Saturday's Art Alley event a major success

Havre Daily News staff

Hi-Line Art Association and Downtown Havre Matters! had a successful premiere event at Havre's Art Alley Saturday, with hundreds of people coming to partake in music and art.

Grant Olson of Hi-Line Art Association said at 6:30 p.m. he was guessing about 500 people had been to the event by that time, with it scheduled to continue to 8 p.m.

The alley, between Second and Third streets and Third and Fourth avenues, is the inspiration of Downtown Havre Matters!, which has cleaned up the alley and strung lights to create an area to hold events.

Saturday saw the music start with Havre's Blind Luck performing in the alley, followed by jazz musician Michael Bober. Then local musicians Milk River Band performed on a stage on the edge of Fourth Avenue, followed by Missoula's The Best Westerns.

Several musicians said Saturday's event was the first time they had been able to play live in front of an audience since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And art was happening in the alley, with two large canvases decorated along with numerous smaller pieces decorated with handprints of younger art enthusiasts. Sidewalk chalk was used for drawing and writing on the alley walls and the sidewalks off Fourth Avenue, along with some artwork on the walls of the alley.

Olson, when thanking people for coming and introducing The Best Westerns, said the groups hope to start having regular activities in the alley.