MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – There was a festive feel on Friday night when local cuisine, art and music were celebrated throughout the small town as part of First Fridays in Middletown.

People strolled Middletown’s streets, stopping at businesses and public spaces such as the Gibson Museum and the Middletown Art Center, where artists, crafters and a variety of food purveyors were on hand.

Live musicians were strategically located throughout town, so that participants were serenaded at each stage of the walk.

First Fridays is a collaborative community effort, and this year the “Meet Your Makers” series spotlights a different Lake County micro industry each month.

The June event recognized local culinary artists with the theme “Eat Your Art Out,” and one could satisfy a craving for pizza, tacos, Filipino lumpia, Thai spring rolls, sushi burritos, vegan cheesecake, and a variety of other delectable bites, thanks to vendors scattered throughout the walk.

At the Middletown Art Center outdoor space in the center of town, Aromas Café from the Woodland Community College Culinary Arts Program served up steak or mushroom tacos while Goddess of the Mountain made pizzas with natural ingredients in their wood-fired oven.

Local growers sold produce, Shed Horn Cellars poured wine, and the Clearlake Grocery Outlet offered an opportunity to win prizes by spinning a wheel.

Inside the Middletown Art Center, the work of local artists was on display, including that from classes for children and Woodland Community College students.

At the south end of town Star Gardens Nursery was alive with music and featured exotic food from Wholly Bowl, including sushi burritos, fruit skewers and Thai noodle salads.

Six types of lumpia (filled with such things as organic bison) could be consumed in front of the Gibson Museum, where Bing’s Kitchen Catering was set up.

Koontz Mercantile featured wine tasting by Pope Valley Winery, Buddha Thai Restaurant offered spring rolls and Thai iced tea, and the Middletown Creamery featured a raw vegan blueberry “cheesecake.”

Close to the heart of First Fridays in Middletown is the art walk that is part of each event. Those who wish to view art throughout town are given a treasure map showing the location of each artist, where their work is available for sale.

First Fridays in Middletown takes place May through October from 6 to 9 p.m.

This year’s future themes are Gems and Jewelry in July, FUNctional Art in August (with the emphasis on fun), Media and Technology in September, and Wellness in October.

I was told that attendance was down somewhat because of the graduation ceremony at Middletown High School. Even so, the event was lively, with many people who “ate their art out” as the sun went down over our little town.

To learn more about the Middletown Art Center, visit www.middletownartcenter.org.

Those interested in learning more about local history and the work of the Gibson Museum and Cultural Center may visit www.friendsofgibson.com.

Local business owners in the Middletown, Cobb, and Hidden Valley area may wish to learn more about the Middletown Area Merchants Association by visiting www.middletownareamerchants.com.

Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa, Calif. She lives in Middletown, Calif.