People of a certain age may remember the glory days of window shopping in the city. Big department stores competed against one another to see which display looked the best and attracted the most attention, as crowds of people gathered and gawked at the large window exhibits.
Joana Taft remembers those days in Washington, D.C., and now as executive director of Harrison Center for the Arts, has helped put a new twist on window shopping.
This will be the fifth year for artists to display their work in the lower-level windows along the building.
The Holiday Window Walking Tour is free and self-guided from dusk to dawn starting Dec. 6 through Jan. 6, 2020 at Harrison Center for the Arts, 1505 N. Delaware St. More than a dozen artists will transform the basement windows into miniature store-front window displays.
The tour begins in the courtyard and continues on 16th and Delaware streets.
The Harrison Center will also have its Holiday Pop-Up Shop 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays Dec. 9-24.
The basement windows are perfect for displays because the sills are about 2 1/2 feet deep, leaving plenty of room for small-scale creativity.
One of Taftās favorite displays over the years featured feral kittens that roamed around a little living space, and then people could adopt the kittens.
āIn our hearts, weāre all longing to be connected,ā she said, āand art helps us connect.ā
Plus, window displays in December and January are a good reason to get out of the house in the cold and do something fun, even if youāre also shivering.
Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.