Dewey Beach to welcome artists and crafters for May 10 festival

Dewey Beach will welcome over 40 artists and crafters to the town for the Third Annual Dewey Beach Arts Fest and the Dewey Beach Lions Club Community Day. The festival will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, May 10, at Dagsworthy and McKinley avenues bayside in Dewey Beach.

This year’s event is going to be the biggest yet as the Dewey Business Partnership teams up with the Dewey Beach Lions Club for the event. Artists and crafters come from both the local community and of town, and the day promises fun for the whole family. Art for sale will be quite diverse; everything from pottery to jewelry, candles, and photography will be available for purchase.

This is one of the Dewey Business Partnership’s biggest initiatives for the year, organized in large part by Kelly Ranieri, whose love of art and children come together for this special day. Ranieri is excited to see the event grow. “We are encouraging people to shop local for Mother's Day. It’s a great place to get beachy art and support our artists. Artists and patrons have been returning year after year,” she said.

The Lions Club clubhouse will function as the children’s art gallery where kids will have the opportunity to see their art next to professional artists' works. There will also be free kids’ crafts. Mummers will be on hand beginning at 1:30 p.m. Face painting, two magic shows, a photo booth, pony rides starting at 2 p.m., and a moon bounce offer lots of kids' events. The Woodland String Mummers and music by Vicki Dee will provide entertainment.

Several Dewey Beach businesses will provide complimentary food, including The Starboard Restaurant and Jimmy’s Grille. It’s a great day to make those last-minute Mother’s Day purchases. Many places will offer free gift wrapping. The event will also be taking book and art donations for the Cape Henlopen Summer Bookmobile Program at the Lions Club.

Following the festival, from 5 to 7 p.m., there will be a bonfire on the beach and a free wine tasting hosted by the Friends of Dewey group. The event is free to the public, and so is parking. To see a list of the artists who have signed up for the Arts Fest, go to www.deweybusinesspartnership.com or visit them on Facebook to find updates on weather the day of the event.