An Art Walk in December?  During the Old Fashioned Christmas in Historic Downtown Delano the art will be inside participating downtown businesses.  And not only local art and artists, but fun family activities throughout downtown all day Saturday, Dec. 5.

The fun starts at 9 a.m. with the Girl Scouts Secret Santa Shoppe and the Rivertown Boutique and continues until 4 p.m. with story time at the library, carolers from local churches every hour, songs and stories at the Delano Senior Center, old fashioned decorations at the Heritage Center, and great food at the downtown restaurants.  At 7 p.m. there will be a performance of “Amahl and the Night Visitors” at St. Peter’s Church.

The Arts and Culture Council, supported by downtown businesses and local organizations, is sponsoring the festivities. The highlight of the day is the art walk spotlighting local artists who will exhibit and sell their work.  Unique handcrafted gifts including jewelry, fabric art, watercolors and wood carving will be available.  Three of the artists exhibiting their work are Margaret Metz, Linda Johaneson and Jeanne Stortz.  Margaret Metz designs jewelry and has recently studied  in France,  working in water colors in and around Monet’s Giverney.

Linda Johaneson is a fabric artist using wool, silk, organza, yarn and found objects to create scenes.  A former art teacher and graphic and fabric designer, she has exhibited in Wayzata and in Montana.  Jeanne Stortz is a mixed media artist who has taught at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts.  She hosts other artists at her studio in Montrose.

The schedule of the days events and a map locating the artists will be available at City Hall on December 5 from 10 am to 4 pm.  Families can support the Toys for Tots program by adding their gift to the bus which will be parked outside City Hall.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Dec. 5.  More information on the many family activities in the following weeks.