Above: The closing ceremony for this summer’s exhibit “Number 9” is less than four weeks away. (contributed image)
If you haven’t walked Art on the Trails yet this summer, this is a gorgeous week to explore it. But, no need to rush, since it will still be available for close to another month.
If you already enjoyed the experience, or you’re a big fan of poetry, you may want to mark your calendars for the annual closing ceremony.
The ceremony will take place Sunday, September 14th from 3:00 to 5:00 pm.
Between now and then, the public is welcome to visit the exhibit for free, daily from dawn to dusk. (Click here for my prior post with the map and details.)
As usual, the closing ceremony will feature poetry.
Earlier this summer, organizers of the outdoor exhibit at Beals Preserve put out their annual call for poetry inspired by artwork in the exhibit. Their plan was to select 26 poems for the annual chapbook.
The traditional closing ceremony is a guided walk along the trail, stopping by each exhibit for selected poets to read aloud their works inspired by the installation.
This year’s collection was judged by Fred Gerhard. The chapbook is again edited by Muara Snell and Catherine Weber. You can pre-order a copy here. (You should also be able to buy one at the ceremony, if they don’t sell out first.)
For those who can’t make it, or would like an online preview, the website features a photo gallery with details on each piece. You can also check out their YouTube channel to watch videos from the installation day with more details on each work.
Updated (8/19/25 12:42 pm): I forgot to specify that the Art on the Trails exhibit is made possible by SOLF (Southborough Open Land Foundation) which owns Beals Preserve and sponsorships. (See image left.)
