53rd Annual Sunset Beach Art Festival coming

Karen Rauh and Gayle Winnen of Las Damas holding this year’s Sunset Beach Art Festival poster.

The 53rd Annual Sunset Beach Art Festival will be held from 9-5, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 14 and 15, along the greenbelt, between Seventh Street and Broadway as well as in The Nobles Family Community Center on 12th Street. It will feature more than 100 craftspeople and other vendors.

Sunset Beach Community Association President Kevin Paulson marvels at the time and effort the women of Las Damas put in preparing for and executing the festival. “I’ve been in Sunset Beach for over 30 years and this event always exceeds the previous year’s event,” he said. “The members are extremely generous and share a portion of the proceeds with our Association. It helps us put on free events, such as our movie nights on the greenbelt and our donations to Waymakers Youth Shelter.

Association Vice President Dawn McCormack said it’  s one of the longest running art festivals in Southern California. It combines live music by local bands, terrific food, hand-made crafts and art and a fine art juried exhibit, called the Firehouse Art Gallery. This year Rick Blake is the exhibit judge. “We are so excited to have Rick, who is a professional artist, teacher and great surfer as the judge,” she said.

“This brings the whole community together and it shows respect and value of visual creativity in the arts,” said former local art teacher, Sunset Beach Gallery Owner Bill Anderson. “It also supports the visual arts in our schools and donates to other art programs.”

Melissa Murphy of Melissa Murphy Murals is this year’s Festival Poster and T-Shirt Artist.

You can learn more on the festival at: https://sunsetbeachartfestival.net .