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Due to the downtown road construction the 2021 Grand Marais Art Festival was moved from downtown to the high school parking lot, and it was anyone’s guess as to how many people would show up and take in the wide array of arts and crafts that were for sale and on display.
Not to worry. The crowds came and the two-day festival was a success by most accounts.
In all, 60 sculptors, jewelers, photographers, ceramics artists, leather workers, painters, printmakers, glass workers, wood workers and on, showed their crafts, selling to eager buyers who enjoyed taking in the two-day weekend event. “The Grand Marais Arts Festival is a microcosm of the arts scene in the Midwest region and a much beloved event in the Cook County community,” said Grand Marais Art Colony Artistic Director Ruth Pszwaro. “We were thrilled to be able to host a safe and successful event this year, celebrating the 30th year of the festival, and grateful to again support artists in this way.
“Dealing with both the pandemic as well as the major construction projects in downtown Grand Marais we made the decision early on to host the event at the public school. The school was fantastic to work with and it proved to be a tremendous Plan B for us this year, allowing for additional space between booths, space for guests to move about, and parking options.
“We hosted 60 brilliant Midwest artists, kept things simple this year and focused on hosting artists well. It was heartwarming to see so many people reconnecting, exploring, enjoying being outdoors together, and supporting artists.”
“We want to thank our funders, including Visit Cook County and the Cook County Budget Request, as well as the many business partners who supported the festival. We also want to thank the many volunteers who make this event possible as well as the City of Grand Marais for working with us on several logistical issues, including implementing safe crosswalks,” concluded Pszwaro.
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