Guest Blogger: Mandy Buchanan

At the Museum

The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art is planning fun, fall activities for children and families.

This fall, we will provide a special program for area home school families. Home School Fridays will be offered once a month and feature a variety of art activities. This "make and take" class is offered from 1 until 4 p.m. September 25, October 30, and November 20. No reservations are required and this class is free of charge for home school groups. We hope families will take part in this new program.

For a spooky, good time, please join us for Trick-Art-Treat, Thursday, October 29, from 3:30 until 5:00 p.m. This class is offered for ages kindergarten through sixth grade. We will make Halloween art projects including a paper mache’ pumpkin, a haunted house collage, and a super cool trick or treat bag. Class size will be limited. So reserve your spot early for this spooky art class!

One of our favorite family fall activities at LRMA is our annual Heritage Arts Festival. This festival has been a Laurel tradition since 1993. The LRMA staff and Guild of Docents and Volunteers are all working hard in preparation for this fun day. The 2009 Heritage Arts Festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 3, from 10 am until 2 p.m. on the LRMA front lawn. The theme of this year’s festival is "The Wild Wonders of Mississippi" with the art activities centered around the Mississippi wilderness and its native animals. We will feature Choctaw Dancers and Choctaw basket weaver, Jessica Thomas. Back by popular demand, The Cowboy Blues Band will be our musical entertainment. At noon, we will serve free pizza and soft drinks. This special day is generously sponsored by The Laurel Arts League, Neel-Schaffer, Coca-Cola of Laurel, The First, and Hughes, Inc. The Festival is also supported by the Mississippi Arts Commission.

The Loblolly Festival, formerly called Laurel’s Main Street Festival, will also take place on October 3^rd in downtown Laurel. There will be live music, food, fine arts and children’s activities all within walking distance of the Museum. Laurel’s Historic District and downtown area will be the "place to be" to celebrate the arts and have some family fun!

For more information please call the Museum at 601.649.6374 or visit the Museum’s website at www.LRMA.org.

Mandy Buchanan is Curator of Education at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art.