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Arts & Entertainment

Senior Spring Fling and Painting/Craft Festival to be Held Tuesday

Circus themed event will feature visual, textile and performance art, as well as games and food

Are you a senior citizen looking for something fun to do?

On Tuesday, Hillsborough County’s Family and Aging Services Department will host the Senior Spring Fling and Painting/Craft Festival.

The event will last from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and will be held at the University Community Center, at 14013 N. 22nd Street.

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The theme for this year’s festival will be “Life is a Circus," and admission is free.

The annual art show, which started over 30 years ago, will feature senior participants who are at least 60 or older working in a variety of media.

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Amy Carrier, from the Family and Aging Services Department, described some of the awards that will be presented.

“There will be cash prizes for first, second, third place and Honorable Mention awards,” said Carrier. “This year’s show will feature the 'People’s Choice Award' for the first time, in which attendees can vote on their favorite piece of art.”

Lynn Norton, director of education for the Art Council of Hillsborough County, will judge everything except the People’s Choice Award.

“I’ve been at the Arts Council for over 30 years, and I’ve been the judge of this event for a number of years,” said Norton. “I see some really stunning work that’s being done. I think so often we assume that when people are seniors, that the best is behind them, and it’s just absolutely not true. In fact, I’ve even wanted to purchase a couple of pieces for my own art collection.”

Norton says that those who attend the event can expect to see quality work in arts and crafts, like purses, knitting and quilting, as well as acrylics and oils.

The work is divided and gauged against similar works of art.

“You’re not judging a knitted throw against a painting,” said Norton.

Norton says that the difficulty in judging such an event is choosing between the many examples of high quality work. She prepares by maintaining a level of excitement and curiosity about the new talent she will discover.

“While there have always been one or two amazing artists participating in the past now it seems to have exploded,” said Norton. “There will always be people who have dabbled in it their whole lives, but now many of the artists seem to be more highly trained.”

The festival will also feature performances by a Dixieland band and a clown magician. There will be a variety of carnival type games that guests can play to win prizes, and tasty treats to enjoy like cotton candy, snow cones and popcorn. After the judging portion of the event is finished and people have eaten lunch, there will be performance art exhibits.

The event is funded through Hillsborough County Family and Aging Services. The painting and crafts cash awards are provided by Senior Connection and Mature Lifestyles Magazine.

Carrier says that the main purpose of the event is to highlight and encourage talent among seniors. Art works will be on display and available for sale. And the public will have the opportunity to see the artists’ work and interact with them.

For seniors who are not mobile, transportation to and from the event is available through the Hillsborough County Sunshine Line.

Last year’s festival boasted 394 registered attendees. Carrier says she expects 36 painters this year, with each painter showing about five pieces of art.

Carrier requests that anyone who wants to attend the event RSVP to the Department of Family and Aging Services at 813-272-5160, since there is a maximum number of lunches and seating available.

Norton summed up the spirit of the event.

“These seniors are vibrant and talented and involved in the community,” said Norton. “I think that this event depicts that perfectly.”

For more information, or to reserve your place at the Spring Fling and Painting/Craft Festival, call Amy Carrier from the Family and Aging Services Department at 813-272-5160.

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