Saturday, October 17, 2026 | The Lakes at Hemet West
What a wonderful day celebrating art, creativity, and community at Art in the Park 2026! The Hemet Valley Art Association (HVAA) was delighted to be part of this special event at The Lakes at Hemet West, bringing together 35 talented artists, art enthusiasts, and members of our local community.
A Special Thank You to Linda Baranek
We want to begin by extending our heartfelt appreciation to Linda Baranek and the wonderful team of volunteers who helped make this year's Art in the Park such a success.
Anyone familiar with Southern California knows that the Santa Ana winds can be unpredictable. With high wind alerts throughout the week and gusts expected to reach 35 miles per hour, holding an outdoor art event presented some serious challenges.
Rather than risk the safety of participating artists, visitors, and their artwork, Linda made the difficult decision to move the event indoors.
What made this especially remarkable was how Linda and her volunteers worked together to fit 35 participating artists into the available indoor space, ensuring everyone still had a chance to showcase their work and connect with visitors.
Organizing an event of this size takes tremendous time, planning, and dedication. Making a last-minute venue change takes even more. From coordinating indoor arrangements to helping artists settle into their spaces, these volunteers' support was invaluable.
Linda, thank you for your leadership, flexibility, and genuine concern for everyone involved. And to the volunteers who gave their time, energy, and helping hands, we are equally grateful. Your teamwork, generosity, and dedication turned a challenging situation into a wonderful day for everyone.
Events like this simply wouldn't happen without people like you.
Celebrating Our Talented Local Artists
One of the highlights of Art in the Park was seeing 35 talented artists from across our local arts community, including many of our own Hemet Valley Art Association members, coming together to share their creativity.
Visitors enjoyed a wonderful variety of original artwork, photography, handcrafted items, and unique artistic creations. Each participating artist brought something special to the event, reflecting the diversity of talent found throughout Hemet, the San Jacinto Valley, and surrounding communities.
For HVAA, it was especially rewarding to see our members exhibit alongside fellow local artists, support one another, share ideas, and connect with visitors.
Beyond the beautiful artwork, the atmosphere was equally special. There were plenty of smiles, familiar faces, new friendships, and opportunities to discover the stories and inspiration behind the art.
Events like Art in the Park remind us that art is about more than what we create. It is also about the connections we make and the experiences we share.
More Than Art: Music, Dancing, and Delicious Food!
Art in the Park wasn't just about the incredible artwork on display. It was a day filled with music, dancing, delicious food, and plenty of reasons to smile!
A special thank you to Dave Ambrose, who entertained everyone with his singing and helped create a lively, welcoming atmosphere throughout the event.
Adding even more fun to the celebration, The Lakes at Hemet West's dancing beauties delighted guests with their line dancing, bringing energy, laughter, and a little extra excitement to the festivities.
And what would a community celebration be without some great food and refreshments? Guests enjoyed gourmet hot dogs, tasty tacos, specialty gourmet coffees, and refreshing mocktails.
Between browsing beautiful artwork, enjoying the entertainment, and sharing good food with friends, there was something for everyone.
Our sincere thanks to The Lakes at Hemet West for helping create such a festive and welcoming experience. It was a wonderful reminder that bringing people together through art, music, food, and friendship is what makes community events so special.
Supporting Local Artists and Our Community
For nonprofit organizations like Hemet Valley Art Association, community events provide an important opportunity to introduce people to the incredible artistic talent found right here in the Hemet and San Jacinto Valley.
Every visitor who stops to admire a painting, asks an artist about their creative process, or purchases a handmade piece contributes to a thriving local arts community.
Supporting local artists means supporting the individuals who dedicate their time, imagination, and skills to creating something meaningful.
We were especially pleased to see our HVAA members participate, share their artwork, and represent the association.
Their involvement helps strengthen our mission of promoting the visual arts, encouraging artistic expression, and making art more accessible throughout Hemet and the surrounding communities.
The People Behind the Event
Successful community events don't happen without the dedication of organizers, volunteers, participating artists, and supporters.
We extend our sincere thanks to The Lakes at Hemet West for hosting Art in the Park and helping provide a welcoming space for artists and visitors.
We also want to recognize our HVAA members, volunteers, and the Gallery's Tender Loving Care Team for their continued commitment to supporting our association and its activities.
And to the families and friends who helped artists transport artwork, set up displays, and manage their booths, we appreciate your contributions. Those behind-the-scenes efforts are often what make participation possible.
Most importantly, thank you to everyone who attended Art in the Park.
Whether you purchased artwork, discovered a new favorite artist, enjoyed the entertainment, or simply spent time appreciating the creativity around you, your presence and encouragement meant a great deal to our participating artists.
