|
The 17th annual Beach & Bay Cottage Tour to benefit the Friends of the South Coastal Library will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, July 23 and 24. Gov. Ruth Ann Minner is serving as honorary chairwoman for the benefit.
The 2008 tour features homes along the south coastal area ranging from the Indian River Inlet to west of Fenwick Island. According to Cottage Tour Chairwoman Faith Denault, in response to many requests from tourgoers, this year’s tour will focus on cottages. There are three cottages in or near downtown Bethany Beach and cottage style homes in South Bethany and Ocean View.
To complement these cottages there are more contemporary homes in South Shore Marina, Bear Trap Dunes, Bethany Lakes, Bayside and Bayville Shores. Some of the homes are new and some are very old, some are large and some are small – the tour offers a variety of styles and personalities. Tourgoers have the option of visiting all 10 homes in one day or spreading the viewing over the two days of the tour.
Tickets for the tour are $30, and the organizers strongly recommend that reservations be made well in advance. The tour has been a sellout since 2000, and once again the number of tickets sold will be limited. Each tour participant will receive a sturdy tote bag with the program booklet which serves as the ticket, a pair of booties (donated by Beebe Medical Center) to be worn in all the homes, and complimentary copies of ChesapeakeHome and Delaware Beach Life magazines.
Tickets will be available starting July 16 at Perfect Furnishings, Japanesque, Rose Garden and Sea Needles in Bethany; at the Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce, Carolina Street and The Rooster’s Nest in Fenwick Island; at McCabe’s in South Bethany and at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth.
Any tickets remaining the days of the tour will be available only at The Gallery on Central Avenue. Babies and children under 12 are not permitted in the homes.
Of course, no Cottage Tour would be complete without raffles to enhance the fundraising. The winners of the popular Dinner for Two raffle will dine in style at DiFebo’s, Magnolia’s, Mancini’s, Oak Arbor Inn, The Parkway Restaurant or Sedona. The Art Raffle, featuring new artists this year, offers framed artwork from Barbara Deitrick, Chip Deitrick, Tara Funk Grim, Dorothy Harrison-Braun and Ellen Rice.
Tickets for both raffles at $1 each or six for $5 will be available at the library and at selected homes on the days of the tour. The drawings will be held at the library at 5:30 p.m., July 24; winners need not be present. For details, contact Tour Chairwoman Faith Denault at fmdenault@aol.com or call the Friends at 302-537-5828 and leave a message.
|
