Hundreds of handbell musicians gathered in Rehoboth Beach for the Handbell Musicians of America Area 3’s annual Beach Festival.
Handbell Musicians of America is a national organization dedicated to advancing the musical art of handbell ringing. The national organization is split into a dozen regional areas. Area 3 represents ringers from Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Washington, D.C.
The event is typically held in Ocean City, Md., but this was the first year the festival was in Rehoboth Beach. Overall, it’s the 66th annual. This year, there were about 280 ringers and directors in attendance.
In advance of the festival, which was held March 6-7 in the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, handbell groups or individual ringers learned music on their own. The musicians rehearsed as a group throughout the weekend, which culminated in a concert Saturday afternoon. The guest conductor for the festival was Kathryn Jurado.
Area 3 will also host a Southern Festival Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, in Winston-Salem, N.C.





