HomeMy WebLinkAboutMedia Release10 CO2 -U 1
MEDIA CONTACT:
Ronnie Moro, The Agency
305.662.7152 ext. 101
ronnie@theaaencypr.com
PEACOCKS TO PLUMAGE IN COCONUT GROVE THIS SPRING
Public Art Display to Adorn Idyllic Village Beginning April 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MIAMI - INSERT DATE - Fashioned offer the renowned CowParade, which has been staged in
over 50 cities, The Coconut Grove Peacock Tour will commence in the spring of 2010 where
dozens of decorated fiberglass peacocks will invade the streets of the quaint, artsy village. The
brainchild of Heather Bettner, a Coconut Grove Village Councilwoman, The Peacock Tour was
created to bring a unique interactive public display that visitors and residents alike could enjoy.
"Cincinnati has pigs, Chicago has cows, Miami Beach has flamingos, and we have peacocks,"
says Bettner, a longtime resident of Coconut Grove. "Loved by some, distained by others, the
peacock has become the Grove's unofficial mascot and an integral symbol of this community."
Each peacock will be sponsored by local businesses and individuals and will then be decorated
by local artists who will each incorporate their own themes representative of the culture. A
"who's who" of artists has been commissioned so far including renowned pop artists Romero
Brito and Ed King, marionette pioneer Pablo Cano, sculptor Paula Turk, and post modern
cartoonist, LEBO. Doreen LoCiero, a celebrated local artist, will serve as Artistic Director of the
exhibit.
Coming in at 6 feet tall and weighing over 100 pounds, the life-size fiberglass peacock statues
will be placed at varied spots throughout Coconut Grove. A self -guided tour brochure will be
available that will allow folks to leisurely stroll the village seeking the colorfully decorated birds as
well as discover all the hidden pleasures the Grove has to offer.
Since the beginning planning stages, The Coconut Grove community has been abuzz about
what an innovative public art exhibit like this could do to attract visitors. Almost immediately the
Peacock Tour recruited various local business sponsors including The Shoppes of Mayfair and
Hampton Inn Coconut Grove as presenting sponsors, and EWM International, Milam's
Supermarket, The Miami Heat, Metro Zoo, Casa Valentina, Shell Lumber, State Farm, Coconut
Grove BID, as peacock sponsors.
"'The Peacock Tour is an exciting event for Coconut Grove and we are excited to be
participating," says Bernard Wolfson, President of Hampton Inn Coconut Grove. "It has always
been the policy of Hampton Inn Coconut Grove to take the lead with positive presentations to
our visitors. The Peacock Tour does that in a unique, memorable and fun way."
The six month public exhibit will end in August. The grand finale of the tour will be at The Peacock
Tour Auction Ball, where the peacocks will be auctioned off to benefit local charities. Each
peacock sponsor gets to pick a charity of their choice.
Festivities from The Coconut Grove Peacock Tour will begin on Friday, March 12th at a Peacock
Vernissage taking place at Windisch-Hunt Fine Art Gallery where guests will have the exclusive
opportunity to see the fiberglass peacock as a blank canvas before the artists' recreations. The
Coconut Grove Peacock Tour will also host numerous events and activities throughout the spring
and summer.
"Planning for The Peacock Tour has once again confirmed the community's sense of pride and
camaraderie," says Camille DePhillips, Marketing and Events Coordinator for the exhibit. "It's a
really fun project that will not only bring visitors to the Grove but and an artistic elegance to our
little village."
For more information on The Coconut Grove Peacock Tour and a complete list of artists and
sponsors, visit www.coconutgrover)eacocktour.com. To become a sponsor, contact Heather
Bettner at 305.775.01 13.