September 15, 2021 1237 PM
ALPINE – The Alpine Downtown Association and the City of Alpine will celebrate the end of a long, hot summer and a challenging economic period with music and art under the fourth annual Harvest Moon event in Alpine Saturday evening.
The hotel occupancy tax-funded mural arts-related event celebrates the history of Alpine’s art scene. Each year, the Harvest Moon Fest raises awareness of Alpine’s long-running history as an art colony –– beginning back in the 1930s at Sul Ross –– and its relationship to the WPA mural era in which at least two of Alpine’s own art colony muralists found national prominence.
The number of murals in Alpine has continued to grow around the downtown area in the past year, and another new one is just starting in what has become known as Mural Alley between 5th and 6th Streets north of Holland Avenue.
Similar to all three previous Harvest Moon events, the gathering will kick off with an “Alpine Alley Art” Reception from 6 to 7 p.m., featuring new murals that locals and visitors alike can enjoy. Guitarist Tom Griffith will provide live music. Galleries, shops and restaurants located in Alpine’s walkable, historic downtown district will be open into the evening.
For an enjoyable musical experience under the full moon, “Mariachi Santa Cruz” of Presidio will serenade those out and about at the corner of Holland Avenue and 6th, in front of Catchlight Gallery and the Gallery on the Square, from 7 to 8 p.m.
Then the cool sounds of “All that Jazz,” an Alpine jazz quintet featuring highly-acclaimed jazz guitarist Jim McKay of Fort Worth, will play from 8 to 10:30 p.m. in the open-air patio at the Holland Hotel.
McKay will be accompanied by local talent including Steve Bennack on bass, Lee Sonoqui on drums, John Ferguson on trumpet, David Busey on percussion and vocalist Bethany Poppenhagen, with various other artists sitting in as the night goes on.
