TOLEDO – The Toledo Museum of Art Block Party, the annual event that draws together thousands of community members across its 37-acre campus, is returning.
On Oct. 15 from 4-8 p.m., visitors are invited to enjoy live entertainment, local food and drinks and artmaking activities for all ages inside and outside the Museum. The free event, now in its seventh year, returns for the first time since 2019.
“After several challenging years, bringing Toledo together again at the Museum for this highly-anticipated event feels worthy of extra celebration,” said Adam Levine, TMA’s Edward Drummond and Florence Scott Libbey director and CEO. “Whether you have visited the museum many times since 2020 or this will be your first visit back, we are eager to welcome you.”
The festivities will be spread out across Monroe Street, which will be closed to traffic between Parkwood and Scottwood Avenues, and extend into the Museum where visitors can enjoy the newest exhibition, State of the Art: Revealing Works from the Conservation Vault. DJ Jazzy Jeff will headline a series of live performances by local artists outside on the Monroe Street Terrace. Kristian Brown, news anchor on 13abc, will emcee the event.
Admission and parking are free, and the event will be held rain or shine.
Performances
The following performances will take place on the Monroe Street Terrace:
4 p.m. Mystery Music Drumline
4:15 p.m. DJ Kaj Boogie
4:45 p.m. Aha! Indian Dance
5:05 p.m. Jacob Estrada
5:15 p.m. DJ Marc Folk and Nate Mattimoe
6:05 p.m. Tahyah’s Dance Studio
6:20 p.m. JP Dynasty African Drummers
6:30 p.m. DJ Jazzy Jeff
In addition, Birds Eye View Circus will perform outside the Museum from 5-8 p.m. and the Freedom Riders will be on horseback from 4:30-6:30 p.m. There will also be performances inside the Great Gallery of the Museum from Latin American Guitarist Hector Mendoza at 4 p.m. and Caribbean steel drum band Glass City Steel at 6:30 p.m.
Artmaking
Drop in for two opportunities to create unique works of art to take home. Use the mini printing press to make a print, draw in the Great Gallery using inspiration from TMA’s collection or venture outside to the lawn in front of the Glass Pavilion for Family Center fall art projects. Toledo School for the Arts will provide face painting on the Glass Pavilion lawn.
Glassblowing
TMA studio glass artists will conduct ongoing glassblowing demonstrations on the east terrace of the Museum from 4-8 p.m. with “Ellie” the Baby Dragon, a small mobile furnace whose purchase was made possible by the sponsorship of Majida M. Mourad, in memory of her mother Elham Ellie Mourad, with additional support from O-I Glass Inc.
