The City of Park Rapids and Park Rapids Arts and Culture Commission invite the public to an unveiling and tour of the Park Rapids Sculpture Trail at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 27.
The event will start at Red Bridge Park, located at 175-199 Beach Road (east of US Hwy. 71/Park Avenue North, about a block north of the stoplights at the junction of Hwy. 71 and state Hwy. 34).
The tour will end in downtown Park Rapids, where six additional artworks will be installed this year.
Ten new sculptures have been selected and will remain in place for a year. This year’s artists and titles of their works are Paul Albright, Akeley, “Leaf Chair #9” and “Red Cedar Portal”; Al Bellevue, Puposky, “MR. Rocket”; Tim Cassidy, New York Mills, “Dimetromorph”; Barb Christiansen, Ponsford, Rocky Road; Mark V. Hall, Kasota, Sprout and Shard; Tim Nelsen, Bemidji, “Sprocket”; James and Ryan Pedersen, Walker; and Simon Zornes, Bagley, “Turtle” and “13 Moons.” The artists will be invited to the ceremonies to talk about their work and answer questions.
One sculpture, “Sunrise” by Patrick Shannon of Vergas, will carry over for another year and has been relocated from Red Bridge Park to downtown.
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This year’s sponsors are CHI St. Joseph’s Health, Heartland Arts, Klein Insurance, Northview Bank, Northwoods Bank, Park Rapids Downtown Business Association, Park Rapids Rotary Club, Russel Skoe Family Trust, Thelen’s Excavating & Septic and Thielen Motors.
Solar lights were added at the park sculptures last year, thanks to grants from the Region 2 Arts Council and Minnesota Power.
Red Bridge Park is the trailhead for the Heartland State Trail, which is used year ‘round for walking, running, biking, rollerblading, snowmobiling and other recreational activities. The park is also located near downtown Park Rapids and visitors can access the park from Fish Hook River and nearby Heartland Park.
