The Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery (MJMAG) is preparing for Park Art, its oldest and largest fundraiser and one of Saskatchewan’s premier arts and crafts fairs, held in Crescent Park on Canada Day.
The area of Crescent Park in front of the MJMAG will be transformed into an outdoor gallery from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 1 to display and sell goods by artists and artisans from across the province and often even further.
Jennifer McRorie, the MJMAG’s director and curator, said they are hoping to see the number of vendors at the show return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023.
“We were up to about 80 vendors back then, so we’re hoping that we might get close to that again,” McRorie noted. “I enjoy the energy of the event and seeing people come out to celebrate Canada Day with local vendors and province-wide vendors as well … We are optimistic that there will be sunshine and good temperatures and we hope people come out to participate and support us.”
The vendor call is currently open — the cut-off date for registration is June 2. Vendors can register at mjmag.ca/parkart-registration. All works must be original and created by the applicant to be considered for inclusion.
Park Art is the MJMAG’s most important annual fundraiser, so attendees can have the satisfaction of knowing they are supporting the essential cultural service the museum and art gallery offer, as well as the artists and artisans who have put so much work into mastering their craft.
Because the event is on a Saturday, the same day as the weekly Langdon Crescent Homegrown Farmer’s Market, McRorie said the MJMAG and farmer’s market organizers have decided to team up.
“We’re going to be supporting each other, so instead of them being out on Langdon Crescent that day, they’re looking at coming into the park with us, so that will be nice,” she explained. The Homegrown Farmer’s Market will keep its usual schedule from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Park Art features everything from paintings to sculptures, pottery, woodworking, photography, knives and other metalware, baked goods and sweets, and toys — all handcrafted. Attendees can expect to see a diverse range of styles and categories, from rustic to modern, abstract to realist, and maybe even some things that are completely new.
Children’s activities at Park Art will be held inside in the MJMAG education room, including hands-on crafts, games, and other engaging family projects. Outside, there are usually vendors doing face painting and marketing toy crafts. Some artists even offer interactive workshops where kids can learn to make their own masterpieces. As in 2022, families will be able to participate in a scavenger hunt all through the fair and enter a completed scavenger hunt form into a prize draw.
Admission to Park Art is $5, and all are welcome to attend. There will be buskers providing live music, a BBQ concession by a local service club, and possibly even some food trucks parked nearby.
The event could not happen without the help of a small army of volunteers. Volunteer shifts are available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the day, with each shift lasting two hours. Volunteers also get free admission to Park Art.
Volunteer roles include setup and take-down, admissions, the Penny Parade, the Peggy Table, and volunteer/vendor support. If you’re interested in being part of things, register at mjmag.ca/parkart-volunteers.
