The Atlantic Artwalk is back this weekend

To call it the Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk is a big misleading.

The annual arts and music festival stretches from the bustling thoroughfare all the way south to Union Street, with about 200 artists opening their studios to the masses.

When the festival returns on Saturday and Sunday, it also includes the newly opened Brooklyn Bridge Park in the festivities.

When the ArtWalk started six years ago, it wasn’t nearly as pervasive, with about 30 artists participating and the “walk” about half the size. Today, the festival has ballooned in participants and miles, but the goal has always remained the same.

“ArtWalk started as a way to support both the artist and local business community,” said founder and event producer Lisa Shimamura, of Colab Projects. “This is a rare opportunity for people to visit artists’ personal workspaces, offering sneak peeks at innovative new works in progress, and to ArtWalk and greet with artists.”

In addition to the studio tours, the Artwalk will feature live rock, country and jazz on the streets, special promotions at area restaurants, the rare opportunity to see the Axelle Fine Arts print space on Atlantic Avenue, and self-guided tours curated by people from The Brooklyn Circus, Proteus Gowanus and participating artists.

With all that there is to do, you may need both days to explore Atlantic Avenue — and beyond.

Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk, June 5–6, 1–6 pm. Free. For info, visit www.ArtWalk2010.com.