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Behind every great street is a great alley, at least according to Park Hill resident Jack Farrar. “I think alleys are fascinating, actually,” he explains. “When my wife, Pam, and I go for walks, we inevitably walk up and down alleys, because in some respects, they’re a lot more interesting.” Farrar’s interest in alleys led to adventures in guerrilla gardening in unused patches of alley five years ago, then to the creation of full-blown installation art in his alley, and eventually in other alleys around town. Now he’s promoting the Park Hill Alley Art Contest as a complement to the thirtieth annual Park Hill Home Tour today.
Farrar has been accepting submissions from other alley artists in the neighborhood, not to mention scouting the area for creative works that haven’t bothered to enter. Now he’s got more than a dozen entries, comprising installations, painted garages and other miscellaneous artistic alley endeavors throughout his Park Hill neighborhood. “There are no hard-and-fast rules, of course,” he says. “The goofier the better.” During today’s parade of homes and the accompanying street fair, which runs along Forest Parkway between 19th Avenue and Montview Boulevard, Farrar will set up a booth to announce the winners. Connoisseurs of outsider art and curiosity-seekers alike are encouraged to come down, enjoy the fair and wander the alleys to view the entrants.
While you’re down there, check out the historic Park Hill Home Tour of seven homes with historic value and architectural interest. Tickets for the tour are $12 in advance, or $15 the day of the tour. For more info, visit www.gphc.org.
Sun., Sept. 28, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., 2008
