MENDOTA - Be among the first to learn about a new artistic showpiece, “Mendota Gold,” that will be coming to town this summer. All of the details surrounding the project will be revealed during an After Hours event hosted by the Mendota Area Chamber of Commerce at the Mendota Civic Center on Thursday, June 7 from 5-7 p.m. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be served.

The After Hours will include all of the details surrounding the project, along with a visual depiction of the finished product and remarks from several of the people who have been instrumental in the process of bringing this massive, outdoor art installation to Mendota. They will also explain the proactive role Mendota has taken in helping to expand tourism throughout the region with this unique project, which will be the first-of-its-kind in this area.

The Mendota Gold project is a collaboration between the City of Mendota, the Mendota Area Chamber of Commerce, Northern Partners Cooperative and North Central Illinois (NCI) ARTworks. Artist Ray Paseka, owner of Westclox Studios in Peru, will bring the art project to life. “This will be a tourist attraction,” commented Mendota City Clerk Emily McConville, who assisted in the planning of the project.

The art project will be located within the city limits of Mendota and McConville said they hope to have it finished by the time the Sweet Corn Festival rolls around in August, adding, “We’ve been talking about this for a long time.”

The Mendota Civic Center is located at 1901 Tom Merwin Drive in Mendota. The After Hours will take place from 5-7 p.m. on June 7. The event is free and open to the public.