Open doors. Open spirits.

The tag line for this Thursday’s Hit the Bricks and Adjoining Streets captures the atmosphere downtown merchants are hoping to create.

This Thursday from 5 to 7:30 p.m. a majority of the downtown merchants will be open extended hours to invite Vicksburg locals and those from surround areas to eat, drink and be merry.

The event features an art walk, wine and appetizer pairings and a fashion show — all free of charge.

“It’s just a fun night for everyone to come down and shop. It’s kind of like a little family reunion almost. People will come down and visit with the merchants and see friends,” Kim Hopkins, director of Vicksburg Main Street, said.

Though not every store is participating in each part of the event, Vivian Monistere of Keystone Antique Furnishings, one of the downtown merchants participating in the event, said a majority of the stores downtown are involved in at least one aspect of Hit the Bricks; some will host a wine and appetizer pairing while others are participating in the fashion show or art walk.

“Everybody just picked,” she said, noting 16 stores are planning to participate in the wine tasting. “We tried to get it where there’s a big selection (of different wines) that are appropriately paired with some appetizer.”

Other merchants have focused on the art walk, which involves each merchant featuring a different artist in his or her store, or the fashion show, which will preview fall clothes from downtown merchants.

“We thought if we had three strong things going on, everybody could find something that they really liked,” Monistere said.

Jasmine Wheatley, owner of the Up the Ante and one of the merchants involved with the fashion show, said it will feature pajamas to shoes, and everything in between.

“There’s going to be tons of things that will get us prepared for the fall for all ages and generations,” Wheatley, who will be the fashion show’s master of ceremonies, said.

The fashion show will be held at 6 p.m. at Crawford Square.

“It’s going to be my first year actually being on Washington Street so I am honored to have anything to do with it, especially in a major way,” she said. “It’s going to be fabulous.”

Stores participating in the event include Keystone Antiques, Jolly’s Sometimes Store, Up the Ante, The Dragonfly, Frederick’s, H.C. Porter Gallery, Adored the Glam House, Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio with the Belle Rose Salon and Spa, the Lofts at First National Bank, Art and Soul of the South, Paper Plus, Cinnamon Tree, Peterson’s, Sassafras, Michel’s Record Shop and Rouge Boutique and Salon.
Musician Andy Hardwick will be playing live music at Michel’s Record Shop.

Troy Guilbeaux, Monique Varnado, Jane Watkins Joe Marascalso, Marty Kittrell, Olivia Anderson, Linda Lewis and H. C. Porter are featured artists in the art walk.