Photo by Scott Cunningham
In Lancaster, glass was king.
For 80 years, The Anchor Hocking Company had called Lancaster its home, and the company enjoyed decades of success while employing hundreds of skilled local glassworkers and artisans.
In 1985, though, the plant closed down, and Anchor Hocking’s operations moved east to Pennsylvania, leaving its employees to pick up the pieces. Spirits were low, and local community events organizer Barbara Hunzicker sought a way to revitalize her town by infusing it with a new source of cultural celebration.
Hunzicker had helped arrange one concert in Lancaster previously – a Picnic with the Pops concert held at Ohio University Lancaster’s outdoor auditorium – but her plans were bigger than that.
With help from Co-Director Eleanor Hood and Artistic Adviser Al Romano, Hunzicker’s vision became an eight-day event that raised the morale of the city. With Hunzicker’s contributions, the Lancaster Festival became a tradition. The festival will celebrate its 30th anniversary during its 2015 run from July 23 to Aug. 1.
“Anchor Hocking was a major employer for a long time, and that was Lancaster’s identity,” Hunzicker says. With the inauguration of this vibrant new tradition, relief began to appear for people for whom the company meant their livelihood. “Hundreds of people volunteered to help, and together we started to create a new identity for the town.”
Now the festival has 800 volunteers and some paid staff, who oversee the continuity of Hunzicker’s determined efforts.
In addition to her work with the festival, Hunzicker is on the board of the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio. After starting in the acquisitions department to obtain furniture for the museum, she soon became an organizer. Since 2002, Hunzicker has planned and designed more than 30 exhibitions.
Hunzicker moved to Lancaster from New York City as a young girl. Beginning in grade school, she participated in art festivals and played in orchestras. In her young adulthood she attended Columbus School of Art (now Columbus College of Art and Design) and The Ohio State University.
Hunzicker lives in Lancaster with her husband, Dr. William Hunzicker. The couple have two daughters: Theresa King and Dr. Tamara Hunzicker, the latter of whom lives in Maine.
On May 13, Hunzicker will be recognized at the Governor’s Awards for the Arts in Ohio and receive the Arts Patron award.
Hunzicker takes great pride in her accomplishments, including having featured nationally recognized artists at the Decorative Arts Center.
“We’ve had a lot of guest artists at the festival and a lot of guest artists at the center,” Hunzicker says. “And we keep working to make it better.”
Zach Maiorana is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
