What was born in the 70’s and is still a kid at heart?

Where else can you hear someone say, “We have been doing a lot of neat things with bugs?”

Not a lot of places – except the Roving Art Cart, Citiparks’ peripatetic tent city of art opportunities, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year with a big finish at all the regional parks.

What began as an actual cart – just a four-foot by six-foot wooden box with shelves full of art supplies – is now five or more hand-sewn tents (the number depends on the venue). There, kids can make papier mâché puppets, including lady bugs, as well as mosaic insects. They can pose in the digital photo station with flower leis, straw hats, mustaches and empty picture frames; decorate free t-shirts; paint on easels outdoors; and mold clay creations.

The spin-art bikes are back this year, offering three stationary bicycles, from tot-sized to adults, which turn the art. The canvases are recycled 45-rpm records. The bikes also power sewing machines used by Roving Art Cart to demonstrate fiber arts.

And, yes, it has face painting. The Cart’s last hour every Friday is a birthday party with treats and extra art projects.

The “huge finale” this year, says Cart Manager Nancy Burns, encompasses the next few weeks, ending Aug. 16. The Cart will let kids fly kites at the Schenley Oval, see a potter in action at Frick, build kaleidoscopes at Riverview and create animal-themed art in Highland Park, just for starters. Some of the Cart art will join the puppet parade at the annual kids’ reading event, Alphabet Trail and Tales, this year to be held at Blue Slide Park in September.

“It’s a beautiful model,” says Burns. “It’s proven the test of time to survive 40 years.”

And remember, she adds: “It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s from 10 to 1.” Tuesdays through Fridays, that is. See the schedule here.

Writer: Marty Levine

Source: Nancy Burns, Citiparks