The Labor Park Art fair is something that everyone in the community really looks forward to.

And Hedy Lane is here to tell us all about it.

And Hedy that is such.

I love your name, Hedy Lane.

That's a really cool name.

Whatever your parents were, they did you right.

Yeah.

They did.

Thank you.

Well, this is exciting.

And this is actually the 57th year of the art fair at Leeper Park.

Yes, it is 57th year.

My fifth year.

Oh, wow.

Well, and how did it get started 57 years ago?

well, we are Saint Joe Valley Watercolor Society have been the sponsors ever since it started.

I was just, you know, like all groups started as a group of friends and they wanted to bring their art to the community and kind of just hang out.

I think on a really nice weekend, every year in June.

Okay.

And this weekend it's going to be June 15th and 16th, correct?

Yes.

And that's a Saturday and Sunday.

And and is this weather pending or whatever the weather is that this fair is going on.

Rain or shine.

I think I'd like to think I brought good weather.

The past few years have been really lovely.

A little, maybe a little hot at times.

but rain or shine will be out there.

And, I'm a little superstitious.

I never check the weather until the day before, because I don't.

I don't want to know because we're gonna have to be out there regardless.

That's right.

That's it.

That's a great idea.

And actually, you know, people have a really, I think, a special love for Labor Park and their hearts.

How how exciting and special is it to have an art fair?

There it is.

Well, I think the park, especially after the renovations, it's just calls for, you know, having large gatherings and it's just really, really nice.

And we do have a great response from our local community.

Every year, lots of people, I get emails all year long, and it's even in the middle of, you know, dead winter.

I have people emailing me, what was that person at Booth so and so I really want to buy something from them later.

And so they, you know, they know that I'm going to respond to them.

And, they know that our artists are really, you know, time honored people.

They come back every year.

And so our, our patrons that attend.

Now, you mentioned this is your fifth year.

Yes.

You got you involved.

I they needed somebody.

They needed someone who, didn't mind answering the phone and answering emails.

And, I kind of fell into it.

And they for the most part, the committees, they've been doing this for so many years that they operate really smoothly and they don't need my input very often.

Sometimes I come in for a tie breaker.

or I bring new ideas and I'm just slowly we we shifted the ship things around and modernized a little bit here and there.

But, you know, I'm just I'm kind of the person who gets to do all the interviews.

Well, there you go.

Well, I'm sure there's a lot that goes into it because, they're going to be about 80 artists and not just local artists, but artists from all around the United States.

That's true.

We have obviously, regional artists come all the time, but we have people as far as Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and even Oregon this year.

and yes, we have 80 artists.

many are returning that you'll know and see and love.

and we do have quite a few new, artists this year.

I think we are over a dozen are going to be first time Labor Park artists.

So we're really excited about that.

We have a little bit of fresh blood too.

That's nice.

Can you tell us a little bit about some of the older, not older, but the older artists or the artists that have been there before, and also some of the new ones that are coming?

Sure.

So we have lots of, Saint Joe Valley watercolor members who I don't know if people are aware, but are not all watercolorist.

There are anybody can join, that art group.

And so we have lots of our, our own members that have booths at the fair.

lots of categories this year, actually.

We do have, a new one to add to our, you know, existing friends, a digital art that we didn't have any artists for last year.

But we have, several this year.

but yes, lots of our, favorite people are going to be there.

I know that we had, Joan Tweedle retired a couple of years ago and so she's not going to be there, but I hope that she comes and hangs out with us for a little bit this year.

But yeah.

Oh, that's great.

And what about some of the new ones that are going to be attending or participate in this year?

Well, I don't want to give too much away, so you're gonna have to come and see them.

But yeah, 15 new artists, we, our jurors had a very difficult time this year going through all of the applications, and, lots of hearts were broken, but lots of excitement within our group, which stemmed from a lot of the, new interest that we got from artists all over the country.

That's wonderful.

And then you're also going to have food trucks because you can have an art fair without food.

