Arts come rolling into Historic Smithville Park
The Burlington County Arts in the Park Festival is going to be heavier on the visual arts this year, and will focus on some interesting cars — and not the people-haulers in the parking lot.
Lynn Lemyre is at the helm of the Sept. 27 event, held at Historic Smithville Park in Eastampton. It’s her first year running the show, and as an artist, Lemyre said she’s interested in bringing more visual arts into the fray.
That means keeping the music and arts aspects more balanced. Finding artists interesting enough to capture the attention of festival-goers involved traveling the country, and taking in all sorts of outdoor festivals.
“I’m an artist myself, and I do a lot of outdoor arts festivals all over the country. And what I’m trying to do with this festival is bring in the best aspects of all the festivals that I’ve ever attended,” Lemyre said.
What caught her eye was a small exhibit in an arts festival in Baltimore a few years ago: art cars — a rolling medium powered by an internal-combustion engine.
“I just thought they were the coolest things I had ever seen. And when I was given the job of coordinating the Arts in the Park event this year, the first thing that came to my mind was, ‘I’ve got to get the art cars,’” Lemyre said. “[The art cars] will be our biggest draw. They’ve never been in this area before,” adding that the medium is popular in California and Texas.
Lemyre hired Harrod Blank, someone who’s well known in art car circles, she said. Blank will bring a group of cars, including his Camera Van, a Dodge van that’s almost more camera than van. Blank, who has written books about art cars, will also showcase his new film about art cars called “Automorphosis.”
“I’m hoping that if it becomes popular here, and everybody really loves them, I’ll be able to bring more cars in the future,” Lemyre said.
The art festival will also include dancing, theater, and musical acts, and a puppet theater group that will hold a puppet-making workshop with the children. And the children will be able to showcase their puppets in the puppet parade held throughout the park.
In its 33rd year, Lemyre said Arts in the Park is already the largest free arts festival in the state — but she wants it to be even grander.
“I really want to grow this event to be the biggest event in New Jersey if I can — or definitely the biggest in Burlington County,” Lemyre said.
Funded by the Burlington County Freeholders, virtually everything at the festival is free, save for some craft activities that will raise money for nonprofits. Parking is free as well.
The Arts in the Park Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine, at Historic Smithville Park on Smithville Road, Eastampton. For more information, visit www.burlcoarts.com/ArtsinthePark.
Lynn Lemyre is at the helm of the Sept. 27 event, held at Historic Smithville Park in Eastampton. It’s her first year running the show, and as an artist, Lemyre said she’s interested in bringing more visual arts into the fray.
That means keeping the music and arts aspects more balanced. Finding artists interesting enough to capture the attention of festival-goers involved traveling the country, and taking in all sorts of outdoor festivals.
“I’m an artist myself, and I do a lot of outdoor arts festivals all over the country. And what I’m trying to do with this festival is bring in the best aspects of all the festivals that I’ve ever attended,” Lemyre said.
What caught her eye was a small exhibit in an arts festival in Baltimore a few years ago: art cars — a rolling medium powered by an internal-combustion engine.
“I just thought they were the coolest things I had ever seen. And when I was given the job of coordinating the Arts in the Park event this year, the first thing that came to my mind was, ‘I’ve got to get the art cars,’” Lemyre said. “[The art cars] will be our biggest draw. They’ve never been in this area before,” adding that the medium is popular in California and Texas.
Lemyre hired Harrod Blank, someone who’s well known in art car circles, she said. Blank will bring a group of cars, including his Camera Van, a Dodge van that’s almost more camera than van. Blank, who has written books about art cars, will also showcase his new film about art cars called “Automorphosis.”
“I’m hoping that if it becomes popular here, and everybody really loves them, I’ll be able to bring more cars in the future,” Lemyre said.
The art festival will also include dancing, theater, and musical acts, and a puppet theater group that will hold a puppet-making workshop with the children. And the children will be able to showcase their puppets in the puppet parade held throughout the park.
In its 33rd year, Lemyre said Arts in the Park is already the largest free arts festival in the state — but she wants it to be even grander.
“I really want to grow this event to be the biggest event in New Jersey if I can — or definitely the biggest in Burlington County,” Lemyre said.
Funded by the Burlington County Freeholders, virtually everything at the festival is free, save for some craft activities that will raise money for nonprofits. Parking is free as well.
The Arts in the Park Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine, at Historic Smithville Park on Smithville Road, Eastampton. For more information, visit www.burlcoarts.com/ArtsinthePark.
