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Health & Fitness

Entertainment on Fourth Street with Almost midnight in Paris

Streetgoers in San Rafael were entertained Friday night as the Art Works Downtown organization held their Almost Midnight in Paris event.

The event produced by the Downtown Business Improvement District not only brought artists with studios at the Art Works Downtown building visitors but also to shops and restaurants as people walked up and down Fourth street. At the downtown plaza and at Fourth and E street there were food vendors, music and performers. A stiltwalker who made balloon animals and hats, entertained children and adults alike.

To add to the French theme for the night there was a poodle parade down Fourth street. The parade was a fundraiser for Guide Dogs For The Blind that brought both small and large poodles, poodles wearing shirts and berets.

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Participating in the parade was San Rafael resident Cindy Wookey who brought her two poodles Otis and Chewie. “I think it is great for San Rafael and to participate. We love our dogs and we want to see more poodles.”

This was the last night of the featured exhibit Memento Mori (Latin for Remember Death) by artists D Young V and Eddie Colla at the Art Works Downtown main gallery. Colla who has a studio in Oakland explained this exhibition is about impermanence. His mixed media artwork for the exhibit consists of photography, image transfer and stenciling. Amongst the images and spray painted items were old shoes on the floor with broken bottles holding candles around an altar of a woman. Colla hopes visitors to the exhibit will “think a little bit about the temporary nature of things.”

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Greeting visitors at the downtown plaza and handing out cards for his reelection was city councilman Greg Brockbank, who said he enjoys the downtown events. Also at the plaza, Julia Aux Fleurs sang French songs passionately to a crowd and received loud cheers.


Back at the gallery Art Works Downtown Executive Director Elizabeth Setten was pleased at how the event was going. “This has been a terrific conversation that the Marin Community has been exposed to,” she said.


The ArtWorks Downtown studios are at 1337 Fourth Street in San Rafael. More information on their upcoming shows and events are at http://www.artworksdowntown.org/

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