Downtown at Sundown returns Friday
Downtown at Sundown — a celebration of the diverse culture and local businesses of downtown — returns for its 25th series on Friday.
The outdoor festival featuring live music, food trucks and an art market is set for 6-9 p.m. in the 1000 block of Ryan Street in front of Historic City Hall and the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse. Beverage sales will benefit the Literacy Council of SWLA.
The festival will continue each Friday through June 13.
'Downtown at Sundown features local and regional music acts and this year we have themed each night with different genres of music,' said Payton Lundmark, director of cultural affairs for the city of Lake Charles. 'We also have an art market with over 15 local art vendors and a food truck plaza with some of Southwest Louisiana's favorite food trucks so that people can grab a bite to eat and celebrate a little bit of everything.'
While lawn chairs and blankets are welcome, ice coolers and pets are prohibited.
The theme for this week's festival is 'Bayou Rhythms.' Performances are planned by the Cajun band Louisiana's Kingfish followed by Mason Trail & the Zydeco Rhythm.
'Events like this highlight our cultural landscape and it's free to attend so anybody of any walk of life is able to come out and experience the various culture,' Lundmark said. 'It's important that we keep highlighting the cultures of our area and come out to support community events. It's a place for us to gather, for us to connect with each other and for us to celebrate just how great this area is — from the different musicians we have to the local artists and businesses downtown as well as the historic buildings.'
'Urban Cowboy Night' is the theme May 30. Southern Tragedy, a country-rock-blues trio from New Orleans, will open the show followed by Buddy Andrews and the Branded, a four-piece country music band.
Lundmark said attendees can don their finest western wear and will have the opportunity to learn country line dancing in between performances.
The June 6 festival will celebrate 'Rock N' Soul,' Lundmark said, and will feature The Dead Matadors, a rock 'n' roll cover band, and The Good Dudes, a seven-piece band with a horn section.
Campus Connection Night will close out the festival June 13. There will be an exclusive area on the courthouse lawn for local businesses, young professionals and college students to connect while listening to the sounds of The Debtors followed by Zach Edwards and the Medicine.
After the festival, DJ Secret Stache will lead an unforgettable laser light show, Lundmark said.
'Historic City Hall will be lit up with 3-D light projection and the entire front of the building will have motion graphics and 3-D video projected on it,' she said. 'Then DJ Secret Stache will perform a DJ set in front of the light show and there will be additional lights and laser effects brought into the show so it will be a completely immersive showcase. The graphics will move with the music that is played.'
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