Art in the Park Promises to Bring in a Crowd

It has been a month-long celebration of the arts and artists in Winchester.

For the past few weeks, local residents were able to show off their work in store-fronts all across the downtown area. And on Saturday, August 21, there will be Art in the Park – the finale of the month's events that will take place from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the Town Common.

"I'm always excited about Art in the Park," said Debbie Taylor-Smith, who has helped put on the show for the last 12 years. "It's a culmination of everything we've worked for all month."

With at least 10 artists displaying their work, another 10 showing children and residents how to make a variety of artwork and the pied potter, performing a show-and-tell about the history and variety of pottery, Saturday promises to be a busy day.

"This event brings everybody out," Taylor-Smith said. "It's a very mellow, family-oriented event. It's one of the few times where you get that many people and children out in one place, and no one's crying or screaming, it's just a happy, very friendly event."

Children will have an opportunity to do any number of activities throughout the course of the day, from painting cd's to collages and cut paper work. There will also be a graffiti board, painting, clay demonstrations; pretty much any artistic median there is will be on display.

"It's very exciting," said Bob Hesse who is in charge of coordinating the artists for Saturday's event. "Families can come here and work on art together. There's something for everybody to do."

A number of artists that will be on the Common tomorrow afternoon have had their work displayed in store windows for the past month. And each Thursday, for the past three weeks, Winchester residents were able to meet the artists in receptions all across town.

The month-long event and culmination on Saturday has continued to increase in size every year for the past 12 years, and this summer has been no different.

"It's grown substantially," said Taylor-Smith. "Every year it grows more and people look forward to it. They can't wait for August to come. It gets people out and about in downtown Winchester and secondly it gives art a presence in Winchester.