At last year’s Hazel Park Art Fair, sculptors from the Clawson Clay Guild competed in the fair’s first annual “Clazel Park” pottery competition, which included competitions to see who could make the tallest top hat while blindfolded. The Clawson Clay Guild will be back at this year’s event, scheduled for the weekend of August 24-25 at Green Acres Park.
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HAZEL PARK – Nearly 100 artists and artisans will set up booths for the 2024 Hazel Park Art Fair at Green Acres Park, along with other offerings including pottery demonstrations, stilt walkers, aerialists, yoga classes and food trucks.
The fair will be held on Saturday, August 24th from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, August 25th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Green Acres Park is located at 620 W. Woodward Heights Blvd. Admission is free and the event is appropriate for all ages.
The fair has become a beloved summer tradition. Now in its 12th year, it is organized by the Hazel Park Arts Council, a licensed 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and staffed entirely by volunteers.
Proceeds from the stalls are reinvested into the community in the form of art grants, public art installations and future events.
“The fair is a great place to get everyone out of the house, look around our park and have a nice day enjoying different arts and cultures,” said Hazel Park Mayor Mike Webb. “Maybe you’ll buy some unique things for your home or meet other people from our community. That’s what events like this are all about.”
Many unique works of art are on display and for sale. Visitors can look forward to a wide selection of hand-drawn illustrations, paintings, photography, ceramics, glass pieces, woodwork, textiles, prints, jewelry, hand-poured candles, mixed media art and even baked goods.
The Clawson Clay Guild will also be in attendance, showcasing the Japanese craft of Raku pottery with live demonstrations of “fire in the hole” every 90 minutes. This is when artisans open the kiln to release ceramics that are red hot like lava and place them in a firing chamber where they are then engulfed in flames.
The technique dates back to the 16th century and results in unique glazed creations. Small, medium or large vessels for glazing can also be purchased and fired on site by the Guild’s Raku experts while you watch. The service offers a 50% discount, exclusive to the Hazel Park Art Fair and courtesy of the Hazel Park Arts Council. Prices are $15 for a small vessel, $30 for a medium vessel and $45 for a large vessel.
To ensure everyone’s safety, only trained staff and security guards are allowed in the 15′ x 15′ area directly surrounding the Raku kiln. Guests are asked to move downwind of the smoke when they hear the “fire in the hole” announcement and watch from a safe distance.
Elsewhere during the event, Clawson Clay Guild teachers and students will demonstrate their skills on the potter’s wheel in live demonstrations. There will also be a pottery competition with challenges such as blind throw, speed throw, best likeness and a surprise category. At the end, there will be an awards ceremony to recognize artistic achievements.
As event-goers walk the pathways, they can also enjoy food and drinks from food trucks such as We Juice, QueFellas BBQ and The Grilled Wrap, and may also encounter traveling entertainers from D3 Circus, including stilt walkers and aerialists.
On Sunday morning, starting at 11 a.m., Body Party 2024 will also take place – a 60-minute outdoor yoga class for all ages and skill levels led by yoga instructor Hailey Zureich.
Amy Aubry, chair of the event’s planning committee, said the fair promises a diverse range of experiences, but of course the promotion and appreciation of art remains a central focus.
“The great thing about the Hazel Park Art Fair is that it lowers the financial barriers for artists who want to try out the art fair circuit and see if this is a possible path for them to get their work out to the public,” Aubry said via email. “We have both experienced artists and new, emerging artists participating.”
Another focus is creating a stronger sense of community. A special feature that debuted last year and returns this year is the Wishing Tree exhibit, led by Hazel Park City Council member Alissa Sullivan.
Participants are asked to write a wish on a ribbon and attach it to the exhibition. They are then asked to come back next year to see their and other ribbons in the 2025 exhibition.
“It’s about realizing that we’re all more connected than we might think,” Sullivan said. “You can look at the wishes that others have written, and it’s very likely that you’ll find similar wishes from other people. You may not know them personally, but you know their community. And when you see that they have similar wishes, you realize that we’re more alike than different. It’s a wonderful way to build community.”
“I really think what I like about this fair is the interactivity of it all, which our fair has and a lot of other fairs don’t,” she added. “Things like the live sound demonstrations and the artists walking around the fair and yoga in the morning. It all speaks to the creativity of our city.”
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