Residents of West Seattle will have an opportunity to enjoy international cuisine and free world music during the second annual Music Nights in White Center.

Music Nights is sponsored by the White Center Arts Alliance and will occur on the second Friday evening of every month through October.

Six different White Center restaurants host live performances by musical groups in international genres, in a format similar to Columbia City's BeatWalk.

"People can go from venue to venue, listen to the music, check out the restaurants and take a look at what we've got here," said Melinda Bloom, co-organizer of the event. "A lot of people last year said they had never even thought of coming to White Center before, but since they came to hear the music they discovered a lot of new restaurants and they've been back since."

Each month, the event will feature six different bands. During July, performances included a global fusion band, Andean music, flamenco, and a jazz trio. Event organizers have put a call out to musicians and are hoping to feature European music, bluegrass, and other genres for future Music Nights.

"The kids need to hear other music, and adults too," said co-organizer Nancy Calos-Nakano, a local artist. "It's a social community thing so people will come out of their homes. Considering it's warm weather right now, it's great just to dance in the street."

The event is free to the public. It received a grant from the city's Department of Neighborhoods and financial support from the White City Community Development Organization, an organization dedicated to building community and economic development in White Center.

"The purpose of this event is to acknowledge the White Center area in its diversity and to share world culture," said Calos-Nakano. "It's to get neighbors out to meet each other. It's trying to eradicate any of the negative press that we might have had or old history that White Center has in the fact that it's developing into a cultural hub."

Music Nights is part of the White Center Cultural Alliance's ongoing project to provide "education, not only for children but for adults, and social and art projects," said Calos-Nakano.

"We want to let people know there's a lot of really positive work going on in White Center," Bloom said. "We all live here and work here and we just want to share with people in and outside of our community."

Music Nights take place the second Friday of every month through October, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on and around the corner of 16th and Delridge in White Center. The July Music Night was hosted by local eateries Salvadorian Bakery, Pho54, Mehras, Taqueria Guaymas and 88 Restaurant.

The next night in the series will be August 10.