April Events to Mark Marin Civic Center Anniversary

To continue the year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Frank Lloyd Wright Marin Civic Center, several special events are coming up in April, presented by the Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center Conservancy:

Farmers Market Booth: The Frank Lloyd Wright Marin Civic Center will be celebrated at the Civic Center Farmers Market on Sunday, April 28. Members of the Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center Conservancy will be on hand at the Information Booth to share interesting facts and information about the Marin Civic Center. There will be special limited edition 50th Anniversary Posters and Postcards available at the booth.

Spire Lighting: The Civic Center's iconic 200-foot golden spire will be illuminated from dusk to midnight on Sunday, April 28, to celebrate that date 55 years ago when the Board of Supervisors voted to accept Frank Lloyd Wright's plans and authorized the acceptance of bids for construction. Wright had convinced the Board and the residents of Marin that they had the chance to witness something noble and new, because "Architecture is the blind spot of our nation.”  Wright went on, “Here comes a crucial, critical opportunity to open the eyes, not of Marin County alone but of the whole country, to what people gathering together might do for themselves to broaden and beautify their lives." Before his death on April 9, 1959, Wright completed concept drawings for all of the structures on the Civic Center campus, including the fairgrounds. The Marin Civic Center is the only local government facility of his design ever built; the U.S. Post Office Civic Center Station, located directly across the street, is also the only federal government building built and designed by Wright. 

Call for artists! Join us for a Plein-Air Paint Out at the Frank Lloyd Wright Marin Civic Center Farmer's Market on Sunday, June 9. April is the time to pick your favorite spot to paint the Civic Center and surrounding grounds. Celebrate the imagination of Frank Lloyd Wright (born June 8, 1867) and enjoy the beauty of our Marin Civic Center grounds. Members of the Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy will be on hand at the information booth to share interesting facts and information about the history of the Marin Civic Center. For more information, visit Marin Open Studios Artists Newsletter.

Call for Youth Photographers! All Marin students are invited to participate in the New Youth Photography Competition for the Marin County Fair 2013, titled “Photographs of the Marin County Civic Center.” The competition is in partnership with the Marin County Fair and Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center Conservancy, and it celebrates the architectural and cultural legacy of the Civic Center during its 50^th anniversary.  Entry forms are due at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 16, in the Fair Office. Visit marinfair.org for more details.

Visit http://www.marinciviccenter50th.org for announcements on upcoming events and more information about the history of the Frank Lloyd Wright Marin County Civic Center, with before and after photos of the original Civic Center site. You can reach Sandra Fawn from the Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center Conservancy at sandrafawn@gmail.com