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OLD LYME — The Lyme Art Association is celebrating its 100th anniversary on Saturday, August 7, with an entire day of activities, including the Centennial Frolic, an evening 1920’s-themed fundraiser for the Second Century Skylight Project.
The skylights are 100 years old — the same age as the building — and in dire need of replacement, said Laurie Pavlos, executive director of Lyme Art Association.
“The skylights are leaking. And, they’re single-pane skylights and have no insulation value. It’s almost like having a giant hole in our roof that all our heat goes up through. And in the summertime, it’s like having a giant greenhouse on top of the [building] that heats up the space,” she said.
The “frolic,” as parties were referred to in the 1920s, will start at 5 p.m. and requires a donation to the skylight project, said Pavlos. The event will include cold beverages and hot appetizers on the lawn, and 1920s costumes are encouraged.
The theme for the entire day will be the 1920s, including “Tea Day” from 1 to 4 p.m., a tradition in the spirit of the association’s founding artists who raised money by holding teas on the lawn. The event will include children’s crafts and games, a photo booth with dress-up options, as well as refreshments.
“We’ll have some sort of historical interpreters here — some people who will be telling stories in character from the early days of the Lyme impressionists and our earliest members. And there will be baked goods and tea just like there used to be back in the 1920s when they raised funds for building this place and continuing through the years,” Pavlos said.
Throughout the day, Lyme Art Association artists will paint en plein air on Lyme Street for “Wet Paint on Lyme Street,” culminating in an auction of the paintings at 4:30 p.m. on the lawn of the Lyme Art Association.
Space in the Centennial Frolic is limited and a minimum donation of $25 per person is required to attend the event. To RSVP for the Centennial Frolic, click here.