Summer has arrived, and Advisory committee members and staff at the Tom Thomson Art Gallery are inviting the public to drop in for flashlight tours, 'smores, hot chocolate, board games and more on Thursday June 28th from 7 to 9 pm.

"We were looking for an interesting way to bring the public back into the gallery, and this is the perfect time of year for a campfire themed event," Advisory Committee Chair Richard Thomas said.

The lower gallery will be set up with a campfire theme, and in addition to playing games and eating treats, participants will be taken on a flashlight tour of the gallery exhibit "Trailblazers: Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven in Ontario's Provincial Parks." Celebrating the 125th Anniversary of Provincial Parks in Ontario, the exhibit features paintings from the gallery's permanent collection.

"This is a good chance to see some of the real gems of our collection," Thomas said. "We're hoping that people who haven't been to the gallery in a while will come back. And for those who have never been into the gallery, 'Trailblazers' is the one exhibit they should see."

The evening will also give participants a sneak peek at a popular feature at the gallery, the upcoming 100 Squares Exhibition. This year's theme, "Tom Thomson Country", speaks to the beauty of the Canadian Landscape which inspired Tom Thomson and his work. Artists can submit a 2 or 3-dimensional work in a frame that is 10 centimetres square. The work is for sale, and the gallery gift shop will be open as well.

source: media release, Tom Thomson Art Gallery