All kinds of art abound on Put-in-Bay
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WHAT: Art in the Park, part of Historical Weekend
WHERE: DeRivera Park on Put-in-Bay
WHEN: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 6
INFO: put-in-bay.com
Summertime may be winding down, but there is plenty to see and do at Put-in-Bay’s popular Art in the Park event, which takes place Sept. 6 at DeRivera Park.
“Art in the Park started in about 1991, and it was a cooperative effort between the Chamber of Commerce, the Perry Group and the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society,” said Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Maggie Beckford. “All three got together to celebrate Historical Weekend. And the main goals are to celebrate through art, history and music.”
Art in the Park features regional artists, photographers, potters, painters, silversmiths and more.
“It’s for anyone who has an appreciation for any kind of art,” Beckford said. “Plus, we have a lot jewelry smiths and silversmiths that come. And it has to be original art. At one point in time there were people bringing other people’s things to sell, so now part of the requirement for this is you have to send us a sample of your work.
“We want original art and within that there’s sculpture, fabric art – where people bring clothing or purses they made – watercolors, potters and sculptors. While the artists are not necessarily from Put-in-Bay, most of them are from the region or have a connection to the island.”
As Beckford pointed out, Art in the Park is just one part of Historical Weekend, which also includes an antique-classic car parade, a historical baseball game, musket and cannon firing demonstrations and a performance by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra at Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial.
“As part of Historical Weekend, we’re celebrating the anniversary of the battle of Lake Erie that Oliver Hazard Perry took part in,” Beckford said. “It took place during the War of 1812 but the date of the battle is Sept. 10, 1813. So we’re five years away from the bicentennial, and we’re making plans for that now because that’ll be a national celebration.”
She added, “Also this year we have an 1812 military encampment at Perry’s Victory Memorial (Sept. 6 and 7). So they’re giving interpretive talks and have a demonstration for musket firing and small cannon firing on both days.”
Considering 1,200 boy scouts will be on the island to experience and celebrate Historical Weekend, a large attendance is also expected at the Art in the Park event.
“It’s a great family weekend, and it is probably one of the nicest fall weekends we have here,” Beckford said. “All of the fall is nice, but this just gives people a historical perspective on what Put-in-Bay is about.”