Lancaster is a city in Ohio that is pronounced, LANG-kes-ter or LANK-ster, not LAN-ka-ster. The city of Lancaster works very hard to support community arts and create educational opportunities for people and children of all ages. Lancaster is home to several museums including AHA! A Hands on Adventure, which is a children’s museum that offers several interactive exhibits, designed to provide fun filled experiences and fosters a lifelong love of learning; the Georgian Museum, which is a house built in 1832, that has been converted into a museum that depicts early 19th century life; the Sherman House, which is where Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman and his brother Senator John Sherman were both born; the Ohio Glass Museum, that tutors visitors on the history of the glass industry; and the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, which is a non-profit museum that has exhibitions, public programs, art classes, and workshops for visitors of all ages.
The city is also home to the Lancaster Festival. The Lancaster Festival is an eleven day music and arts festival that happens every July. The festival is meant to inspire a true appreciation of the arts, and encourage visitors to participate in expressive creation. The festival began back in August of 1984, when The Columbus Symphony Orchestra showcased their Picnic and Pops concert at Ohio University Lancaster. The concert was such a success, that the next year they organized the Lancaster Festival. The first official Lancaster Festival was eight days long and had two Columbus Symphony Orchestra concerts, a Columbus Symphony Orchestra chamber concert, a war reenactment up on the hills behind the amphitheater while the symphony performed Beethoven’s, “Wellington’s Victory,” and a full week of art and music activities and events for the whole community.
The festival grew again the next year, expanding to ten days, and including more performance venues all around the city. They also expanded the entertainment, including more performances specifically geared toward children and families. In 1987, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra decided to create its own Picnic and Pop series, and retired from performing in the Lancaster Festival. That year, the Lancaster Festival Orchestra was created. When word got out that a new orchestra was being formed, more than three hundred professional musicians came out to audition.
Today, the Lancaster Festival strives to create a fun and inclusive environment; where people can see all aspects of art, from classical symphonies to experimentation and improvisation. They are also advocates of arts education for children, and hope to inspire an early love for music and arts. Through the festival, they help local artists find the spotlight, and support the local economy. The festival hopes to tutor the community and all its visitors in how to truly love and appreciate expression and creativity.
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