Port Clinton Art Festival Expects 250,000 this weekend

Art attracts, but that's not all you'll find at renowned festival
Daily Herald Staff Report

People pack downtown Highland Park at a previous Port Clinton Art Festival.

Daily Herald file photo

Full Story at: http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=316392

Visitors stroll by a fiberglass sculpture made by artist Marina Lee during a previous Port Clinton Art Festival in downtown Highland Park Saturday. The event returns this weekend with more than 260 juried artists from around the country.

Daily Herald file photo
Published: 8/28/2009 12:01 AM

The annual Port Clinton Art Festival takes center stage this weekend at the Taste of Highland Park, featuring the work of more than 260 juried artists from around the country.

"Families are looking for opportunities to share happy experiences together during these tough economic times," says Amy Amdur, founder of Amdur Productions, which launched the show that has become an end-of-summer tradition.

"Art has the power to speak to you," she said. "It can elevate your mood and perspective. We want each of our guests to take that feeling home with them, whether it's with a new piece of art or the memory of a perfect summer's day."

Free and open to the public, the Port Clinton Art Festival is ranked the number three show in the country. Young artists, ages 18 and under, shine in the Youth Division of Show, which offers youths an opportunity to experience participating in a real art festival. More than 250,000 loyal art lovers travel from places near and far to visit this acclaimed show annually.

The Port Clinton Art Festival has been a cultural tradition on the North Shore for 26 years. Veteran artists return to the show year after year as new artists emerge. One aspect that remains constant year after year is the quality of art showcased at the Port Clinton Art Festival.

Live music from several local bands continues throughout the weekend...In addition to the incredible artwork available at the festival, there are fun activities for showgoers of all ages. Activities just for kids include an art Bingo game where children serve as art explorers and an art tent where kids can create their own masterpieces. Many of the activities for children are free, but some are available for purchase. Proceeds benefit the Celiac Foundation and Children's Memorial Hospital.

This year the Taste of Highland Park takes place in conjunction with the festival. Guests are invited to sip, nibble and nosh from several of Highland Park's most celebrated restaurants including Norton's, Stash's, Sushi Kushi, Tamales, Café Central, Sunset Foods, City Park Grill, Lincolnshire Gourmet, Jade, New York Slices, Fudruckers, Abigail's, Lou Malnati's, Blue Grass and Glunz Wine. The Taste of Highland Park opens at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, and continues throughout the weekend. Chicago area bands, including American English and R-Gang, will be in concert at the festival, with a feature performance by The Buckinghams on Saturday night. For more information, visit downtownhp.com.

All of Amdur's festivals have been rated in Sunshine Artist Magazine's top 100, with half in the top 50; and the Art at the Glen Town Center and Port Clinton Art Festival are in the top 10.

The Taste of Highland Park is brought to you by the Highland Park CBD Alliance, a partnership of the downtown Property Owners Association, the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce and the City of Highland Park. The Alliance was founded in 2008 to enhance the economic vitality of the central business district of Highland Park.

Remembering Frank Tesinsky, Beloved Chicago Musician, Key to The Buckinghams' Characteristic Sound

Each time the opening notes to “Kind of a Drag” come on the air, whether it’s your car radio, your phone, or choice of streaming media, the first 23 notes you hear inform you immediately that not only are you hearing “Kind of a Drag,” but you are hearing The Buckinghams. That instant recognition, in turn, is thanks to the talent of musician Frank Tesinsky, who arranged the iconic tune for producers Dan Belloc and Carl Bonafede in a 1966 recording session in Chicago’s Chess Studios. The Buckinghams family was greatly saddened to learn of Frank’s passing on November 9. Catherine Johns, his wife of 32 years, was a beloved part of his life and part of Chicago radio as well. In February 1967 "Kind of a Drag" was #1 on the Billboard charts for two weeks, and it forever defined the sound of five young men from the northside of Chicago. Just 27 notes, right? And yet, it defined the magic of what would become known as “the horn sound” that The Buckinghams are b

What Celebrating 50 Years Since Reaching #1 on Billboard Means in the World of The Buckinghams

Everyone who is a fan of the band The Buckinghams can easily name all the songs that were Top 10 hits, Top 20 hits, and Billboard Top 100 chartmakers. You have several songs that have personal, special meaning for you. But the song that took the native Chicagoans out of the basements of the band members' homes was the one USA Records released last, almost as an afterthought. "Kind of a Drag" has the distinction of being the song that took this band to the national level. Many wonderful bands are part of Chicago history, and they are as beloved today as they were in their time. But this one song, "Kind of a Drag" took flight and went to #1 on Billboard 50 years ago today, February 18, 1967. Imagine what it was like for five young men to hold a copy of "Billboard" in their hands. For a few years, Carl and Jon-Jon had gone to the newsstand each week, buying a single copy of "Billboard" and reading it cover to cover. These days you hear about

In Memory of John Poulos, March 31, 1947 - March 26, 1980

Five days before his 33rd birthday, we lost John Poulos, a dear friend who was like a brother to us, as well as The Buckinghams’ drummer. Often described as the heartbeat of our band, he was known to most Buckinghams’ fans of the 60s simply as Jon-Jon. To know John was to love him. With his outgoing personality, he never met a stranger. His talent is remembered best in the style he displayed on drum fills and riffs on our hits, including “Don’t You Care,” “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song,” and “Kind of a Drag.” It’s not surprising that Jon-Jon was included as one of the Top 10 drummers in Modern Drummer Magazine. Contemporary MySpace profiles of aspiring amateur and professional musicians today include the name John Poulos among their musical influences. That’s an honor both fitting and accurate for a musician who was truly one of a kind. Nick and I recall that one of John’s own musical influences was Bobby Elliot, drummer for The Hollies, whose signature beret and tossing of his he

The Buckinghams in Concert

Search This Blog