What’s Blooming on Harrison
In May the Oak Park Arts District, located on Harrison Street between Ridgeland Ave. and Austin Blvd, hosted their 10th annual What’s Blooming on Harrison event. More than 40 artists participated in this year’s event, which highlights emerging artists.
Harrison Street is the home to a wide variety of galleries, specialty boutiques, studios, unique restaurants, and shops. Take a few hours to have a meal with friends and visit the many shops.
What’s up next?
Expressions Graphics 6/4-26 A display of “Noösphere” Print Works by artist Eveline Kolijn.
Ridge Art ~ 6/26 Garden Spirits an installation of Haitian metal sculpture for the 2010 Garden Walk.
And speaking of Oak Park events and activities, between shopping and library trips, Irving School’s Schoolyard Project Fundraiser Sale, bike rides, jogs and t-ball, soccer and haircuts, church and coffee’s, Oak Parkers were out in force! They were joined last month by several thousand visitors enjoying the sights, sounds and rhythms of a weekend in our little town.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Day tours were sold out with over 2,500 visitors lining up to tour Wright Homes.
Over 600 Architectural Aficiandos, volunteers from throughout America, converged up Oak Park to help provide Wright Home tour guide services to visitors from around the globe. Some entrepreneurial youngsters got a jump on saving for college by setting up lemonade stands to help keep our visitors hydrated.
At Wright Days I met a gentleman from Tokyo who thoroughly enjoyed his visit even though he couldn’t get a ticket to tour the Wright Studio or a Wright Home. I got a kick out of seeing all the Wright homes in Oak Park listed in Japanese in his tour book.
To the delight of weekend pedestrians downtown, several of the winners in our mini-mural competition also began painting this years colorful mini mural projects on the Green Line retaining walls adjacent to Oak Park Avenue.
Of course what is a gorgeous Oak Park weekend without a teach-in and peaceful protest. Hundreds gathered at First United Church of Oak Park on Lake Street for the Ninth Annual Walk for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine. There was a panel update on life in Gaza, followed by a one mile walk for peace around downtown Oak Park by hundreds of attendees.
I am happy to report that between all of the special events, marches, and regular weekend activity, fun seemed to be had by all.
