Art Festival update

Artist Indira Bailey with one of her pieces.

Those looking forward to the annual Outdoor Festival of Art will be disappointed this year, as there is no event scheduled for this Saturday, the traditional date of the one-day cultural event.

Begun by the original Plainfield Chamber of Commerce (later known as the Central Jersey Chamber of Commerce) in 1962, the event was long held on Front Street between Park and Watchung Avenues.

It moved to the shadier -- and cooler -- Library Park a number of years ago, and drew several thousand visitors to Plainfield in its salad days.

Awards were given to both professional and amateur artists and photographers.

With the demise of the Central Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the organizing committee kept the self-financing festival going for several years. Last year, an approach was made to the new Plainfield Chamber of Commerce to take over the event, which the Chamber's board declined.

City Administrator Marc Dashield expressed some interest to organizers in having the City step into the breach by having the Recreation Division, under its Director Dave Wynn, take up the project. This, too, failed to materialize, and the organizers reluctantly decided not to put on what would have been the 45th annual festival.

Those interested in seeing the Outdoor Festival of Art continue should contact the Plainfield Cultural and Heritage Commission.

Works by Fermin Martinez, a regular exhibitor.

-- Dan Damon

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