The Parade of Elephants, a traveling art exhibit, is on display at the Elgin County Economic Development and Tourism office, located at 450 Sunset Drive, St. Thomas, until February 28, 2013.

This public art initiative was launched by the St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre in conjunction with the Elgin Arts Trail and its members. The exhibit is designed to generate interest in the local arts community and promote awareness about Elgin artists, galleries and studios featured on the Elgin Arts Trail.

"We are pleased to have the exhibit here at the Elgin County Tourism office," said Tourism Development Coordinator Kathryn Russell. "We encourage the public to come and see the elephants, meet the Elgin County staff and pick up an Elgin Arts Trail Guide."

The exhibit features papier maché elephants that are approximately 1.5 x 1.5 feet in size. Each elephant is uniquely decorated and reflects the artist who created it. The elephants pay homage to Jumbo, the African Elephant and star of the Barnum and Bailey circus that met his untimely end in St. Thomas in 1885.

Throughout 2013 the elephants will travel to different locations on the Elgin Arts Trail with a new elephant being created and added to the parade at each location. The exhibit will travel around Elgin County and St. Thomas until August 24, 2013 when it will end its journey at the St. Thomas Elgin-Public Art Centre. The elephants will then be displayed at the Art Centre and the public will be invited to view them at a reception with all the artists in attendance.

The Elgin County Tourism office is located at 450 Sunset Dr., St. Thomas and is open Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. For more information on the Parade of Elephants, pictures and a copy of the Parade of Elephants Tour Map, please visit www.elginartstrail.ca/paradeofelephants or call 9519-631-1460 ext. 168.