Get your boat shoes because Naperville will be sailing into summer.
This year’s Downtown Naperville Alliance’s Summer Sculpture Program theme takes to the high seas!
Sailing Into Summer
“I think this is our eighth year doing this,” said Katie Wood, “We’ve had everything from dogs, to book benches, little cars, we’ve had hearts, and this is sailboats.”
The Summer Sculpture Program makes it return after being off last year because of the pandemic with sailboats that are five-feet high with beautiful designs sketched into the sails.
Artists Behind The Sculptures
Regional and local artists like Marianne Kuhn help create these pieces of art.
Kuhn is a veteran of the summer program, with 50 sculptures under her belt. She uses an array of tools in her creative process like rulers, pencils, brushes, and of course paint.
From start to finish painting the sailboats can take up to three weeks, and Kuhn designed two sailboats this year for Magnitech and Downtown Naperville.
“It’s a fun theme for this year,” said Kuhn. “Sailing evokes thoughts of vacations, good times, and I think everybody will enjoy it.”
Wood said she hopes to have 14 sailboats on display in Downtown Naperville by Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
Of course there will be a treasure map on Downtown Naperville’s website so community members can find the sailboats.
But these boats won’t be just for display.
Boat & Duck Race
“Positively Naperville always does an adopted duck race in August, and so we’re partnering with them and doing something, date to be determined,” said Wood. “But hopefully it will be the duck race along with the a mini sailboat regatta.”
Full sail ahead, to hopefully a wonderful summer!
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ and Christian Canizal report.
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