“The benches are back,” read the text from my sister, Jean. She was referring to Tinley Park’s Benches on the Avenue, an annual public art program.

Jean knows I always enjoy seeing the colorful themed benches lining the main strip in downtown Tinley Park, a southwest suburb of Chicago where she lives. In a bit of good timing, we already had a siblings’ lunch with our other sister planned in that area.

Debuting in 2004, Tinley Park’s Benches on the Avenue is one of the most popular attractions. The benches are the work of professional and amateur artists — sponsored by businesses or individuals. This year’s theme is “Saturday Morning Cartoons.” About 24 benches are located within a five-block stretch, making it easy to see all of them in a short time.

As we headed for the area, we guessed which cartoons might be represented. I was much more interested in Saturday morning cartoons than they were, but they humored me with their guesses. I was happy to see some old-school cartoons, like Popeye and Tom and Jerry, represented. There was a really good mix of old and new. My favorite was the Schoolhouse Rock! bench. More a series of short educational videos, Schoolhouse Rock! was a childhood favorite, and I was happy to see it included.

On display May through October, benches have a different theme each year. Previous years included Animal Adventure, Heroes and Villains, Classic TV, and The Magic of Music. While we were on our bench hunt, we saw several other folks taking selfies with the benches.

A lover of public art adding color to mundane scenery, I especially appreciate these for their functionality. This year’s benches might be my favorite yet.

— John Wroblewski, Special Projects Manager