A Brief History of T&AAC’s ‘Art in The Park’
Written by Bonnie Marentette and Vicki McCulloch; Photos by Gerry and Sylvia Heaysman, Vicki McCulloch Download a pdf version of this blog post!
In the early 1980s, the Kiwanis Club of Tweed decided to hold a fundraiser. A committee visited Artists and Art shows and decided a Fine Art Festival was to be. Dick Simon, a Tweed Kiwanian, worked at Corby Distillery in Corbyville, north of Belleville, Ontario. He received permission to hold this show at Corby’s in the gardens. Poul Thrane, a local artist, was part of the committee. The first show was held September 11th and 12th, 1982 from 10 am to 5 pm. A large number of paintings were sold and the event was highly successful. The show continued at Corby Distillery until it was sold in 1989. After each show there was a reception in Corby’s, followed by a steak barbecue prepared by the Kiwanis Club of Tweed.
By 1991, the show had been moved to Memorial Park in Tweed, where it has continued ever since. Over the years, it was harder to draw a crowd for Fine Arts, so it was opened up as an Arts and Craft show. All items must be made by the vendor. From a year of only 12 vendors, this show has grown to 45+artists and artisans. It also changed from a 2-day event to just Saturday.
The Tweed & Area Arts Council formed in 2006 and partnered with the Kiwanis Club of Tweed to promote Art in the Park. The Kiwanis Club turned the event over to the Arts Council in 2014. It was decided that to draw a bigger crowd, tickets would be sold for a lunch in the Pavilion.
Several local visual artists have had an enormous influence on Art in the Park over the years – Audrey Ross, Poul Thrane, Lieutenant-General Jack Vance, Suzanne Cavers, Bob Pennycook, and Larry Fowler, to name a few. Bonnie Marentette has led the organization of the event for a number of years, with the help of a volunteer committee whose members include Maril Swan, Tracey Edwards, Jen Genereaux and Kathryn Primrose. Art in the Park continues this year on Saturday August 2, 2025 – learn more here at Art in the Park 2025. Look for a park full of tents and lots of people from near and far enjoying all the treasures to be bought, live music, a children’s art area, visiting friends old and new, and a lovely lunch!
