Celebrated art show, food festival draws big crowd to Highland Park
The Port Clinton Art Festival, one of the most successful juried art festivals in the country, returns to downtown Highland Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, and Sunday, Aug. 28.
It is accompanied by the 5th Taste of Highland Park, which begins at 6 p.m. Friday and features a smorgasbord of food and music. Both are free.
Founded and produced by Amdur Productions, the art festival has been going strong for 28 years. More than 250,000 art enthusiasts travel to Highland Park to attend the show annually. This distinguished outdoor art festival offers fine art from a roster of more than 260 of the world#146;s most celebrated artists. Exhibiting artists come from across the country and as far as Israel and Canada. Exceptional artwork of all mediums, including ceramics, drawings, furniture, glass, jewelry, metal, paintings, photography and wood will be available.#147;Each year we strive to make the festival more successful and enjoyable for the artists who participate and the art enthusiasts who attend annually,#148; says Amy Amdur, founder of Amdur Productions.In addition to the juried artists exhibiting, the festival hosts a Youth Art Division, which offers young artists ages 18 and younger an opportunity to exhibit and participate in one of the finest art festivals in the country. Art activities for kids, including a scavenger hunt and projects from Make-a-Messterpiece, the ultimate creative studio for kids, also will be featured.Festival-goers can learn more about the artists#146; crafts with interactive art demos and educational booth chats taking place throughout the weekend. Kicking off the festival weekend is the 5th annual Taste of Highland Park, which runs alongside the Port Clinton Art Festival on Central Avenue in downtown Highland Park. Opening at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, and running throughout the festival weekend, the Taste features food and libations from many of Highland Park#146;s most celebrated restaurants.In honor of the Taste#146;s five-year anniversary, select restaurants will feature $5 favorites for foodies to enjoy and #147;The Art of the Mix#148; specialty cocktails. A stellar lineup of bands and musicians also will perform Friday and Saturday night.This year#146;s lineup includes the tropical sounds of Od Tampo Imi at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by Kevin Chalfant#146;s Journey Experience.Saturday#146;s performances kickoff at 6 p.m. with Soul Cookin#146;, which will perform the hits of the #146;50s, Motown sounds of the #146;60s, disco of the #146;70s, and contemporary dance hits.After Soul Cookin#146;, the weekend headliner, Herman#146;s Hermits starring Peter Noone, takes the stage. The festivities continue Sunday, Aug. 28.For information on the art festival, visit www.amdurproductions.com, call (847) 926-4300 or email info@amdurproductions.com. For information on the Taste of Highland Park, visit www.cityhpil.com or call (847) 926-1027.