Up in the Air with Friends of Downtown
Date Posted: Aug 22, 2022
The latest—and possibly greatest—public art installation in the works from Friends of Downtown during Foo Foo
Friends of Downtown has long been known for its contributions to Foo Foo Festival. This year, the organization will once again bring a public art project to downtown Pensacola that is sure to be a must-visit spot throughout the two weeks of the festival.
Walker Wilson, chairman of Friends of Downtown, talked with us about the organization’s plans this year and how they will be bringing a pop of panache to the city.
Q: Congratulations on Friends of Downtown being one of the 12 grant recipients for the Foo Foo Festival this year! Is it exciting to once again be a part of the Festival?
A: We have always had such great success with Foo Foo Festival, and we’re really excited that we’re being given an opportunity to bring something downtown that we think a lot of people will enjoy.
Q: What will the art project be? What can we expect?
A: It’s actually a project inspired by another one we did a few years ago, Umbrella Sky. Ever since we’ve had people ask us to bring it back, and we obviously don’t want to do the same exact project again. This year, we took some inspiration from the project everyone loved and are creating Bubble Alley. It’s an art installation that will include oversized balloons suspended high above the road in downtown Pensacola. It will truly be something to see.
Q: Give us an idea of what this will be like and where it will be exactly.
A: There will be dozens upon dozens of different color bubbles, and they will be covering the entire road and sidewalks. It will be a great installation to come to stroll through and check out, take a family pic or a good selfie, and just enjoy the downtown area. This year, we’re doing it one block east from where we have in the past. It will be near Southtowne, along Intendencia Street from Jefferson to Tarragona.
Q: When should patrons expect to see it?
A: That’s one of the great things about it: it will be up and on display the entire two weeks of the festival. And it’s also free, so it’s a great reason to go downtown, stroll around, and check out some of the shops and eateries in the area.