As of April, Market Day and MusicWalk have joined together to form MusicWalk Market, two La Retama Park events held on the first Saturday of the first weekend of the month. The next ArtWalk is April 7. MusicWalk Market will be held April 8, followed by the Harbor BridgeWalk, Sunday, April 9.
Also new this month with the Corpus Christi Downtown Management District's Corpus First Initiative, the area covered by the walks in La Retama Park will change a bit. Rather than closing the right lane of Mesquite to make way for foot traffic, vendors and musicians, the city is closing both the 400 and 500 block of People's.
"We are changing the footprint at the park a bit this month to get ready for the work in the park," said Alan Albin, special projects coordinator Downtown Management District. The park will get a green-to-granite makeover to expand walking areas for the 5,000 plus visitors each month. Plans for the small, grassy downtown park include covering it with crushed granite and installing new lighting and seating. The project should be finished by April 2015. During the renovation, which begins this summer, the ArtWalk and Market MusicWalk will be relocated.
Corpus Christi First festivities begin with the Friday ArtWalk, which runs from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. It takes place over 23 city blocks and involves 100 businesses, galleries and art museums. Admission to the art museums is free during ArtWalk. Other venues include a tattoo parlor and the Ritz Theater, which usually provides live music or films.
"The Ritz is a great place to sit down, take a rest or get in from the cold or heat," Albin said.
Saturday is a full day of vendors, food, family activities and music from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. An hour after Market Day ends, MusicWalk begins. From 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., La Retama hosts musicians, more activities, food and special offers from downtown bars and restaurants.
Sunday morning check-in at Heritage Park is 7:30 a.m. for Harbor BridgeWalk. About 250 people usually attend the walk, which ends where it begins — in the park with more activities. The Corpus Christi Junior League holds Fitness Sunday events for the whole family immediately following BridgeWalk. The free events include aerobics, yoga and active games for the kids.
The theme for April's BridgeWalk is the green and blue of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
"Wear your green and blue for free give-aways while they last," says Albin. Next month, in honor of Buc Days, BridgeWalk giveaways go to pirate-themed walkers.
