It’s a marvelous night for a moondance in Lakewood
By Jennifer Mitchell
happenings
Published July 12, 2006

Get a glimpse of what the Lakewood Art Festival is all about the night before the Aug. 5 extravaganza. Starry Night, a co-hosted preview party, will raise money for the community and get people up close to celebrated artists and their work. Top: Artist Chuck Wimmer took first place in last year’s show with this fish print. Bottom: Patti Fields won third place with her handcrafted rings. (Photos by Ed Oshaben)

There’s nothing like spending a warm night outdoors beneath the moon, enveloped by the sounds and smells of summer. Lakewood Hospital and the Lakewood Arts Festival are hosting just such an evening, enhanced with music, food and eye-catching works of art.

Starry Night, a preview of the 29th Annual Lakewood Arts Festival, begins at 7 p.m. Aug. 4. The popular arts exhibition features a variety of media and more than 160 artists from across the country.

  Among their many goals, event organizers hope to reinvigorate the city of Lakewood by getting people outside to have a good time mixing and mingling, just “get the vitality back,” said Aimee Smith, a hospital associate.

The partnership between the hospital and the arts committee for the shared kick-off is the first of its kind in the festival’s history. Besides promoting the popular Lakewood art show, proceeds from the evening will go to the funding of art scholarships and the expansion of Lakewood Hospital diabetes services, including community education and wellness programs. One of every 16 people in greater Cleveland and 1 million Ohio residents have diabetes, according to the hospital. Uncontrolled diabetes can cause heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and leg amputations.

Jack Gustin, Lakewood Hospital chief administrative officer, saw the event as an opportunity for the hospital to help the community.  He met with festival committee representatives and offered the hospital staff’s services for Starry Night. As the city’s largest employer, the hospital is involved in many different city initiatives, including Lakewood Alive, the Main Street Program and the Youth Task Force, which addresses issues in schools.

The night begins at 6 p.m., for those who purchase sponsorship-level tickets with a VIP Artists Reception. Hector Vega, David Bordine, Roger Coast, Sarah Coast, Rebekah Hodous and Earl James are among the artists who will be on hand to meet and visit with guests during the private social.

The menu will offer tastes from around the world, featuring Mediterranean, Asian, Southwest and Americana cuisine, as well as a “delectable” dessert station, Smith said. Health anchor Monica Robins of WKYC-TV3 will emcee. Raffles throughout the evening will feature artwork from the VIP artists’ collection.

More than 10,000 people attend the actual festival every year and the proceeds raised by the festival committee, $90,000 over the years, fund educational scholarships in the arts for Lakewood residents in high school. The scholarships generally run between $3,000 and $4,000. Karen Cooper, chairwoman of the festival, said she is excited about the partnership with the hospital and may allow the committee to do even more for the community.

In years when the coffers are full, Cooper said the committee sometimes awards two scholarships or, has given to different community art-related programs, including one specifically providing for children from low-income families.

Ticket prices for Starry Night begin at $100 ($50 tax deductible). Individual sponsorships, which include an invitation to the VIP Artists Reception, start at $150 ($80 tax deductible). A variety of corporate sponsorships, including the VIP Artists Reception, also are available.

Media sponsors include Cox Communications and West Life Newspaper. The gala will be held on Belle Avenue near Detroit Avenue.

For more information, call Debbie Gaebelein at (216) 529-7419. To reserve tickets, call the Lakewood Hospital Foundation at (216) 529-7009 or e-mail Foundation@lkwh.org