# Event Details - **Event Name**: Clay, Community + Place | A Panel Discussion at the Historic Dunes Pavillion - **Event Start and End Date**: Sun, 26 Jul, 2026 at 06:00 pm - **Event Description**: Sunday July 26th | 6PM CST Indiana Dunes State Park Pavillion As part of Beale Pottery’s annual Summer Camp Celebration, Clay, Community & Place brings together five nationally recognized ceramic artists - Dick Lehman, John Britt, Justin Rothshank, Heidi Fahrenbacher, and Delores Fortuna for a thoughtful evening of stories and conversation exploring how place, community, and creativity shape a lasting and meaningful life in clay. Hosted within the Historic Indiana Dunes Pavilion, guests will gather in one of the region’s most treasured landmarks. Originally constructed in 1929 and perched atop the dunes overlooking Lake Michigan, the Pavilion has welcomed generations of visitors seeking beauty, inspiration, and connection to this remarkable landscape. Its rich history and stunning setting provide the perfect backdrop for an evening centered on creativity and belonging. Through stories of friendship, mentorship, collaboration, and decades of shared experiences in creating successful ceramic practices, our panelists will reflect on the relationships and environments that have supported their work and helped shape their artistic journeys. Together, we’ll explore what becomes possible when artists invest in one another, support their communities, and commit to the long arc of a creative life. The conversation will be moderated by Meredith McGriff, a folklorist, writer, and longtime documentarian of ceramic culture. Through her research and storytelling, Meredith has spent years chronicling the lives, traditions, and interconnected histories of potters throughout the Midwest and beyond. Her work explores the relationships between people, place, and creative practice, making her uniquely suited to guide a conversation centered on the communities that are created from a common interest in clay. Following the conversation we’ll have time for a brief Q&A session. As the sun drops below the horizon we invite everyone to socialize, and enjoy live acoustic music and sip drinks all while taking in one of the most remarkable views in Northwest Indiana. Our panelists have generously donated artwork to be raffled off to guests. Each ticket purchase will act as a single entry, and names will be drawn after the discussion - you may be going home with a piece of original ceramic art! *Artists will also have special collections of their work for sale during the sunset social. Seating is limited to 60 guests to ensure that we create an intimate and engaging experience. Advance registration is required - please register early! Whether you’re a lifelong potter, an emerging maker, or simply someone who appreciates the power of creativity and community, we invite you to gather around the table for an evening of meaningful conversation and connection. Your Evening Includes Admission to the panel discussion Audience Q&A with all participating artists Beautiful Buffet-style dinner at the historic Indiana Dunes Pavilion Cash Bar Time to meet, connect, and converse with fellow artists and guests Live acoustic music during the sunset social following the discussion Raffle Entry for original works of art from panelists Stunning sunset views overlooking Lake Michigan Schedule 6:00 PM | Doors Open & Dinner Served 6:30 PM | Welcome 6:40 PM | Moderated Conversation 8:10 PM | Audience Q&A 8:40 PM | Live Acoustic Music, Networking/Sunset Social 10:00 PM | Evening Concludes Dinner Menu Mixed Green Salad Mediterranean Herb Chicken with roasted tomatoes and artichoke hearts *Dairy and Gluten Free Penne Primavera Arrabbiata with seasonal vegetables *Vegan Garlic Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes Honey Maple Dijon Glazed Carrots Light Dessert The Pavillion is located on the shore of Lake Michigan inside the Indiana Dunes State Park. Ticket holders will receive an email a day or two before the event with a code to use at the gate for free entry to the park. In the summer months, there can be a line at the gate. To ensure you get to the 2nd floor of the pavilion on time, you may start entering the gate at 5pm with the code, although the doors to the event will not open until 6pm. Our hope is that you’ll leave inspired by the stories, encouraged by the possibilities, and reminded that behind every meaningful creative life is a community of people who helped shape that journey. We are really excited to see everyone and share in this experience! - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/chesterton/clay-community-place-a-panel-discussion-at-the-historic-dunes-pavillion/200030287379156 - **Event Categories**: art, business, summer-camps, literary-art, kids, storytelling - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 23 ## Ticket Details ## Event venue details - **city**: Chesterton - **state**: IN - **country**: United States - **location**: Indiana Dunes State Park Beach - **lat**: 41.66225997125 - **long**: -87.06326235875 - **full address**: Indiana Dunes State Park Beach, Indiana Dunes State Park Beach, Chesterton, IN 46304, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Clay, Community + Place | A Panel Discussion at the Historic Dunes Pavillion - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/c085cf585c8c5125b3a2e83ead13558e63d95a83547b2e4d6b4d9e4cb455b442-rimg-w1200-h1583-dcefd2ab-gmir?v=1784836169 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Clay, Community + Place | A Panel Discussion at the Historic Dunes Pavillion being held? - **A:** Clay, Community + Place | A Panel Discussion at the Historic Dunes Pavillion takes place on Sun, 26 Jul, 2026 at 06:00 pm to Sun, 26 Jul, 2026 at 06:00 pm at Indiana Dunes State Park Beach, Indiana Dunes State Park Beach, Chesterton, IN 46304, United States. - **Q**: Who is organizing Clay, Community + Place | A Panel Discussion at the Historic Dunes Pavillion? - **A:** Clay, Community + Place | A Panel Discussion at the Historic Dunes Pavillion is organized by Beale Pottery. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Clay, Community + Place | A Panel Discussion at the Historic Dunes Pavillion is ideal for art lovers, trade professionals, collectors, and exhibition enthusiasts exploring the latest in their field. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Chesterton, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Clay, Community + Place | A Panel Discussion at the Historic Dunes Pavillion sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Clay, Community + Place | A Panel Discussion at the Historic Dunes Pavillion", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/c085cf585c8c5125b3a2e83ead13558e63d95a83547b2e4d6b4d9e4cb455b442-rimg-w1200-h1583-dcefd2ab-gmir?v=1784836169", "startDate": "2026-07-26", "url": "https://allevents.in/chesterton/clay-community-place-a-panel-discussion-at-the-historic-dunes-pavillion/200030287379156", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Indiana Dunes State Park Beach", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "Indiana Dunes State Park Beach, Chesterton, IN 46304, United States", "addressLocality": "Chesterton", "addressRegion": "IN", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "41.66225997125", "longitude": "-87.06326235875" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Sunday July 26th | 6PM CST\nIndiana Dunes State Park Pavillion\n\nAs part of Beale Pottery’s annual Summer Camp Celebration, Clay, Community & Place brings together five nationally recognized ceramic artists - Dick Lehman, John Britt, Justin Rothshank, Heidi Fahrenbacher, and Delores Fortuna for a tho", "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Beale Pottery", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/beale-pottery/22861585" } ] } ] ```