Fine Art, Food, and Fun at the Art Fair

Swirls of bright colors shimmer on a canvas. A little girl can be seen dancing along to the melody of a flute. Groups of people gather at tables, sampling plates of succulent kebabs and crispy tacos. These were a few of the things seen and heard at the community-oriented 50th Annual Friends of the Sierra Madre Library Art Fair.

The Art Fair was held Saturday, May 6 and Sunday, May 6 at Memorial Park. For the past few months, a committee worked on planning the various activities of the event. The funds collected at the event would go to support the . For the 50th celebration, the program included a silent auction and a reception for the artists. Apart from nearly 100 fine art artists who participated in displaying their work, there was also live music, food, and activities for the family.

“We had a great turnout,” said Fran Garbaccio of the Friends of the Sierra Madre Library. “This event benefits the library and the artists who come here. It benefits the city and brings culture to it.”

The Creative Arts Group, a nonprofit center, organized an area for children arts projects. Over the two-day period, hundreds of people streamed by the booth to participate in the crafts. The project that they led was a fish-inspired wind sock, made of white paper and decorated with colored markers. The group hoped that that the art project they provided at the fair would encourage children who normally weren’t able to attend the center’s classes. The project was a part of the organization’s outreach program, which provides free art projects for the community.

“We wanted to do something that would appeal to large groups. We get the teenagers and the itty bitty ones, we value the work that comes from the child itself,” said Creative Arts Group board member Cathy Manzo.

Many other local organizations were on hand to support the event. The Boy Scouts volunteered their time by assisting with the security of the event. Others, like the Sierra Madre Garden Club, participated by raising awareness on local initiatives. The Sierra Madre Garden Club, in particular, sold a variety of plants to fundraise for local groups. In the past, they have raised money for places such as the and the .

“It’s a great event, it brings the community together,” noted Linda Thunes, a member of the Sierra Madre Garden Club.

With many locals and art enthusiasts making their way to Memorial Park, the event was a smashing success.

“It really brings out the best in people, you wander around and you bump into people you otherwise wouldn’t have interacted with,” commented Roger Egenes, a South Pasadena resident who visited the event on his way to the . “I think it’s a wonderful deal, we would come back every year if we could.”