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The Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center is excited to present a celebration of African American heritage and culture with the return of the hat ladies to the Bottle Works! An exhibit featuring 40 hats owned and worn by local African American women, along with their history, will be on display from June 6 – July 21, 2024, in our Main Exhibit Space. Join us for the opening reception on June 8, 2024, from 4-8 PM for heavy hors d’oeuvres by Luxury Events & Catering, live music, and a runway-style hat show!Along with the exhibit, we will be featuring an Open-Mic Poetry Works night on Jackie’s Garden Works Green Roof on July 13, featuring local poets and DJ Zay Brick! Luxury Events & Catering will be providing appetizers. The event is co-sponsored by Johnstown Women of Influence (JWOI) and will be open to the public, but space is limited. Pre-registration will be required. The Bottle Works will also be announcing a Crown Works still life painting workshop with where participants will get to paint the hats from the exhibit with some of the finished pieces being auctioned off at the 3rd Avenue Folk & Arts Fest on July 20 & 21, 2024!
The exhibit and related events are sponsored in part by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation and the Community Foundation of the Alleghenies.
About the Exhibit:
Hats and hat shows have always had cultural significance in the Black community. Black women have been wearing hats for centuries. Hats, especially those worn on Sunday morning, became a signature expression of a resilient past that did not always value Black women and their beauty. Hats became an important way to exhibit confidence and beauty and remind the wearers to carry themselves like queens. Their hats are often referred to as “crowns”.
Eventually, Black communities began to showcase the beauty and creativity of hats and those who wore them at hat shows---cultural events where Black women exhibit their elaborate and stylish hats. These events hold deep significance within the Black community, serving as a celebration of heritage, spirituality, and personal expression. The hats themselves often symbolize various aspects of identity, history, and faith, reflecting the wearer’s personality and cultural background. Additionally, hat shows provide a space for community bonding and storytelling, allowing participants to share their experiences and traditions while celebrating their unique sense of style. Overall, these shows highlight the importance of cultural pride and the power of fashion as a form of self-expression and connection within the African American community.
Over 15 years ago, Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center recognized the significance and artistic expression of hats when it sponsored the first hat show in Johnstown, PA. Working closely with Black community leaders known for their fashion sense and understanding of the history of hats, they presented a yearly hat show during Black History Month. The spectacular hats modeled at the shows were selected from over 500 hats in the collection of local Black women and the history behind the hats was told as models paraded among spectators. The show became a highlight of Black History Month.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
411 Third Ave., Johnstown, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 15906
