Jennifer Flynt, Secretary of the Art Galleries of St. Augustine, invites all Historic City News subscribers to start the month and weekend off with the monthly tradition of First Friday Art Walk; affording art lovers, locals and visitors an opportunity to get out and explore the rich artistic culture of the nation’s oldest city.
Even though Covid-19 has upended the normal night out experience, our local artists and galleries have found ways to safely stay creative and open. Not all locations will be open, so check for updates on artgalleriesofstaugustine.com or the AGOSA social media channels.
“On Friday, October 2, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., galleries will be introducing their featured artists and new exhibits for October, with many of the artists on hand to talk and answer questions about their work,” Flynt said. “There are close to 30 galleries, each with its own style, located in and around the downtown area and over the Bridge of Lions on Anastasia Island and the Beach.”
For easy mobility downtown, gallery patrons and visitors can enjoy the complimentary shuttle service that runs from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. To use this service, shuttle stickers may be picked up at any participating gallery.
The shuttle may be boarded at any of the three stops on King Street–in front of Butterfield Garage and ArtBox, the Lightner Museum and Aviles Street–as well as Cathedral Place and Hypolita Street.
Parking for Art Walk is free at city-owned meters after 5:00 p.m., with additional parking available at the San Sebastian Winery and the City Parking Garage ($). Self-Driving to the greater St. Augustine galleries, where there is onsite parking, is recommended.
Old Town Trolleys, the provider of the shuttle service, has installed Plexiglas dividers and requires riders to sanitize their hands prior to boarding. For everyone’s health and safety, please sanitize your hands and wear a mask when visiting the galleries as they are all taking extra precautions to keep you safe.