Tremont Art and Culture Festival is this weekend

We are delighted to say this is the 19th year we have been associated with this festival.  It is a delight to now participate as an artist, and for this one weekend come together in the artist village with a sense of inspiration and joy.

Tremont is a neighborhood that has thread itself through my life since birth.  My parents attended St Theodosius Cathedral, the big onion domed Russian church on Starkweather, at the Tremont Ridge.  For all of my formative years we spent every Sunday, and often other days of the week in Tremont.  As a child i knew all of the great places to visit – the candy shop, and the community art sculptures in the playgrounds.

As an adult I can say our ties to the neighborhood renewed when my husband, Steve, worked for Tremont West Development Corp, the neighborhood organization to help with fostering growth, and renewal of a neighborhood that declined so sharply in the late 70s and 80s.  Steve had a hand in so much of the development, and the growth of the neighborhood.  It was a joy to be part of the first TACF as staff, making sure that everyone got their spots, and helped with setup, and all of the behind the scenes mechanics of running a festival.  It was a perfect success….

In 2010 I was invited to participate as an emerging artist.  I remember the joy of that being the first time i showed my work to the world.  And Tremonters embraced my work with such warmth and encouragement.  It was the first time i was on the other side of the festival as a participant, and i liked it.

Since then we have submitted our work to the jury each year along with our application, and we have been a part of the community of artists accepted to pitch our tent and sell our work.  This is the one festival that reminds us of our roots, and our early starts.

It is also a reminder that we can overcome changes that might be devistating – remembering that Steve worked for Tremont West, and no longer does.  The joy is in seeing all of the faces we know, and of reconnecting, and embracing their lives.  So many people we love and admire attend the festival.

And we hope you will join us too.

Saturday, Sept 16  from 11a – 7p and Sunday Sept 17   from Noon to 5pm

The location – Lincoln Park, at the corner of Starkweather and W14th Street.

See you there!