Ray at Night – 10 Years Later

An arts event launched four days after 9/11 thrives today

By Manny Cruz
Photography by Ariana Drehsler

Months before the tragic events of 9/11, a group of Ray Street business owners concocted a plan to enliven the area with a promotion that would embrace the arts and increase foot traffic among the small shops lining the narrow roadway. They wanted something larger than the few art exhibits that some of the shops had been holding — an evening event once a month that would be filled with music, arts and crafts vendors, stores opening late for customers and, of course, lots of people.
Eventually, they would christen it Ray at Night and set the opening date for a Saturday — Sept. 15, 2001 — in hindsight not the best time to put people in a partying mood. After the terrorist attacks four days earlier, the business owners considered cancelling the inaugural event entirely.
Didn’t happen. They went on with it and were pleasantly surprised at the turnout. People filled the street. Shops stayed open late as planned and the business owners started making plans for the next month’s Ray at Night.
In January 2002, Ray at Night was moved to the second Saturday of the month instead of the third Saturday. Two years later, the city of San Diego created the Ray Street Arts and Culture District. Gustaf Rooth of Planet Rooth Studios enlisted the aid of Tony Atkins, then the District 3 City Council member, in obtaining funds for street improvements.
Ray at Night celebrated its 10th anniversary on Sept. 10, an event that drew hundreds of people, all congregated in the area of Ray Street and North Park Way and close to the Ray Street Art and Culture District sign at the intersection. Musicians played. People danced. Vendors sold merchandise and store owners welcomed a stream of visitors.
Amy Baca López, an artist and South Park resident who owns her own graphic design business, Simplified Graphics Studio, joined in the anniversary celebration and was clearly excited by what was happening on the street. “I watched an art buyer head straight for a piece and fall in love with it,” she said. “I sold a 38×46-inch painting called ‘South Park’ to Hayden Dover. I knew the minute he walked directly to the painting that my art ‘music’ resonated something inside him. That moment was incredible.”
“I’m a big believer in community street fairs and creating civic spaces around small businesses,” said López, who calls herself the “Creative Warrior.” “I’ve always enjoyed the urban scene that Ray at Night creates for artists and arts enthusiasts. I love the energy as the crowd builds, and I think the music is key, with bands and DJs setting a cultural temperature for vendors and spectators to relax and have fun. I would love to see more artists participating in the monthly event to enrich the experience for all.”
Also taking part that night were Anney Rosenthal-Hall, Christoper Bittner and Garrick Oliver, principals of obr Architecture at 1805 Ray St., which they opened three years ago. “Our business model and our goals as an architecture firm have been to include the arts, events and creative outlets outside of architecture in our daily business operations,” said Rosenthal-Hall. “So when the space became available here on Ray Street, we jumped on it. Ray at Night was one of the first events that introduced us to North Park as an arts and culture neighborhood and now has been an integral component to our business.”
Since San Diego has become a center for craft beer and wine bars, Ray Street businesses are working on plans to include “the creative arts of food and drink” into Ray at Night. “We have several local restaurants and bars that contribute to making this neighborhood great, so why not expand from visual and performance art to edible art?” said Rosenthal-Hall.
Unfortunately, the nine businesses that launched of Ray at Night are no longer in North Park. They are:
• Expressive Arts Institute — Judith Greer Essex and Wes Chester, directors.
• Gallrìa dell’Aria — Irene Patton.
• Lost Your Marbles Too – Richard Miller and Curtis Robertson.
• North Park Studio Gallery — Ken and Chris Callaway.
• Planet Rooth Studios — Gustaf Rooth.
• Sierra Club — Cheryl Reiff, chapter coordinator.
• Studio 3026 — Marvin Sloben.
• The Cabernet — Samantha Treadwell.
• The Publication’s Gallery 999 — Jim Hammond and Dorothy Annette.