“Art in the Park is about celebrating creativity, community and the extraordinary place we call home,” says Art Show Director Alan Younkin.

“This year, the idea of renewal is especially powerful. We lost beautiful, historic trees in the July 4 storm, but we are determined to help West Park recover and flourish,” Younkin says.

In keeping with this year’s renewal theme, “Art in the Park” is encouraging visitors to support efforts to restore West Park’s trees damaged in the Independence Day storm while preserving its historic beauty for future generations with donations to the park’s Tree Fund.

Having celebrated artists from the Lehigh Valley and beyond for more than half a century, “Art in the Park” returns to West Park, 16th and West Turner streets, Allentown, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sept. 12.

More than 130 artists, nine performance groups and community organizations will be joined by art lovers and their families for a day of creativity, entertainment and community connection.

This year’s new attraction is a free 360 Spinner Photo Booth that captures a fun, dynamic video of participants as the camera spins around them. The resulting video can be sent directly to friends and family, making it easy to share the “Art in the Park” experience on social media or by text.

Food and drink vendors will be on hand at Allentown’s oldest park, which opened in 1908.

The annual arts festival began in 1975 as a grassroots effort led by Allentown resident Betty Helwig, a passionate advocate for the arts. Peggy Egolf, a teacher at Allentown Central Elementary School, took the reins after Helwig’s death in 2008. Egolf and her husband Robbie continued leading the event until she died in 2017.

Allentown Art Museum curator Dr. Christine Oaklander then picked up the torch. She introduced a jury system, cash prizes and other innovations to appeal to a wider audience.

Arts advocates Alan Younkin and Michael Schelp have co-chaired “Art in the Park” since 2022.

The West Park Civic Association is leading a campaign to restore the 1908 West Park band-shell, which was designed by renowned Gilded Age architect Horace Trumbauer. The iconic Beaux-Arts style structure is the summer home for the Allentown Band and continues to serve as a gathering place for music, community events and park visitors.

“Art in the Park,” presented by the West Park Civic Association, is held rain or shine.

Information: www.art-in-the-park.org

“Gallery View” is a column about artists, exhibitions and galleries. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com