That is very true.

We are going to have, our beloved Rico Suave, A, C and C concessions.

We have a couple new ones.

Jake's food truck, with Downeast ice cream and a flavored popcorn, stand from, Dennis Castro as well.

Yeah.

Very good, very good.

And then you'll have a DJ.

Yes.

Yes, we we always have, our background music to all the artists.

He's the he'll be there and on Sunday we'll be announcing the, show winners and all of the honorable mentions as well.

Oh, that's.

Well, now what what is the setup take for all of this?

Well, we have been going behind the scenes, probably around, oh, October.

November.

we.

Yeah.

So it's a long time we, we get our applications ready to go out, and our invitations and our system opens in December, and we get applications all the way through March.

after the jury takes a couple weeks to go through all of the applications, then we send out invitations, and that happens in April.

And, we start confirming our artists for the year in April.

And then, once they accept the invitation or decline, then we can plan space planning in the park.

And so that'll be happening.

probably later next week.

You might see 1 or 2 of us out on the park with our, you know, spray paint and sunglasses on, walking around and numbering the booths.

I'm sure that this, must also take a lot of volunteers.

It does, it does.

We get most of our volunteers we need for the actual days of the fair.

and they come from the Watercolor Society, the Nia and the nips, which is the Northern Indiana Pastel Society.

Lots of our local artists, they come out and they do the booth sitting for us and, they help out when, when our artists need something.

And that's why we get lots of great feedback from the artists who come to our fair, because we're kind of still have that homegrown feel, and we really take care of the people who are coming long distance to show their art.

so we have lots of volunteers who come those two days.

I can always use more Can always use More.

Does everybody hear that?

Okay, never.

Yeah, I could always use more.

but we do.

The ones that do come.

We have a great time.

Lots of hanging out, too.

And, our member booth, the watercolor has, watercolor society has a members booth that if you don't want your whole booth, you can just put a few pieces in there.

And so we also have volunteers who manned that as well.

And, I know that they love having people come up and talk to them and reminisce of years past, throughout the weekend as well.

How do we know?

It takes a lot of volunteers, but it also must take a lot of sponsors.

Anyone you want to give a shout out to?

Of course.

some of our main sponsors are, of course, Saint Joe Valley Watercolor Society.

They really do a lot of, helps with the volunteerism and the sponsorship.

We also want to give a special thank you to panoply.

They are a print and online, artist magazine as well as the venue, parks and Art.

So they are a joy to work with.

And we really appreciate them every year in the support that they give us through the county and, Martin Supermarkets, they provide such a lovely spread for our artists when they come into receipt, when we receive them on Friday and, and Saturday morning.

So thank you to everybody who helps out.

Oh that is wonderful.

Now again, this is taking place on June 15th and 16th.

That's Saturday and Sunday.

And what are the hours on Saturday?

Hedy 10 to 6 10 to 6 Saturday.

I'm I'm there all day.

So it's kind of I forget that but yeah.

Oh that's right.

You're there all day.

So how how can you remember.

Right.

So it's Saturday 10 to 6 and then Sunday it's 10 to 5 and rain or shine everybody's going to be out there and having a great time.

and what about parking?

Because I know sometimes there's, you know, parking can be a little tricky in that area.

Yeah.

So there we keep the street parking, right at the entrance of the park for handicapped parking.

your best bet and the most efficient means of travel to the art fair is to park at the Century Center and take the shuttle in, because it drops you right off at the front of the park.

And then you'll see you probably see me at the, information tent.

but that's the best way to come in and go out.

And that way you don't have to worry about parking.

And you know that your car is, you know, safe and sound somewhere, with plenty of space.

Right?

Right.

Well, Hedy, thank you so much for being with us.

It's a beautiful day behind you.

So let's all hope and pray that it's going to be a beautiful day as well on, the 15th and the 16th.

Thanks so much for being with us today.

And thank you so much for bringing this event to the community.

I thank you all for coming.