Fayetteville Underground artist William Mayes Flanagan discusses plans for the collective’s soft opening set to begin at 5 p.m. Thursday night at the Fayetteville Underground’s new location at 101 W. Mountain St. on the southwest corner of the downtown square.

Photo: Todd Gill, Flyer staff

It’s the first Thursday of the month which means another installment of First Thursday Fayetteville is planned for tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. on the downtown square.

Nearly 30 artists and craftspeople will exhibit work in an outdoor artwalk around the square, including drawings, paintings and watercolors from Joel Ward; mixed media and sculptural work from Margaret Clenin; and woodwork from Jamie Walker.

The new Fayetteville Underground is located inside the GCM Building at 101 W. Mountain Street.

Photo: Todd Gill

Also tonight, Fayetteville Underground artists will host a soft opening at the collective’s new location at 101 W. Mountain St. on the southwest corner of the square. The new location includes four galleries, hallway exhibition space and several studio spaces for members of the organization.

The “sneak peek” group show features painting, sculpture, photography, pottery, jewelry, and other arts and crafts from Fayetteville Underground artists Cheri Bohn, William Mayes Flanagan, Jan Gosnell, Mike Haley, Susy Siegele, Don House, Becky Johnson, Hank Kaminsky, M.M. Kent, Sharon Killian, Martha Molina, Doug Randall, Sheila Richards, Sabine Schmidt, John Sewell, and others.

The Fayetteville Underground will host a grand opening during next month’s First Thursday event on Sept. 6.

Local band Guta is scheduled to perform at 6 p.m., and the movie A League of Their Own will be shown at around 9 p.m. near the loading dock of the Old Post Office building in the middle of the square.

As always, expect a charity beer garden and a kids zone for the kiddos.

Don’t forget that parking on all the streets and public lots around the square is free after 5 p.m.