MANKATO — Warmth and sun welcomed 26 new CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour pieces that were installed by volunteers early Saturday. The number is down several this year because some traditional sites of sculptures — North Mankato’s Belgrade Avenue — were unavailable due to construction.
Enhancing the volunteers were City of Mankato employees and some current and past students from the Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Advanced Metal Sculpture class who have been contributing pieces. One student, Chase Gerdts, submitted an individual piece, Steel Prairie Sentinel, which was installed in the No. 1 spot in front of Pub 500.
Several of the sculptors, many representing years of involvement in the sculpture walk, were on hand for a Friday evening reception and to assist in installing their works. In one case, a woman passing by was asked her opinion for which direction the piece was placed, and it was followed.
Informational brochures and People’s Choice Award Ballets are available at various spots along the tour, which does include the base of Veterans Memorial Bridge, which is also under construction this summer.