If the third Harrisonburg Museum and Gallery Walk is anything like the first two, participants should have a relaxing social evening while getting a taste of the arts in and around downtown.

The walk and trolley tour will be held 5-8 p.m. Friday.

Museums, art galleries and small businesses will be open for free tours. Local artists' work will be displayed and special sales will be offered at businesses and restaurants. Live music, free refreshments and raffle prizes will also be part of the package.

"We want to promote the arts from the ground up," said Ashley McCoy, an artist who will have her work shown at Ballou Studios on East Market Street. "Everybody's chipping in."

Harrisonburg and Stonewall Jackson high school students will show their work on the Court Square sidewalks, and children's artwork will be on display at the Harrisonburg Children's Museum. HCM will also have hands-on activities for kids that night.

Also on the street, Dance & Company will perform near the Courthouse. They'll give an Irish step dance mini-concert at their Main Street location and give a peek at a rehearsal at the Water Street location.

Music along the art walk will include a Round Hill recorder concert at the Pilgrim Gallery, Birthday Suit at the Little Grill Collective and the Butterhouse Band at Duke Hall. The Ballou Studio will host musical performances by Hannah Bartee with Red River Rollercoaster, DP Da Reapa and Calf Mountain Jam, among others. A second stage will be open to musicians who wish to play during intermissions.

Ballou Studios is expecting more than 30 artists and musicians at their 2nd Biannual Arts and Music Festival. In addition to McCoy's work, which features large multi-media paintings, Greg Ballou will show his paintings, incorporated with clay and other natural materials.

"They're narrative, but without text," McCoy said of Ballou's work.

The photography of Allen Litten and David Showalter will be exhibited at Glen's Fair Price Store. Other photography exhibits will be held at Daily Grind and By the Corner Custom Frame Shop.

Outside Duke Hall, the JMU Fine Craft Guild will hold an Outdoor Sale of student works in ceramic, metal, fibers and printmaking.

JMU's participation is new to the art walk. Blue Ridge Community College, Bridgewater College and Eastern Mennonite University are also new sponsors, with art by professors and students exhibited throughout the event.

The art walk is also sponsored by Shenandoah Council of the Arts, the Arts Council of the Valley the City of Harrisonburg, the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Harrisonburg Downtown Merchants and Downtown Renaissance.

Of course, "a lot will depend on the weather," said Rebecca Sours, one of the event organizers.

Shuttle service between sites is free.

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