In the early 1950s, a group of Claremont

artists conceived the idea of emerging

from their studios and bringing art into

the community. Household names such as

Millard Sheets, Paul Darrow and Sam

Maloof were among this group of artists

who ran with the idea and made the first

“Padua Hills Art Fiesta” come alive in

1953. The event took place for 7 consecutive

years with artists such as Karl Benjamin,

Milford Zornes, James Hueter and

Harrison McIntosh participating in the

1959 event, the last Padua Hills Art Fiesta

to occur. Until next week, that is.

On Sunday, November 13, the 8th annual Padua Hills

Art Fiesta will pick up where it left off 52 years ago, returning

to Padua Hills Theater where 20 local artists will

display and sell their work and mingle with guests. The

fiesta, recreated by the Claremont Museum of Art

(CMA), will also feature children’s art activities, live

folk music, food from Casa de Salsa and Spaggi’s and a

handmade artwork boutique.

“Claremont has such a rich history of art, and the

Padua Hills Art Fiesta was a major starting point of the

connection between the community and the artists,” said

Catherine McIntosh, who had the idea to revive the event

and is coordinating its 2011 return. “It was Claremont’s

first art festival, and every name you’ve ever heard of

related to art around Claremont was there. The oldtimers

remember how much fun it was.”

Ginger Elliot, former longtime director