It’s not everyday a drum corps marches through a library.

But that’s what happened when the Art Loop Mini-Parade arrived at Toledo-Lucas County Public Library’s main branch Thursday evening, kicking off the June edition of the loop.

Starting at Handmade Toledo and continuing down Adams Street toward the library, the parade featured giant papier-mache puppets, a group of bubble-blowing performers dressed as sharks, and a contingent of Art Loop volunteers thrusting candy into the hands of beaming children — and adults.

Traffic halted. People lined the streets to watch the procession pass.

The parade’s purpose — and the purpose of the Art Loop more broadly — is to bring people together in the downtown area, Arts Commission spokesman Ryan A. Bunch said.

“We think of it as sort of a beacon for the future of the way people interact with and experience downtown Toledo,” Mr. Bunch said. “So it’s not just for artists. It’s not just about the arts. It’s a community event that’s open to everybody, that can be a catalyst for cultural tourism.”

Toledo resident Brandi Hayward, a first-time Art Loop attendee, said she hasn’t spent much time downtown since leaving her job in the area.

Like Ms. Hayward, Leilana Perez, 16, said she rarely visits the downtown area. But she makes sure to attend the Art Loop at least a few times a year.

“I think it’s cool,” Ms. Perez said. “It really shows what’s around in Toledo.”

Ms. Perez said she was looking forward to visiting the area around Fifth Third Field, where the Arts Commission was sponsoring entertainment and activities as part of its June theme, Summer Spectacular. Event organizers encouraged attendees to check out the loop before heading over to the ballpark for the 7:05 p.m. Mud Hens game.

Presented in partnership with the Mud Hens and Toledo Warehouse District Association, the Summer Spectacular is designed to appeal to a broader audience that the art enthusiasts who show up month in and month out.

“We really focus most of our special events from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. so that families and baseball attendees can come and have these fun, interactive arts experiences around the ball field and really engage in the warehouse district,” Mr. Bunch said.

The Arts Commission on Thursday unveiled its new Art Loop bus wraps. In the past, Mr. Bunch said, people have confused Art Loop buses with ordinary TARTA buses, sometimes ending up deep in West Toledo rather than on the downtown circuit.

Since the Art Loop’s inception in 2014, attendance has been on the rise, Mr. Bunch said. In the program’s first year, monthly attendance maxed out at about 1,000. Now, it regularly draws crowds of about 2,500.

Contact Jacob Stern at: jstern@theblade.com or 419-724-6050.

First Published June 16, 2017, 4:00 a.m.