting businesses know what we were going to do,” Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island President Janet Razze said. “We changed the name to Market Night so more people would participate. Island Gallery West relocated, and we wish them well, but we felt like it’s not really an Art Walk anymore, so we wanted to get all of these businesses together.”
The family-friendly event sponsored by the City of Holmes Beach and Bradenton Area Arts and Culture is held on the second Friday of the month, with the exception of next month, when it will be on Friday, Dec. 1 to coincide with the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s tree lighting.
The event continues through April 12, 2024 featuring the Island Shopping Center and the following merchants: Artists’ Guild Gallery of Anna Maria Island, D Coy Ducks, Small Town Creamery, howluckyami, Pizzano’s Pizza, Irene’s Clothing Store, Sand Dollar, The Feast, Hurricane Hank’s, Freckled Fin and The Doctor’s Office. Each business will stay open late, featuring live music, demos, refreshments and more.
