The monthlong Gloucester Arts Festival kicks off next Thursday, June 3, with the unveiling of 10 statues to be placed at various sites along Main Street in celebration of the arts.

The public is invited to join sculptor Jay Lagemann as he walks along Main Street to unveil his work. Participants will gather at the Gloucester Brewing Company at 5:30 p.m., and are invited to return there afterward to join Lagemann and the Cook Foundation for a craft beer that’s themed to the festival.

On Friday, June 4, the festivities will continue at Arts on Main as Lagemann meets with guests outside to talk about his work. A quick look at the Massachusetts sculptor’s website shows that his pieces may be very different from those created by Seward Johnson for the festival two years ago. Rather than statues that could be mistaken for real people, Lagemann’s metal works are slender representational figures that appear animated and playful.

In addition to various metals, Lagemann works in cement,...