Weekend events feature Promenade Home Tour, Art in the Park art fair

Tecumseh has two big events the first weekend in June to celebrate the start of summer. The Fourth Annual Art in the Park, a showcase of local artists and their work, will run concurrently with the 40th Annual Promenade Home Tour, a historic tour that highlights elaborate and unique residences in Tecumseh.

Community Arts of Tecumseh will host Art in the Park on June 4 and 5 at Smith Park on North Evans Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Art in the Park is a collection of local artists showcasing their work to the community, most of which will be offered for purchase. Entries are juried, and there is one artist per booth space to provide the best selection of art for Tecumseh residents.

Featured art at the event includes painting, ceramics, photography, jewelry, metal work, printmaking, fiber arts, woodworking and more. Demonstrations and presentations are also part of the two-day event. Children’s activities are each day starting at 1 p.m.

Art in the Park is sponsored by Community Arts of Tecumseh (CAT). Artist fees for booths serve as a fundraiser for CAT. Admission to the public is free.

Diane Savoia, director of CAT, said there’s a lot of local artistic talent participating in the Art in the Park, but some artists have come as far away as Chicago and Muskegon to showcase their talents. “Being an art center, we’re passionate about the arts and the benefits of art in the community,” Savoia said. “The mission of CAT is to stimulate the creative spirit of the community, and we have an opportunity to do just that.”

Savoia noted that art has many benefits, for both individuals and for the community. “I hope that the guests will see how art can enrich their lives. Art can also be very therapeutic,” Savoia said. “So many people out there have artistic abilities that they’ve never tapped into before.”

The CAT gallery on 804 North Evans Street will be open during Art in the Park for the public to view the artwork of students from Tecumseh Public Schools. The gallery will contain work from students in grades from kindergarten through twelfth.

Savoia said CAT is grateful for the continued support of the organization in the community, as well as the support of the Michigan Council of Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Arts Alliance. “The caliber of art is truly remarkable,” Savoia said. “It’s very inspiring to see that we’re able to offer a quality event like this in our community.”

For additional information on Art in the Park, call CAT at 423.0000.

The Promenade Home Tour takes place on June 4 and 5 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. This year’s featured homes include 9159 Clinton-Macon Rd., 302 W. Pottawatamie St., 502 W. Chicago Blvd., 9561 Carson Hwy., and 309 W. Pottawa-tamie St. This year’s Promen-ade theme is “Through the Doors of Tecumseh… Enter Our Past.” Developer Dan Meikle is also showcasing the former Fraternal Order of Eagles building on 125 S. Evans St. and displaying the renovations to the building to the public this year. The Tecumseh Historical Museum will be open all weekend presenting lost arts demonstrations. Antique bicyclist “The Wheelman” will be present during the home tour, and a pancake breakfast will be offered by the Tecumseh Fired Department on the morning of June 4 from 8 to 10 a.m. Tickets are $12 per person in advance at the Tecumseh Chamber of Commerce, Schmidt & Sons Pharmacy, The Daily Grind, The British Tea Pantry, What a Find! and Carnegie Studios. Tickets are $15 per person during the day of the tour.

For more information on the home tour call 424.6003.