McCloskey Museum celebrates Hamiltonian author, illustrator’s 110th birthday

Lentil, a character in Robert McCloskey's first book "Lentil," plays the harmonica for all of downtown Hamilton in Lentil Park.

Credit: Staff photo by Nick Daggy

Credit: Staff photo by Nick Daggy

Lentil, a character in Robert McCloskey's first book "Lentil," plays the harmonica for all of downtown Hamilton in Lentil Park.

The Robert McCloskey Museum will celebrate its namesake, a native Hamiltonian, a day before what would have been his 110th birthday.

From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, the organization invites the public to enjoy some of the things Robert McCloskey brought to life in his award-winning children’s books. Participants can make kaleidoscopes with artists from Inspiration Studios, partake in free donuts and learn to play the harmonica with local musician David Burk (the first 20 gets a free harmonica; sign up at https://tinyurl.com/HarmonicaWorkshop110).

Everything will be at Heritage Hall, which is inside the former municipal building at 20 High St., downtown.

“He is an important hometown hero to celebrate,” said McCloskey Museum curator and storyteller Carrie Halim.

A decade ago, to celebrate McCloskey’s centennial birthday, many Hamilton organizations came together to celebrate the famed illustrator and children’s book author, who produced eight picture books and won a pair of Caldecott Medals from the American Library Association.

Robert McCloskey, who was born in Hamilton in 1914. FILE PHOTO

Credit: FILE PHOTO

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Credit: FILE PHOTO

The former city building is set to get a new life, as renovations and construction on the building will transform it into a boutique Marriott-brand hotel. “It’s another opportunity to honor his artwork,” Halim said, adding they have received grant funding to “help us celebrate his impact on children’s literature.”

In an email shared by Halim from Nancy Schon, the sculptor who created pieces inspired by McCloskey’s work including “Make Way for Ducklings” in Boston and “Lentil” in downtown Hamilton, Schon called the illustrator and author a dear friend.

“Mr. McCloskey was a quiet, thoughtful, almost shy person,” she wrote in her email to Halim. “However, when he spoke, you listened, as what he said was usually important.”

She continued to write, “It was an honor to know this fine, creative, sensitive man.”

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