In the midst of the Year of the Arts in Mount Gretna, the 50th Annual Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show celebrated a variety of art forms in the presence of artists and art lovers on Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18.
The Pennsylvania Chautauqua, a nonprofit organization based in Mount Gretna, raises money for its organization’s properties and programs, as well as for the Mount Gretna Community Volunteer Fire Department and community projects through the annual art exhibition.
The 50th anniversary art exhibition welcomed 200 exhibitors divided into the following categories: acrylic and oil painting, clay and porcelain, digital, drawings and pastels, emerging artists, fabrics and fibers, base jewelry, precious jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, photography, prints and graphics, sculpture, watercolors and wood.
Of these 200 exhibitors, 26 were 2023 Judge’s Choice Award winners and 11 were emerging artists or artists exhibiting at the Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show for the first time.
Additionally, 20 exhibitor spaces were available on the Chautauqua Playground on Saturday and Sunday for the Kids Art Show, sponsored by a grant from Mount Gretna United Methodist Church. The Kids Art Show was open to artists ages 10-18. Exhibitors under 14 had to be accompanied by a parent.
The playground also included stations where children, also accompanied by adults, could participate in and observe art-related activities such as spin art and balloon art.
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Rose Burkholder of Trist ‘N Shout provides balloons for children. (William Trostel) -
Rose Burkholder of Trist ‘N Shout provides balloons for children. (William Trostel)
Throughout the weekend, art lovers could purchase food and drinks from Cracked Pepper Catering, Gosia’s Pierogies, Smoky Flavors, Snitz Creek Brewery, The Hershey Pantry, The Oasis and What If… of Hershey. The Jigger Shop was also open.
There were live performances by Flatpick Earth Society (bluegrass), Andy Roberts Project (jazz and original music) and No Last Call (walking music) on Saturday and Tom Hillicker Quartet (jazz) and Third Stream (legendary jazz) on Sunday.
On Saturday afternoon, the original artwork from the Mount Gretna Campmeeting water tower was auctioned at the Mount Gretna Tabernacle, with the winning bid being $3,600.
Then on Sunday afternoon, the first Mount Gretna Film Festival was hosted by Kim Lemon at the Mount Gretna Playhouse. Cash prizes of up to $1,000 were awarded in the following categories: Best Drama, Best Comedy, Best Horror, Best Documentary/Video Essay, Best High School Entry, Hometown Spotlight and Best of Festival.
In addition, Craft awards were given for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Sound Design, Best Acting and Audience’s Choice.
Also featured in this year’s art show was Mount Gretna’s Luna Moth. The living artwork, which sits outside the Mount Gretna Playhouse where people can admire it and take and share pictures of it using #lebanonvalleyarts, was created by Mount Gretna native Ryan Fretz. The piece was commissioned by Visit Lebanon Valley and Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show.
Behind the scenes
Kerry Royer, director of the Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show, spoke to LebTown at the main entrance Saturday morning as guests in windbreakers and carrying umbrellas entered the Pennsylvania Chautauqua grounds to attend the event whatever the weather.
“This is where everything comes together,” said Royer. “So the organizational process is choosing the artists and inviting them. Yesterday was the set-up day, when there was a lot to do. But now everything is set up and ready to go.”
On Friday, August 16, several cadets from the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs were on site to help set up the tents that were used for exhibits, food vendors, and seating areas throughout the weekend.
Royer said that “municipal resources,” such as the Lebanon County Department of Emergency Services, Cornwall Borough Police Department and South Londonderry Township Police Department, “work together throughout the year to plan the logistics of the show.”
The “municipal helpers” also included the volunteer fire department, which regulated the flow of traffic on the surrounding streets and the parking situation during the two-day event. They also helped art lovers who asked for assistance at the art exhibition office to transport large works of art to their vehicles.
“And we have an army of volunteers who are taking all the tickets and making sure that people can come to the theater safely and enjoy the show. I mean, we have everyone from local residents to Boy Scouts,” Royer said. “… So it’s a huge process. But I mean, it’s great to see it all come together.”
When asked about the timeline for the process of organizing next year’s art exhibition, Royer replied: “It starts right after that. We start preparing and securing all our reservations for next year.”
The art show is scheduled for the third full weekend in August each year, meaning art lovers can mark their calendars for the 51st Annual Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show for Saturday, August 16, 2025, and Sunday, August 17, 2025.
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