• By GREG LANGLEY
• News Features assistant editor
• Published: Nov 15, 2009

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

They’ll leave a light on for you.

And if you choose to investigate the warm illumination cast by the Mid City Merchant Association’s White Light Night, you’ll find plenty of art, music, food and good conversation.

This is the 13th year for the annual event which is a kind of block party for the arts. Businesses in the Mid City Art and Design District (roughly Government Street from South 14th Street to Jefferson Highway and from Claycut to Florida Boulevard) stay open late and offer seasonal bargains. Parking lots and sidewalks are transformed into bistros and stages as food vendors and bands set up shop alongside the galleries, schools, restaurants and other businesses that will feature a variety of art in many mediums. Many of the galleries will offer complimentary food and drink to their guests.

Liz Walker, owner of Elizabethan Gallery on Jefferson Highway and Mid City Merchants Association member, said this year’s event will feature the same events as in the past, but also some new twists.

“We will be selling our First Annual White Light Night commemorative poster,” she said. The $15 art piece will be available at several participating venues.

At least nine businesses are new participants this year, Walker said, raising the total to 33 businesses participating in White Light Night.

Participating businesses are: Aladdin’s Lamp Antiques, 2648 Government St.; Arnold and Associates Interiors, The Bee Hive, Ladybugs & Dragon-flys, 711 Jefferson Highway, Suite 1A; Bella Bella, 711 Jefferson Highway, Suite 3; The Beverage Store, 6908 Florida Blvd.; Bible and Book Center, 4242 Government St.; Bistro Byronz, 5412 Government St.; Bloom, Inc., 2836 Government St.; Caffery Gallery, 4016 Government St.; Chef Don Bergeron Enter-prises, 714 Jefferson Highway; The Child Development Coop-erative, 250 S. Foster Drive; Circa 1857, 1857 Government St.; Coleman Partners Archi-tects, 3377 North Blvd.; Corks N Canvas, 711 Jefferson High-way, Suite 3A; Elizabethan Gal-lery, 680 Jefferson Highway; Esom Gallery, 1857 Govern-ment St.; Fred Heroman’s Flo-rist, 6868 Florida Blvd.; The Funky Palette, 1857 Govern-ment St.; Gallery Bohemia, 3774 Government St.; Kitchen & Bath Design, 2906 Government St.; LES Federal Credit Union, Ogden Market Center at Government Street; Louisiana Office Supply Co., 7643 Florida Blvd.; Margaret Heffron, CPA, 469 Westmoreland Drive; Mon-junis Italian Café & Grocery, 711 Jefferson Highway, Suite 4A; Mosaic Garden, 1857 Government St.; Ragland, Aderman & Associates, 3888 Government St.; Ragusa’s Automotive, 2714 Government St.; Rotolo’s Pizzeria, 5050 Government St.; Rue Cou Cou, 1857 Government St.; Sabai Jewelry Gallery, 711 Jefferson Highway; Superior Grill, 5435 Government St.; Tipton Associates, APAC, 449 Westmoreland Drive; and Victoria’s Toy Station, 5466 Government St.

“You can’t help but see that we are continuing to attract art-related businesses,” Walker said.

One of the new participants is the Bee Hive — really two businesses in one location. Lady Bugs & Dragonflys is at the same site.

The Bee Hive is in the Goodwood Village Shopping Center just across Jefferson Highway from Walker’s Elizabethan Gallery. The Bee Hive, a birthday shop for young girls, features a banquet room where full-service parties are celebrated. Lady Bugs & Dragonflies is a “giddy girly shoppe for all ages,” specializing in gifts for girls. There’s plenty of pink in evidence there.

Lisa White, Bee Hive owner, and Donna Blanchard, Lady Bugs & Dragonflys owner, will host painter Tara Button and photographer Matt Lange during White Light Night.

“We’ll have wine and cheese and soft drinks and Christmas music,” White said.

But painters and photographers are not the only artists who will be on hand to meet the public and show off their works. Other businesses will host jewelers, sculptors, glass artists, ceramics artists, printmakers, furniture makers and even antique cars. A couple of locations will display works by art students from area schools, and The Child Development Cooperative will feature an arts and crafts show.