Loyalty weighs anchor at Port Clinton Art Fest

It's not just the 260 juried artists who make the Port Clinton Art Festival special. It's the loyal followers who return year after year to touch base with the artists whose works grace their homes.

They even bring along the four-footed members of the family, in an unofficial display of rare-breed dogs.

One who captivated hearts last year was a 4-month-old Shiloh puppy. Larger than the German shepherd, he was one of many rare dogs taking to the streets to meet the artists.

The art festival is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, along Central Avenue at First and Second streets in Highland Park.

Organizer Amy Amdur of Amdur Productions, which also mounts the Buffalo Grove Fine Arts Festival, attributes the pet-attendance to families who want to include their canine members on a weekend outing.

The event in downtown Highland Park features six categories of art: painting, jewelry, photography, two-dimensional; three-dimensional functional--furniture; and three-dimensional non-functional -- sculpture.

Amdur also attributes the success of the show to its No. 3 ranking in Sunshine Artist Magazine -- which uses the quality of the art and sales to formulate its rankings.

"Artists also rank the shows," she says.

Among them are youth artists Rachel Landsman, 12, of Buffalo Grove, who focuses on mixed media creations and fellow Buffalo Grove resident, 17-year-old Pamela Wahl, who will sell her still life drawings and acrylics.

New this year, is the Taste of Highland Park, featuring food from 13 restaurants. It will be located on the upper deck of the First Street parking structure between Central and Laurel avenues in downtown Highland Park. Taste of Highland Park will be open during the art festival, but also will stay open until 10 p.m. Saturday.

To make getting there more convenient, there will be free parking in all lots in Highland Park and free trolley service to and from Ravinia parking at Roger Williams and St. John.

For more information: www.amdurproductions.com/port-clinton.html