Second Saturday XL brings a festival format to our new home

Two canvas totes are laid on top of each other. A stencil reading Second Saturday XL has been spray painted in blue, greens and yellows onto the totes.

School bells will soon be ringing — celebrate Summer Vibes in a big way this Saturday, Aug. 13! You won’t want to miss this new, “bigger and better experience” as our Youth and Family team unveils our first Second Saturday XL.

“We had such a successful festival tied to our video game exhibition, Open World, that we wanted to find a way to give Second Saturdays a bigger, festival feel,” says Director of Education Jaime Thompson. “Five of our 10 Second Saturday sessions will be in our new festival format — the first this August. August will start off with a bang, all focused on summer vibes.”

A large, red balloon dog sprinkler stands in green grass. Water is spraying out i=of the nose and tail. Two little kids are running around the sprinkler, laughing.

This weekend’s free XL vibes will occupy spaces across our new home — indoor and outdoor. Activities include creating floral fashion from real blooms, printing tote bags with the new Second Saturday logo, a massive chalk mural, water play, live tunes, summer snacks and more.

“We really wanted to engage more people and give them a chance to experience different types of artists,” says Senior Manager of Youth and Family Programs Christine Gibson. “We wanted to celebrate the end of summer and to be big, bold and fun. We’re even doing some things we haven’t done before. There will be giant sprinklers for kids to play in — that’s new for us!”

Two men are shaking hands, one facing us with a big smile and a black beret and jacket. The other is facing away from the camera, in a tweed suit and braided hair. In the background is a large painting of red cardinals on a blue background.

Artist John Newsom meeting Associate Curator Pablo Barrera. Photo: Iasiah G. Pickens.

Massive, animal- and Nature’s Course-themed sprinklers will cover the North Lawn, providing plenty of fun and surprising ways to cool down. On top of water play, the first 150 visitors to snag them will receive a free snow cone from Sasquatch Shaved Ice. Art-making indoors will focus on John Newsom: Nature’s Course, which closes Aug. 15.

Another bonus: Attendees can meet and engage with the Nature’s Course artist himself! Newsom will be in our first floor lobby, conversing with visitors and signing the exhibition’s catalogue, available for purchase in Shop Contemporary.

After you meet the artist, bring his inspiration to our studios.

“As we wrap up John Newsom’s exhibition, we wanted to incorporate something that ties in with the show,” Gibson says. “Kids can make creature kites, decorating an individual kite with animals from the exhibition or their imagination! There’s also a project with real flowers they can experience.”

Colorful paper shapes are scattered on top of a white table. A transparent kite with a yellow butterfly and pink and red paper flowers sits amidst the shapes by an instruction sheet titled Creature Kites. Paint sticks and blue scissors are in frame

Kids, friends and family of all ages can craft their own Creature Kites, inspired by animals on view in our Main Gallery. Given that the artist specializes in fauna AND flora, Second Saturday XL features a floral component, too; Flower Fashion brings the outside in, allowing creatives to fasten their own fashion accessory from locally sourced buds.

From designed, collaborative chalk murals and caricatures drawn by local artist Danny Gordon to summer tunes courtesy DJ Benjaneer and caffeine on tap from Roam Coffee, this weekend’s Second Saturday XL: Summer Vibes is meant to provide art-making and -experiencing in an engaging and interactive festival format.

Two kids are drawing with chalk outside. We can see bright figures and shapes drawn below them in oranges, pinks and greens. The trees behind them are full and green.

“That isn’t to say the regular Second Saturdays won’t be fun as well,” Gibson says. On the non-XL months, “we’ll have an awesome art project led by a local artist, there will be art packs for the gallery and, of course, we will still do our family tours. XL is just a bigger experience.”

The Summer Vibes afternoon of art-making, exploring nature and seasonal fun is from 1-4 p.m. THIS Saturday. Bring your family, grab your friends and drop in to create with your community —the event is free, reservations are not required and all are welcome!

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Second Saturday art-making chalk mural outdoors Nature's Course XL festival