West Chicago's Blooming Fest this Saturday
Spring is here and West Chicago is blooming. The forces of Mother Nature have rewarded the western suburb yet again by transforming the canvas of a dormant landscape into its miraculous work of art. "The Art of the Garden" is the theme for this year's Blooming Fest, an 11-year-old downtown garden festival scheduled for Saturday, May 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in downtown West Chicago.
The festival was inspired by the annual plant sale fundraiser run by the West Chicago Garden Club started in 1989; and the image chosen for its publicity this year is that of painter and Gallery 200 artist Paul Nemejc. Both groups, the West Chicago Garden Club and the artists and musicians of Gallery 200, located at 200 Main Street in downtown West Chicago, represent the creative, hard-working and civic-minded spirit that resides in the community.
The group of dedicated gardeners that make up the WCGC has indeed served the community as a force of good nature. They have contributed to the splendor of neighborhood gardens throughout the City through the sale of reasonably priced plants that come straight from member gardens. Fully adapted to the growing conditions of our local soil and climate, these vigorous plants accelerate gratification by leaping in their first year. Avid gardeners everywhere have come to learn the extreme benefit of buying well-established plants and shrubs that hale from West Chicago soil. Preparations for the sale that offers thousands of plants including perennials, annuals and shrubs, are extensive.
A WCGC digging squad begins the process by digging and bagging plant specimens during the week for weekend potting parties at a barn in Manville Oaks, donated for such use by the West Chicago Park District. Volunteers form an assembly line which consists of paper stuffers to line pots, cutters to saw plants into pot size pieces, potters to mix dirt, pot plants and pass off to transporters who organize the pots by species and water them. Others strip and cut venetian blinds which are used as potting sticks to identify each plant. The labor intensive process yields about 600 plants per session. Over 2,000 plants in all will be for sale at Blooming Fest.
Equally busy, the artists and musicians of Gallery 200 and Gallery 200/STUDIO have been preparing for visitors to Blooming Fest. May's Featured Artists, photographers Deborah Juzwiak, Hester Bury and Susan Ericson will be on hand to share their inspirations for their joint exhibit titled Nature's Bouquet which explores the many wonders found outdoors.
Additionally, demonstrations in oil and watercolor painting and jewelry-making given by accomplished member artists Marge Hall, Lois Easley, and Sue Weibler are scheduled, along with a stamping activity taught by Heide Morris.
These free activities round out a day of the fabulous art installations which may be found in several locations throughout the downtown, including the Fox Community Center (306 Main Street), Gallery 200/STUDIO (203 Turner Court) and at the CB & Q rail depot (134 Turner Court) by artists participating in artXposium, an initiative of the West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission and People Made Visible.
Performers from Gallery 200/STUDIO's Local Music Night venue, led by volunteer Mandy Rakow, will take to the stage nearest 200 Main Street and another stage at 321 Main Street will feature such favorites at the Wheaton Academy Kantorei, the West Chicago Chamber Choir and a performance from Tango Argentina.
For those inclined to admire the art of the classic car, the Chicago Corvette Club presents a Wheels exhibit, also on Main Street. Shoppers will enjoy the variety of hand-craft items that will be offered, local business representation and of course, the Wheaton Academy grill will join other food vendors in serving hungry attendees.
This year, breakfast is added to the menu with a special fundraiser for Boy Scout Troop #21 hosting a Pancake Breakfast at the American Legion Post 300, at 123 Main Street, from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Proceeds will go to replace troop tents and equipment destroyed in a flood. For a complete schedule of Blooming Fest activities, visit www.westchicago.org.