Arts in the Garden event set Oct. 10 in Frankford

The Inland Bays Garden Center’s 6th Annual Arts in the Garden event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 10 (rain date Oct. 11).

This celebration of autumn now boasts more than 20 local artists/vendors, a photo booth for families and friends designed by Alison Webb of the American Institute of Floral Designers, a bonsai display, a kids’ craft table, SmashMouth Burgers food truck, live music, and Southern Delaware’s largest collection of native plants.

The highlight of this year’s event will be a participatory mural created by local artist John Donato to benefit the Center for the Inland Bays. Folks who donate any amount Oct. 10 to support the CIB can  join in the fun and paint flowers, trees, bees, butterflies, horseshoe crabs, seagulls, turtles, dolphins, osprey and more along with the artist.

Donato’s vision for a mural combing plants and wildlife found in and around the bays began to emerge when he saw the garden center workshop, and the idea to make the project a hands-on fundraiser soon followed. Garden center owners Cheryl Rehrig and Denise Hoeksema were eager to help an organization they are so passionate about while having their workshop take on a colorful new life.

The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays is a nonprofit organization established in 1994, and is one of 28 national estuary programs. With its many partners, the center works to preserve, protect and restore Delaware’s Inland Bays – Rehoboth, Indian River and Little Assawoman – and their watershed. For details, go to inlandbays.org.

Inland Bays Garden Center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, at 38320 Muddy Neck Road, Frankford. For more information, contact Sandy Daniels, 302-539-1839 or info@inlandbaysgardencenter.com, or go to inlandbaysgardencenter.com.