The Sunset Beach Art Festival is the seaside community’s largest fundraiser of the year and a long-standing Mother’s Day weekend tradition.
Funds generated by the Art Festival support the art programs at seven local schools in Seal Beach, Los Alamitos and Huntington Beach as well as charities for abused women, runaway teens, the homeless, and the mentally ill. In addition, a portion of the proceeds is used to create continuing education grants for local residents.
The good news for the festival participants and organizers is that the Firehouse Gallery will remain a part of the tradition for some time to come. Although the unincorporated neighborhood lost its volunteer fire department not long ago, it has been able to retain ownership of Sunset Beach’s Fire Station 3 at 12th Street and Pacific Coast Highway.
The building has long been an icon for the community and useful in community events, most notably as a gallery for the art festival. It was preserved as a community facility thanks to donations from Sunset Beach community members.
According to Mike Van Voorhis, president of the Sunset Beach Community Association, the Orange County Fire Authority deemed Fire Station 3 excess property after the Volunteer Firefighter program was shut down.
The OCFA sent out notifications that the property was going to be sold and there was a 60-day window to express interest.
“Only the Sunset Beach Community Association and the Sunset Beach Sanitary District wrote an interest letter,” Van Voorhis said. “The 60-0day window was closed in early January.”
The building was appraised at $200,000 and the community association and sanitary district had the first right to purchase the building.
“The SBCA did not have any extra money so Sunset Beach residents Lyman Lokken and Pat Thies were appointed to be in charge of fundraising,” Van Voorhis said. “Within seven weeks, they acquired 82 donations for just over $200,000.”
The donors who contributed $1,000 or more will have their names engraved on a permanent memorial plaque inside the building.
“We expect to have legal possession before the Art Festival on Mother’s Day weekend. This building connects to our existing SBCA Community Center. We will be starting a remodel and renovation as soon as we get the proper permits. This will complete our Community Center in the heart of Sunset Beach and be enjoyed by our residents for generations.”
This year will be the 44th Annual Sunset Beach Art Festival, which is coordinated by the Sunset Beach Service organization Las Damas.
“This year promises to be bigger and better than any of its predecessors,” said Sandy Stout, the festival’s publicity chairman. “The event will feature more vendor booths and will have a new area for kids and families, The Kid’s Zone. “
According to Aurea Hoad, Art Festival Chair for the Kid’s Zone, families will be able to enjoy music, entertainment, a Kid’s Talent Show, games, arts and crafts, Face Painting by Tasha, caricature by Jon and a chance to win Disneyland Park Hopper Tickets for a Family of Four.
For Talent Show applications please send e-mail to sbtalentshow@gmail.com. The deadline for the Talent Show is April 17.
The raffle of the Sunset Beach Art Festival Quilt remains one of the main fundraisers at the Sunset Beach Art Festival. Each square is handmade by Las Damas members and members of the Sunset Beach community. The Quilt will be raffled at the close of the festival on Sunday, at 4:30 p.m. by the Sunset Beach Fire Station #3 and Community Center. For the last several years the Quilt tickets have sold out before the drawing so we would encourage people to buy their tickets early.
Quilt raffle ticket pre-sales are available:
•April 18-23 at the Sunset Beach Post Office 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
•April 25-30 at the Surfside Post Office 9 a.m.to 4:30 p.m.
Tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20.
For more Sunset Beach Art Festival information, contact Sandy Stout at Sandystout88@gmail.com, or call (562) 375-6206.
