|
What could be better than strolling around the charming streets of Lewes, looking at original fine art and craftwork from 140 exhibitors, finding unique gifts for special occasions, and enjoying the “famous turkey salad” croissants? Getting to do so after scoring an easy parking space on a busy holiday weekend.
St. Peter’s 42nd annual Art Show is slated for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, July 5, and the show’s committee has been partnering with community groups and businesses to make this year’s event even more enjoyable for patrons.
Cape Henlopen School District is opening its Ninth Grade Campus and Shields Elementary parking lots off Savannah Road for overflow parking, and Prudential Gallo Realtors is providing a free shuttle that will run from those lots to Second Street throughout the event. For patrons who prefer to be within walking distance, sister churches Lewes Presbyterian (Kings Highway & Franklin) and Bethel United Methodist (Fourth & Market and Fourth & Chestnut) are opening their lots to show visitors as well.
Lewes Police Chief Ronald Gooch helped to devise a new booth arrangement for Second Street that improves public safety and accessibility, and American Cedar significantly reduced the cost of the materials needed to effect the plan (allowing more money to go to local charities from the event). Larry McLaughlin of the Lewes Streets Department is providing trash service for the show, with the addition of recycling containers at each corner.
Water stations are also available at Second and Market and Third and Mulberry, thanks to the generous support of the Lewes Board of Public Works and Safeway supermarket. Public restrooms are available on Market and in St. Peter’s Parish Hall.
Led by St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Women (ECW), the show is entirely volunteer run, allowing proceeds to benefit many local charities. Among the scores of volunteers that the show “employs” are some happy souls who are providing free, drop-in child care (similar to what’s offered at Ikea) for potty-trained children up to 10 years old. Kids can enjoy games, cartoons and crafts in air-conditioned comfort while their parents shop the show. Kids of all ages can also visit Karen Letonoff on the church’s labyrinth between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. for face painting, or they can buy artwork created by parish children to raise money for mosquito nets for the developing world (the pictures are even matted, thanks to Rehoboth Art & Framing).
Entertainment is also provided at the labyrinth by guitarist Lenny Burridge, and George Bayley, the parish’s renowned organist, is playing a concert of light music from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the air-conditioned church.
Wilmington Trust Bank is allowing the show to expand its silent auction by providing a large tent and publicity for the event. The show’s silent auction and raffle are extraordinary. At a time when most people would expect donations to be more conservative, more than half of the show’s exhibitors (80 in total) have graciously given items to these two fundraisers, allowing St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Women to help even more charities in this lean time.
For more information on the show’s logistics or to see a complete list of this year’s exhibitors, visit www.StPetersLewes.org and click on the Art Show link or call the parish office at 302-645-8479, Ext. 206.
|
