Brussels had a weekend of cultural enrichment with Art in the Park
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The South County Public Library organized an Art in the Park event which took place in Brussels over the weekend. Pictured are library board members, from left to right, Joan Kiel, Debbie Tepen, Debra Pohlman, Janet Schleper, Rachel Hartman, Paula Herter, Linda Eberlin, and Nancy Moennig (librarian). (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Calhoun Royalty poses at the Art in the Park vendor fair at Brussels Heritage Park on Saturday. Pictured from left to right, back row: Junior Miss Reagan Clendenny, Miss Calhoun Lexi Klocke, Jr. Front row: Little Mr. Braxton King and Little Miss Harlow Hayn. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Children had a blast with the large bubble machine at Art in the Park in Brussels on Saturday. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
The pavilion at Brussels Heritage park welcomed visitors to the Art in the Park event with a brightly colored banner. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Ellie Nolte, Calhoun Entertainment Company’s Ariel in their production of The Little Mermaid, serenades Art in the Park attendees with the song, “Part of Your World.” (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Little Miss Calhoun County Harlow Hayn takes a break from her royal duties to play in the bubbles with her peers at Art in the Park in Brussels last Saturday. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Claire Rose (left) and her mom, Jill Rose (right), and little sister, Lila Rose (held by Jill) all got to meet The Little Mermaid’s Ariel (Ellie Nolte) at Art in the Park. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Madison Lumpkin (left), Connor Lumpkin (center), and Stevie Kiel (right), all of Calhoun, color pictures at Lori Franke Hopkins booth at the Art in the Park event in Brussels. Hopkins said she wanted to do something special for the kids at the event. “I went online and found some coloring pages and put together a scavenger hunt,” said Hopkins. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Lincoln Kulp of Brussels gets his face painted like a dalmatian by Callie Hall of the Calhoun Appleseeds 4-H. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Phil Gress discovered a hidden talent several months ago when he began “experimenting” with oil paints. He set up some of his colorful landscape paintings at the Art in the Park event in Brussels on Saturday. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Barb Hanneken of Brussels works on her art at the Art in Park event last weekend. Hanneken uses a technique called diamond art (or diamond painting). She’s been creating art this way for the past two years and says she loves it so much. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Deseray Hardwick traveled to Brussels from Grafton to attend the Art in the Park event and showcase some of her woodcarvings. Her business is called Designs by Deseray and she also hosts paint parties. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Ellie Nolte (left), dressed as Ariel from The Little Mermaid, made this little girl’s dream come true with a meet-and-greet on Saturday at Brussels Art in the Park. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Vickey Delaney of River Bend Yoga leads a relaxing yoga session in the Zen Zone at Art in the Park. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Taylor Sievers of The Sievers Blumen Farm sold freshly cut flower arrangements and pressed flower jewelry at Art in the Park. All of the flowers in the arrangements and jewelry were grown by The Sievers Blumen Farm. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
Local artist, John Webster, works on his art during the Art in the Park event in Brussels. Webster creates his artworks using pen and ink. (Carissa Sitki/Calhoun News-Herald)
By Carissa Sitki
Brussels was the spot to be, this past weekend, for art lovers and those who simply wanted a day filled with culture, beauty, entertainment, tasty food, and family fun.
Art in the Park took place this past Saturday, June 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Brussels Heritage Park and was sponsored by South County Public Library (SCPL). The event was well-attended with organizers saying they were very pleased with the turnout.
“We really appreciate everyone who came out and supported this event,” said Joan Kiel of the SCPL Board. “It’s hard to tell how many people [attended] because everything is so spread out, but I think it was pretty successful.”
The event included a variety of different areas that were broken down by category. Each section was filled with tents, booths, and tables operated by vendors and area artists, food items, and activities for kids.
The “Author Alley” portion hosted authors, Melissa Morrissey, Ted Morrissey, Larry Underwood, and Lori Franke Hopkins; “Kids, kids, kids!” included activities from Lori Franke Hopkins, Appleseeds 4-H group, Martha and Katie Bick, as well as the playground equipment, sidewalk chalk, and bubbles; “Flower Boulevard” hosted Wild Designs by Delaney (Nora Delaney) and The Sievers Blumen Farm by Taylor Sievers; “The Art Gallery” was made up of several local artists from Calhoun and the surrounding counties, including Michelle Dale, Paige Pohlman, Phil Gress, John Webster, and Raelynn Sievers; “Craft Corner” hosted Tepen Hollow Designs by Helen and Liz Sievers, Debbie Eberlin Tepen, Debby Klunk, Brenda Gress, Designs by Deseray (Deseray Hardwick), Barb Hanneken, and Tori Engle; “Zen Zone,” which included Megan Murphy Photography and River Bend Yoga by Vickey Delaney; “The Music Hut,” included singers, Ellie Nolte and Emma Godar, both cast-members from Calhoun Entertainment Company’s production of The Little Mermaid. Additionally, the Town Hall hosted student artwork and St. Joseph Quilts and St. Mary Hall had St. Mary Quilts and St. Matthew Quilts.
The event opened at 1 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Brussels Girl Scouts and Calhoun County Royalty– Miss Calhoun Lexi Klocke, Jr. Miss Reagan Clendenny, Little Miss Harlow Hayn, and Little Mr. Braxton King.
There was a food court under the park’s pavilion, where the following groups sold food and beverages: Brussels High School Class of 2024, Calhoun Nursing and Rehab, Odelehr’s, Lighthouse Nutrition/Old Point Pub, and Sophie Myers/ Kinsley Plummer.
There were many other activities scheduled throughout the afternoon. At 1:30 p.m., Nolte, dressed as Ariel from The Little Mermaid, performed the song, “Part of Your World;” at 2 p.m. there was a flower arranging demonstration put on by Delaney; at 2:30 p.m., Emma Godar, dressed as Ursula from The Little Mermaid, performed the song, “Poor Unfortunate Souls;” and at 2:45 p.m., the coloring book winners were announced.
Numerous other fun things took place throughout the day, including face painting by the 4-H Appleseeds and a scavenger hunt put on by Hopkins, as well as plenty of shopping to be done.
The success of the afternoon has prompted the organizers to look to the future of Art in the Park.
“We’re hoping to make this an annual event,” said Kiel. “I think a lot of people have really enjoyed it.”
There were meet-and-greets with Nolte who was surrounded by bubble machines. Each child got to pick out a shell to take home. Following her encounter with Nolte, one little girl exclaimed, “This is the best day ever, she’s so great, I can’t even believe it!”
Each child was presented with a book and coloring book to take home with them.
The goal of the event, according to Kiel, was to foster togetherness in Calhoun.
“We wanted to promote community involvement as well as our library,” she said. “Thank you so much to all of the vendors and those who participated.”
For more information about the library or how to become a vendor at next year’s Art in the Park, contact the SCPL at 618-883-2522 or visit the South County Public Library Facebook page.
