Is it really September? The State Fair has come and gone, #catvidefests were watched and LOLed at, I hung out with salamanders and hawks, drew Death Metal logos, and rolled six-sided die with costumed children and colleagues, handed out crates of art to delighted collectors, got web-wise, and still have no idea who are on the Twins… basically most of the summer has been a blur!
While it went by fast, I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate the end of summer and welcome fall colors and ambitions then with a day trip to Silverwood Park. Join mnartists.org and Silverwood Park with a day of nature and art with the return of Field Trip! Hosted at Silverwood Park situated in St. Anthony, MN, – just north of Minneapolis, and so close you can’t-believe-you-haven’t-been-there-before! – this years fall fest includes a line up of all-day, outdoor fun for artists and families.
Mark your calendar’s for Saturday, September 22, and come try your hand at fort building, collaborative art projects and other creative play. Don’t forget to hang around for the live music and nature-inspired poetry readings. Stay for a while or spend the entire day playing at the park. Pack a picnic, relax on a blanket and celebrate our local artistic community in this awesome natural setting.
Nature and Nurture, Noon – 8:00 p.m.
Silverwood Gallery
In conjunction with Field Trip, Silverwood Park and mnartists.org invited local artists and their children to participate in a gallery show in a celebration of art and family through collaborative art making. The show is on view September 13 – September 30 in the Silverwood Park Gallery.
Sarah Peters and the Sea Clamp , 1 – 3 p.m.
Silverwood Beach
Row around Silverwood Lake in a hand-made Portuguese-style dinghyand pick up a ‘zine with instructions on how to build your own boat.
Canoeing on Silver Lake, noon – 4:00 p.m.
Silverwood Beach
Enjoy a FREE paddle on Silver Lake! Head to the beach for a leisurely float, beautiful scenery and even a water bound sculpture or two.
Fort Building, Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Dyers Garden
Channel your inner child and create forts among Silverwood’s trees using natural elements. No secret passwords needed to participate, just a little creativity.
To Dye For: Revived, Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Dyers Garden
Delve into the nature of plant pigments and hammer out hues with plant samples from Silverwood Park! Personalize a piece of fabric from our sculptural installation and incorporate it into a fort or performance of your own.
Treasure Map, Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Begin at Veranda
Families! Grab a Silverwood treasure map and hit the trails for an artful adventure your young ones are sure to enjoy.
Letterbox Hunt, Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Begin at Veranda
Test your treasure-seeking ability by following descriptive clues toward a hidden letterbox. Once you find the box, stamp your paper with the hand-carved stamp and return to the Visitor Center to receive a prize!
Art and Nature Hike, 1:00 & 3:00 p.m.
Meet at the entrance to the Visitor Center
Discover more about the artists who have contributed their creativity to the trails. You might even meet a real artist or two!
I Spy Silverwood, Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Veranda
Do you see what I see? Peer through the golden picture plane to solve the riddles and spy with your eye all of the amazing things happening at Field Trip today.
Art on Foot: Sculpture and Poetry, Noon – 8:00 p.m.
Park Trails
Take map and go on a self-guided tour of the many artworks and audio poetry installed throughout the park created by Minnesota artists and poets. Find sculptures by Aaron Dysart, Alonso Sierralta, Richard Bonk, Sean Connaughty, Alexa Horochowski, Al Wadzinski, John Fleischer, Andrew MacGuffie, and Mark O’Brien. Listen to the new Poetry Trail including Ed Bok Lee, Guante, Joyce Sutphen, May Lee Yang, Clarence White, and Maggie Ryan Sandford
Yours Truly, Minnesota, Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Veranda
Come rediscover the post office and the physical act of letter writing with Jenni Undis from local letterpress studio Lunalux. Create one-of-a-kind correspondence to share your Minnesota Nice with a stranger from another state via the USPS. Special letter making and decorating supplies will be on hand for postal personalization.
The Conversationalist, Taylor Baldry, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Veranda
In the age of Facebook, smartphones and Twitter, face-to-face conversation is becoming a dying art. The Conversationalist invites guests to sit down and select a from a topics menu (or suggest their own) and have a conversation without the aid of social media or technology. Be reminded of what it was like to have a face-to-face conversation in the Digital Age. Topic du jour: Time Travel
Lawn Games, Noon – 6:30 p.m.
Great Lawn
Grab friends (or friendly strangers) and start a game of bocce ball, lawn Jenga, or tug of war. Play with a giant parachute, gigantic bubbles and even give hula hoops a shot.
Traveling Art Emporium, Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Great Lawn
Stop by Rage to Order’s mini art carnival for free art activities and live demonstrations by professional St. Paul artists! Activities include projects you can take home and community sculptures made out of natural and recycled materials!
Clay Olympics, Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Great Lawn
Not nearly as serious as the summer games in London, a friendly competition of clay games awaits you at Silverwood Park. Individual and team events. Open to all ages and abilities. Get ready to play with mud (i.e., clay)!
ON STAGE
(music and poetry readings)
3:30 & 5:00 Brian Laidlaw and the Family Trade
6:00 Widow Jones
7:00 Dear Data
Poetry Readings in between musical performances by Maggie Ryan Sandford and Clarence White