Art Fair in the Munsinger and Clemens Gardens Takes Place Thursday

(KNSI) – After skipping a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 15th annual Art Fair in the Gardens is set to take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday in the Munsinger and Clemens Gardens.

Jill Florek, co-chair of the Munsinger Clemens Botanical Society’s board of directors, says more than 45 artists will be showing and selling their artwork throughout the gardens. She says several Central Minnesota artists are involved, and the array of goods includes photography, pottery, jewelry, fiber arts, soaps and wood art pieces.

The art fair will also feature live music and six food vendors.

“So, you can walk and stroll and look at art, purchase art — of course, look at the beautiful flowers i the gardens at the same time,” Florek said.

After canceling the 2020 iteration of the art fair due to the pandemic, Florek says putting together the 2021 fair wasn’t too difficult. However, early on in the year, she said it was unclear what safety precautions would need to be in place. At the fair, Florek says artists and food vendors will be spread out more than usual to allow for social distancing and to help keep crowds at bay.

“People can actually see everything and get through better,” Florek said. “That’ll be kind of a plus, and maybe we’ll stick with that for a little bit, especially for the food area.”

Somewhere between 500 and 1,000 people visit the fair each year.

“A lot of people will come on their lunch from work,” Florek said. “We do have some people that come from out of town; there’s some that will visit their family or relative that is in this area and they plan for it.”

Florek says the Munsinger Clemens Botanical Society uses its membership funds to put on free-to-the-public events in the gardens like the art fair and the summer Music in the Gardens concert series.

___