Isabel Bloom is continuing to celebrate its 60 years in business in 2023 at its Davenport headquarters and studio.
Good-bye Summer Hello Fall Fest will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 22, in the parking lot of the Isabel Bloom store and tour center at 736 Federal St.
“The festival is another way of giving back to the community, especially our customers who have supported us all these years,” Donna Young, Isabel Bloom co-owner and artist, said in a news release.
The festivities will include:
- Live music by singer songwriter Matt Hamilton.
- Schaa-Bo’s Korean Fusion Cuisine Food Truck.
- Door prizes.
- First chance to purchase NEW limited edition “Acorn Dish,” which will be available only at the festival.
- Free behind-the-scenes tour of the handcrafted process of making Isabel Bloom sculptures.
Guests are invited to bring their lawn chairs and beverages and enjoy an evening of fun at the fest. The store will be open during the celebration.
The fall fest comes nearly three months after the homegrown company celebrated its milestone anniversary with a similar Peace. Love. & Bloom. festival attended by dozens of customers and supporters.
The company was founded by its namesake, artist Isabel Bloom, when she opened her first shop in 1963 in a rented house in the Village of East Davenport. A few years later, she purchased the house next door at 1109 Mound St., with help of her father and her artist husband John Bloom. The pair met while studying art in Stone City, Iowa.
Ms. Bloom died on May 1, 2001, at age 93 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Mr. Bloom died nearly a year later at age 96.
Earlier this year, the company that still bears her name celebrated its 60th year with a birthday party on Feb. 20 to also commemorate what would have been Ms. Bloom’s 115th birthday.
Today, the handcrafted sculptures are designed by her protégé, Ms. Young. She has created a limited edition “Anniversary Owl” sculpture that will be for purchase only in 2023.
“Owls were one of Isabel’s favorite subjects to sculpt, maybe because their large eyes and feathers gave Isabel lots of opportunity to stylize,” Ms. Young said in an earlier interview. “My design was inspired by Isabel’s Night Owl, which is no longer in our line.”
In addition to the Isabel Bloom Tour Facility and Showroom near downtown Davenport, the company has a showroom/retail store in the Historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines.
