HdG Art Show Grows To Include Two Parks In 2021

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — The Havre de Grace Art Show is this weekend, and it will span two city parks to allow for social distancing, organizers say.

Food trucks, live music and a children's area are part of the offerings at the 58th annual affair.

Admission is free, and people can bring lawn chairs or blankets to enjoy outdoor entertainment.

"It’s going to be a lot different than it normally is," said Cindy Height, who is coordinating the event and has worked on it for the past 36 years.

Traditionally held over the summer, the Havre de Grace Art Show was moved to October this year.

"That was part of the COVID plan — to move it out as far as we could to realistically have the ability to do it," Height said.

When organizers began planning, she said they were not sure what would be allowed because of the coronavirus. They expanded the venue from Tydings Park to include Concord Park to allow for more room.

Masks are optional. "I recommend masks," Height said, "but that's personal preference for people. I just want everybody to take their own precautions."

Parking will be available on the street and in the Havre de Grace City Yacht Basin. For those going between the parks, Height suggested traveling by foot.

A Kids Korner area will be located in Tydings Park near the playground. Live entertainment will be on tap at both parks, with a drum circle, jazz band and theatre troupe at Tydings Park and a jump rope team and Irish dancers among the highlights at Concord Point Park.

"We would like people to leave Tydings Park and walk on the Promenade to get to Concord," Height told Patch, instead of walking on the street. "It's just safer, and it's a really nice relaxing walk along the waterside."

ArtUnion partnered with Friends of Concord Point Lighthouse to organize the event, adding more types of cultural arts, including culinary arts, such as food trucks.

"Our focus is to promote all cultural arts — that’s the mission of ArtUnion," Height said.

In 2020, the art show went virtual in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Sean Simmons, a photographer who created a poster for the event, will be available to sign posters at Concord Point.

"He didn't get his fanfare because we didn't have an outdoor show," Height said.

During the 2021 Havre de Grace Art Show, more than 90 vendors will be selling their artworks across a variety of mediums, ranging from soap to metalwork to ceramics. Handmade crafts and original paintings will be for sale, along with photography and glass art.

"This event is a great weekend destination or daytrip and the perfect place to start your holiday shopping!” Height and Betsy Keithley, show organizers from ArtUnion, said in a statement.

All vendor tents will be spaced out and not backing up against each other, Height said.

The juried art show will continue as has been tradition for the two-day event, with the winners announced Sunday.

Organizers say the show will be dedicated to two art show volunteers who passed away this year: Patricia Keen and Cathy Deibel.

The Havre de Grace Art Show is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23, and Sunday, Oct. 24, at Tydings and Concord Point Parks.