Event—Public Programming

Second Saturday in November: Crafting the World's Fair

In 1893, people from all over the world came to Chicago for the World's Columbian Exposition. Join in a unique interactive reading and crafting workshop that will bring to life the Fair and the wonderful mix of cultures it fostered.

Author and artist Laura Nyman Montenegro will read her book The Most Magical World's Fair and lead children in a craft project inspired by the Fair.

This lively presentation begins with an oversized picture book handcrafted by Laura Nyman Montenegro expressly for this special occasion. This delightful and entertaining work will introduce participants to characters from far-away lands who have come to The Most Magical World's Fair to share with each other what their lives are like at home. What clothes do they love to wear? What games do they love to play? What do they dream about?

The program will challenge participants to celebrate the lovely beauty of an imagined world where many cultures meet and fall in love with each other. Next it will be the children's turn to each create their own magical character. They will invent a beautiful costume for their animal from anywhere in the world or from their own imagination using a simple cut-paper collage technique, an exciting art project for children of all skill levels. Everyone will take their new paper animal home to enjoy after the program concludes!

Laura Nyman Montenegro is an award-winning author/illustrator of award-winning children’s picture books including, A Poet’s Bird Garden, A Bird About to Sing, Sweet Tooth, and One Stuck Drawer.

This event is part of our programming in connection with the exhibition Pictures from an Exposition: Visualizing the 1893 World's Fair. See it from September 28 to December 31, 2018, at the Newberry.

Download a PDF flyer for our Fall 2018 Second Saturday programs.

This event is part of Art Design Chicago's Near North Design Day, featuring special tours, artmaking, live performances, artist demos, and movement workshops at cultural destinations across the Near North Side, including Chicago History Museum, DePaul Art Museum, Edgar Miller Legacy, the Newberry Library, Art on Sedgwick, Roger Brown Study Collection, and Sedgwick Studio. Take a trolley among these locations from 10:30 to 3:30.

Our Second Saturdays series is supported by a grant from the Chicago Free for All Fund at the Chicago Community Trust.

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