WESTWOOD, N.J.—Dig out your picnic baskets and favorite lawn blankets, it’s time to Lunch on the Lawn with Celebrate Westwood, The Art School at Old Church, and the Westwood Public Library!
On May 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Veterans Memorial Park will serve as the backdrop to this “bring your own picnic” event where those attending will be treated to demonstrations en plein air by fine artists and craftspeople from The Art School at Old Church in Demarest.
From noon to 1 p.m. the Westwood Public Library will present Songs of Spring with musician Christine DeLeon on its front steps. No registration required, but adherence to current social distancing and mask guidelines is required. Come and go as you please.
Celebrate Westwood organizers RoseAnn Ciarlante and Lauren Letizia said they planned the event as a low-key opening to outdoor creative entertainment for 2021.
“We are really quite excited to bring this program to the park,” said Ciarlante. “There’s nothing quite like enjoying the lovely surroundings of our beautifully maintained parks with family and friends.”
Letizia added, “We know how much our residents enjoy experiencing the arts and we thought adding visual artists and craftspeople to the afternoon would be an unexpected pleasure for people getting out and exploring the town.”
Both said they are thrilled to have partnered with the Art School, hailing form nearby Demarest, to create a beautiful Saturday scene full of exhibits and demos.
Looping in the stellar programming of the Westwood Public Library was another easy decision, with Director Martha Urbiel adding in the musical talents of Christine DeLeon and her program Songs of Spring, a musical interlude inspired by the season.
Featured artists from The Art School at Old Church include fine art and illustration from Pooja Dahwan, Amy Dudash Robinson, Jerry James and John Mungiello, jewelry from Naho Kambayashi, and ceramics from Gail Rutigliano, Karen Snyder-Kadish, and Karen Stern. To see work from each artist, visit tasoc.org/lunch-on-the-lawn.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch, or better yet, consider takeout options from any of more than 40 Westwood eateries that range from casual pizza, salad, soup, and sandwich shops to an eclectic collection of restaurants featuring menus inspired by cuisines across the globe. Most restaurants have indoor and outdoor seating, as well as curbside to-go options which make it easy to dine the hub.
Celebrate Westwood was created in 2018 with the support of the Westwood governing body in anticipation of the 125th anniversary of the borough of Westwood in 2019. Since then, the volunteer organization has been creating opportunities for performing & visual arts, community building & civic pride events to increase interaction between residents and local business. The organization functions under the financial auspices of the Westwood Heritage Society, working towards its own 501(c)3 status.
For more information visit celebratewestwood.org.