Mayfaire by-the-Lake takes over Lake Morton this weekend. Here's what to know
LAKELAND – For the 51st time, the shoreline and road surrounding Lake Morton will transform from a panorama of historic homes into a vibrant arch of art.
Saturday and Sunday, the Polk Museum of Art will present the annual Citizens Bank & Trust Mayfaire by-the-Lake festival, one of the southeastern United States’ premier outdoor fine art festivals. For 2023, more than 150 artists from nine states will display a variety of art mediums – painting, sculpting, woodworking, hand-crafted jewelry and an assortment of other art forms.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, Lake Morton Drive and the shoreline transforms from asphalt, grass and trees into a living canvass of creativity as artists work on pieces in real time while mingling and conversing with guests. The event attracts an average of about 15,000 visitors from across the United States and beyond.
A juried show with prizes
Mayfaire-by-the-Lake also is a juried art show, with $17,000 awarded to artists in 13 mediums, including clay, fiber, mixed media, oil and acrylic, watercolor, sculpture, photography and woodworking. Awards for 2023 will be: Best of Show, $5,000; two Awards of Excellence, $2,000 each; four Awards of Distinction, $1,000 each; six Merit Awards, $500 each; and five Honorable Mention Awards, $200 each.
The Mayfaire judge for 2023 is Elizabeth Flinsch an artist, curator and the editor of SHOTS Magazine in Saint Paul, Minnesota, an independent print journal of black-and-white photography founded in 1986.
Changes for 2023
Joy Williams and Leslie Norman, Mayfaire coordinators since 2016, said a few minor changes have been made for 2023. The children’s activities moved back to Chiles Street just north of the art museum to make for better accessibility in a centralized location.
She said the 2023 Mayfaire by-the-Lake will be “future-focused on the next 50 years” with many new artists showing. She said she was happy to see it on the rebound for the past two years after its cancellation because of the COVID pandemic in 2020.
“People should come visit Mayfaire to see outstanding artists from around the county with fun activities for the family on both days,” she said.
Besides the artists’ booths, this year’s Mayfair will have a variety of daily events both days, including the Ruthvens' Mayfaire Kids Zone, which features “Kids Collect,” a children-only tent for youngsters to buy artwork donated by Mayfaire artists at reduced prices. Those proceeds will go to the Ruthvens' Mayfaire Kids Zone to engage young art connoisseurs and foster an interest in the visual arts. Additionally, the Kids Zone will feature free hands-on art activities for children, regardless of their artistic abilities.
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'The Future'
This year’s Mayfaire by-the-Lake poster artist is Alex Lanier of Tallahassee, an award-winning, published artist with a background in architecture who attended the Florida International University School of Architecture. His poster art is called “The Future,” and he said he will have an “animated poster” at his Mayfaire booth featuring a print of his artwork that can be viewed through virtual-reality goggles. A former student at the Harrison School for the Arts, Lakeland, it’s his fourth time showing at Mayfaire.
“’The Future’ represents opening up to creative possibilities by leaving your comfort zone and thinking outside the box,” said Lanier, who’s been a professional artist for more than 15 years.
Alex Rich, executive director and chief curator of the Polk Museum of Art, called Mayfaire by-the-Lake a “fixture” in the Florida art scene for more than a half century.
“Mayfaire is soaring at 51 and this Mother’s Day weekend, we can’t wait to launch officially into our second half-century,” he said in a written statement.
Entertainment and food
Besides the visual arts, Mayfaire will feature performances by FrediDANCE Project, Samira Belly Dance and Musical Hammers, among others on the Lakeland Public Library lawn.
Food concessions will be available and at the Museum, visitors can see artwork from past festival winners in the “A Blast from the Past: Festival Favorites from the Permanent Collection” display in the Murray/Ledger Gallery.
Williams said even if someone has visited Mayfaire in the past, they should come back for a visit because the artists are always varied and diverse, just as the artwork that is on display and for sale.
“We have 50 new artists from around the country featuring multiple mediums of art and new creations every year for every art enthusiast and visitor to enjoy,” she said.
If you go
WHAT: 51st annual Citizens Bank & Trust Mayfaire by-the-Lake festival
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday
WHERE: The shore of Lake Morton, Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland
COST: Free
INFO: Parking at the corner of Lime Street and Massachusetts Avenue; Citrus Connection’s free transportation service, The Squeeze, will operate to the festival and downtown 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4 to 11 p.m. May 13; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., May 14. See www.mayfairebythelake.org; 863-688-7743, ext. 237.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: 51st annual Mayfaire by-the-Lake takes place Saturday and Sunday
