Ed Fuentes

Galleries along the north side of 5th, at Main, were well lit for July's Art Walk.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — During the summer of 2008, residents of GilVille were first heard mumbling about the crowd Art Walk was bringing in. Yet most were out watching the parade of out of town guests––west of the 110––discovering the new life of an old Downtown.

As Thursday was filled with regulars and newcomers, you wonder how the Old Bank District would respond if Friday and Saturday evenings were as busy as Art Walk night. With the streets filled at capacity one night a month, Old Bank District dwellers watch the kids for one night, seeming almost thankful the masses are elsewhere for the rest of the month.

No matter. While Art Walk decision makers explore how to make, or keep, art the focus of the night out on the town, it's passed being a sign of things to come. It's been happening for a few years.

LA Observed's Kevin Roderick paid a visit to Art Walk on Thursday, and the following day he used his segment on KCRW to talk about how he had seen someone he knew every few blocks while walking around the Historic Core. For many of those who live Downtown, that is something that happens everyday, and there is very little "grousing" about that.