The Sunset Beach Art Festival, celebrating its 52nd year Mother’s Day Weekend, is seeking Art & Craft vendors. “We’re planning on having our largest turnout ever of vendors and attendees at this fun, free event,” said Frances Small, Festival Art Gallery Chair for Las Damas, a philanthropic non-profit woman’s organization which has helped local residents and schools for 50 years. “Vendors need to turn in their applications before April 4th.” You can find the application on the new website: www.sunsetbeachartfestival.net. (Select the Vendor tab or the Art Gallery tab).
This year’s festival, May 11th-12th, includes art exhibits, vendor booths, food booths, bands, raffles and a beer & wine garden. Vendors sell beautiful jewelry including sea glass, genuine stones and crystals. You’ll also find original drawings, paintings, sculpture, crafts and photography. There’s a Kids Zone (off 7th St. between North and South Pacific Ave.) which features activities, including, face-painting, petting zoo, and bungee jumping. There will be a free booth for children to create their own handmade masterpieces for Mom and free gift wrapping for that special gift purchased at the festival.
The highlight tradition of the festival is a finely crafted seaside symbol Handmade Quilt, sewn by members of the community and Las Damas. It features multiple squares designed to resemble events, coastal landmarks, and business in Sunset Beach.
“We’re very fortunate to have our hometown artist, Bill Anderson of Anderson Art Gallery, create the keepsake official festival poster,” said Lisa Marie Moreo, Art Festival Chairperson. “The original will be hung in our art gallery, located in the Nobles Family Community Center (the former firehouse on 12th St.). “There will be a juried art show, held the night of May 10th, and the gallery will be open throughout the festival.”
“There is a reason this beautiful location is named Sunset Beach,” said Artist Bill Anderson, a longtime supporter of Las Damas. “I wanted to show the natural beauty of the view from Sunset Beach, as you look toward Catalina and the daily fantastic sunsets. As a former art teacher in Los Alamitos I was privileged to receive funds from Las Damas for our art department. This gave us the opportunity to order art supplies for our students.”
From the nearby Peter’s Landing Parking Lot, people can enjoy a Free Shuttle to and from the festival. The Shuttle pick-up and drop-off location is curbside at North PCH, closest to Starbucks, or at the far end of Sunset Beach, where Warner & N. Pacific meet at the small parking lot. The public parking can be challenging as greenbelt spaces are limited.
If you have a state beach parking pass, it’s quite easy to park at the north end of the Bolsa Chica State Beach and walk less than one block over to the shuttle pick up. For others, there is a charge for state beach parking.
