It's Toledo's year, at least according to the United Nations who have designated 2022 International Year of Glass. And by official proclamation, Lucas and Wood Counties, the Cities of Toledo and Rossford, and the State of Ohio are declaring August 2, 2022 as Toledo International Year of Glass Day. This designation couldn’t be more exciting for Toledo, Ohio… the Glass Capital of the World. Toledo is very proud of its history and connection with glass and continues to celebrate partnerships between applications of glass as an artistic medium and manufacturing processes. It is therefore only fitting that Franklin Park Mall would revel in the International Year of Glass with a signature event that partners with our entire community and celebrates our namesake “The Glass City”.
Franklin Park's highlight event of the celebration is a commissioned glass art piece created by local glass artist Gail Christofferson. “Butterflies of Northwest Ohio”, a glass mosaic of 15 large scale butterflies, will be created as a permanent and visual tribute to International Year of Glass and the Glass City. The stunning mobile of butterflies, ranging in size from 7ft – 3ft wing spans, will hang in the mall’s iconic Center Court skylight. Other exciting events include:
August 27 – Butterflies of Northwest Ohio Community Collaboration Day! The glass mosaic butterfly installation will be created in studio with opportunities for the community to follow the progress through social media engagement. But on August 27, the community is invited to be a part of this momentous occasion and help create the butterflies. Artist Gail Christofferson will bring 4 of the butterflies (Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Monarch, Red Spotted Purple, and Mourning Cloak) to the mall to be built by our community for our community! Families will enjoy live entertainment, butterfly selfie stations, foam mosaic butterfly craft stations for the kids.
October 1-2 - Franklin Park will shine a spotlight on our community’s glass artists with a Pop-Up Glass Art Market. Guests visiting the mall will be awed by our region’s breadth and depth of glass artistic talent and will be able to purchase artisan glass pieces from local makers.
October 1-2 – Glassy Crafty Family Fun Days. You, too, can be a glass artist! Families are invited make their own “Lil Chips” (mosaic style art w/ abstract glass chips) Fused Glass Art project lead by the artists at Copper Moon Studio. This event will engage the community giving them a chance to make their own one-of-kind glass art (for ages 4+, reservations required).
October – December – In partnership with The Arts Commission, the Apple Art Window, Franklin Park Mall’s permanent art gallery window located next to Apple Store and Pink, will showcase exhibitions from local glass artists.
Join us this fall as we celebrate our region's glass artists and industry with a series of engaging, interactive and family fun events that pay tribute to Toledo's glass heritage and history.
Events continue to be added. Visit visitfranklinparkmall.com for updates.