While the sunshine and warm weather of the weekend ahead will bring thousands of creatures out from winter hiding and into the stores, restaurants and wineries of downtown St. Joseph's central business district, most will be of the two-legged, human variety for now. Eager shopkeepers are ready to show you what's new for the spring and summer seasons all over downtown.
Meanwhile, a colorful and select gaggle of many-legged creatures recently emerged from garages, warehouses, art studios, and even probably a kitchen or two to migrate toward the St. Joseph Public Works Department for a quiet little get together where they mingled for the first time since arriving in town. They are the 20 Beach Bug public art characters who will populate the street corners and sidewalks in front of local businesses from just before Memorial Day until after Labor Day.
All 20 of the sculpted pieces from Chicago Fiberglass Works have been in the hands of individual artists since February being transformed into whimsical, bright pieces of art that hit the streets in the formal debut on May 20th where they will remain until September 24th.
There are a total of 5 four-foot-long Caterpillars…5 four-foot-tall Bumble Bees or Flies…5 four-foot-tall Snails…and 5 four-foot tall Lady Bugs or Beetles. All have been colorfully transformed and were delivered this week to the Public Works garage on Broad Street for their beauty shots…photos of each…which will populate the flyers and website being created by the team at Holt Bosse, the marketing and public relations firm handling publicity for the public art campaign.
The St. Joseph City Commission approved $32,000 last November for the creation and acquisition of the sculptures and another $43,000 for the attendant marketing campaign.
The entire concept has become a long-standing tradition in the central business district as a destination attraction for families who flock to the community to photograph and pose alongside the myriad objects that have taken up summer residence on the sidewalks of the city for many years now. Following the busy summer season featuring the Beach Bugs characters, each will be auctioned off to the highest bidder as a part of the St. Joseph Today Fall Wine Festival on September 24th.
City Marketing Director Susan Solon was ecstatic with the finished products as I worked to photograph the sculptures for the team at Holt Bosse this week, proclaiming, "These are the best one's yet!" For the record, I've been taking the brochure photos since year one and she has issued the same proclamation in every year to date.
The photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market.com is a sneak preview sample of what you'll see in a few short weeks, so stay tuned. They'll be a hit with kids of all ages, for sure.
