Artists Alley is a vibrant initiative aimed at transforming a downtown alley into a dynamic hub of public art. This project not only enhances our community's landscape but also provides local artists with a platform to express their creativity, fostering a sense of unity and inclusivity. By showcasing diverse artistic talents, Artists Alley enriches the cultural fabric of the area and invites residents and visitors alike to experience the power of art in a shared public space.
Artists Alley
Looking for a way to give back to your community? Are you a high school or college student, business or organization looking for community service hours? We can help!
Join us at one of our clean-up days, and spend a little time picking up trash and pulling weeds in downtown Parkersburg.
Clean-up days occur monthly from April through October for around 90 minutes. We will gather will in front of the Downtown PKB office (610 Market St). We will distribute supplies to participants and communicate where we will be working. Reminders will be communicated on our Facebook page (@downtownpkb). Bottles of water are provided.
If you would like to volunteer, click here.
In an effort to bring more public art to Parkersburg, Downtown PKB's Arts and Culture Committee has worked with local artists to create vibrant murals (aka selfie stations) perfect for your next photo op. Placed alongside various buildings and businesses downtown, each mural brings something different to the area. There are currently seven murals scattered downtown for you to discover.
Make a day of exploring the city and go on a mural hunt! to find the locations of our murals, check out our map right here. Be sure to use #WeArePKB for a chance to be featured on our website and social media pages!
In May of 2021, light post flower baskets were added from the 300 to the 800 block of Market Street. The flower baskets bring more color to downtown and are a nice complement to our pole banners and metalwork that line the street.
The flowers are grown at Butcher Family Farm, installed in the spring, and maintained all summer through September by Greenscape Landscape. Each basket is sponsored by individuals or businesses and will include a sign with the sponsor’s name. The cost to sponsor a basket pays for the planting, watering, and maintenance of the basket.
A special thank you to our 2025 sponsors:
Atkinson Bonding | Bernard McDonough Foundation | The Blennerhassett Hotel & Spa | The Bosley Companies | Carlton Hill Farm | CFI Engineering Company | City of Parkersburg | Community Bank | CSL Plasma | DeBarr Trucking Co, Inc. | Discovery World | EPI Insulation Company | The Erickson Foundation | Greenscape Landscape Co & Nursery | Hall Financial Advisors | Hughes Properties LLC | In Memory of Jim Full | Jan Dils Attorneys at Law | John & Lynn Nicholson | Larry & Rachel Johnson | McDonough, Eddy, Poling & Baylous, AC | McHappy's Donuts & Bake Shoppe | Michael Simmons Family - Simmons Insurance | Napoli's Pizza | RVP Prooperties, LLC | United Bank | Vintage Valley Weddings & Events | WesBanco | Wood County Solid Waste Authority | WVU Medicine Camden Clark
Light Post Flower Baskets
Bees, butterflies, and flowers can be seen lining the light poles up and down Market Street in downtown Parkersburg. Created by the artists of the Wood County Society’s Artbeat Studio , these bee-utiful pieces of metal artwork perfectly compliment the downtown landscape, bringing an additional element of artistic creativity and color. Each piece took an average of 14 hours each to create, including the fabrication, sanding, priming, painting, and sealing of the work to ensure durability.
This project was a collective effort of the Wood County Society Artbeat Studio, the City of Parkersburg, and Downtown PKB.
Metal Artwork
Downtown PKB’s Design Committee added decorative banners down Market Street. They serve to welcome visitors to our downtown community. The banners are changed out quarterly to freshen up Market Street and provide colorful signage to the downtown landscape.
Pole Banners
In collaboration with the Wood County Economic Development office, Downtown PKB was able to produce an Opportunity Zone Prospectus, the first of its kind in WV, to help market our (2) Opportunity Zones nationally. It consists of old projects from Parkersburg’s past that never were quite able to come to fruition, allowing us to learn how to further aid our community.
To view the prospectus, click here.
Wood County Prospectus
Thank you to our partners.
