Downtown Chatham is coming alive with art this evening. 

The 5th annual Summer ArtCrawl pairs local artists with downtown businesses.

Mark Reinhart, Coordinator of Community Art and Outreach at the Thames Art Gallery, says involving merchants into the Crawl is relatively new.

“This year in particular we’re expanding it to include more downtown businesses,” Reinhart explains, “and encouraging the concept of not only having the downtown stay open a little bit later for people to have a great wander and conversation and do some shopping downtown, but also find art in unusual places, in this case inside the stores of downtown.”

The ArtCrawl begins at 5, and is a self-guided tour with maps available at ArtSpace on King Street, or on the Summer ArtCrawl Facebook page.

Reinhart says there will also be an art opening at the Thames Art Gallery starting at 8:30 this evening, with refreshments and a DJ.