Weekend features an abundance of art
Lake County area art aficionados will have a busy weekend with two local festivals boasting the work of hundreds of artists from both close to home and around the nation.
The Annual Port Clinton Art Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday in downtown Highland Park. This year, for its 25th anniversary, organizers are launching a new event, the 1st Annual Port Clinton Film Festival. They'll also bring back the 2nd Annual Taste of Highland Park for what organizers are billing as "a phenomenal August 'Great Art, Great Taste' celebration on the North Shore.
For the Port Clinton Art Festival alone, more than 275,000 visitors are projected to fill plazas, sidewalks, parking lots, and streets to purchase work from more than 260 world-class juried artists. Throughout the popular festival visitors will also enjoy continuous music ranging from acoustic guitar to classical harp music, jazz and food and drink by some of the area's best restaurants, according to organizers.
Meanwhile, members of the Arlington Heights Art Guild will host "Art in the Park" this Sunday. While a smaller fest - attendance rises every year and is now about 3,000 - it has been around longer, for 37 years.
The scenic art fair takes place amid the tree-lined, brick walkways winding their way past the gardens and memorial fountain at the park, offering a backdrop that pleases both the patrons and the artists.
"It's just a nice place to show art," says artist Andrew Weiler of Prospect Heights. "It's always been good for me. Over the years, I've done quite well there."
Weiler will be among 96 artists featured in the show, in a variety of media, including watercolor, acrylic and photography, to woodworking, sculpture, ceramics and jewelry.
Children's work also will be featured, in works done by students from the Monart Studio and the Arlington Heights Park District. In fact, Monart student, Teddy Marszalek, 14, of Arlington Heights, sketched the artwork for the show's program.
Adding to the art fair's aesthetics will be the jazz and classical guitar music played by Steven Suvada in the park's amphitheater. Food also will be for sale, including picnic fare such as hot dogs and ice cream.
If you go
Port Clinton Art Festival
When: Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Port Clinton Square, 600 Central Ave. in Highland Park.
Cost: Free
More info: Call (847) 433-5306 or visit www.PortClintonSquare.com.
37th annual "Walk in the Park" art and craft fair
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: North School Park, 401 N. Arlington Heights Road in Arlington Heights
Cost: Free
More info: Call (847) 259-2358