The 20th Annual Apollo Beach Manatee Festival of the Arts showcases fine arts and fine crafts in a relaxed and comfortable setting. Festival goers can meet and interact with the artists and fine craftsmen.
Artists and art lovers will gather for the 20th Annual Apollo Beach Manatee Festival of the Arts. This year’s festival is set to run on Saturday, March 10 and Sunday, March 11 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the TECO SouthShore Community Event Center located at 302 Noonan Beach Road in Apollo Beach. Admission is $5.00 which includes parking and free shuttle to the Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center. Children 12 and under are free.
Festival attendees can meet and interact with over 75 artists. The Festival is an innovative showcase of fine arts and fine crafts which draws talent from the local community as well as from across the country. The exhibitor’s area offers visitors the opportunity to meet and interact with artists to view their work and purchase it from the individual who created it.
The festival also features tasty treats from local vendors including Hydro Harvest Farms, Ole Kentucky Kettlecorn, Ali’s Lemonade, kabobs and more. One of the highlights of the festival is entertainment. According to Melanie Morrison, Executive Director of the SouthShore Chamber of Commerce, “We will have a variety of entertainment showcasing all types of talent.”
The Apollo Beach Manatee Festival of the Arts is a nationally recognized juried art show. Over $13,000.00 will be given out in awards to the artists. Morrison said, “This is more than has ever been awarded.”
Morrison added, “This is the 20th anniversary of the event. It is also the first year that the newly merged SouthShore Chamber of Commerce is putting on this event. We have local community artists helping on the committee this year. We have a few really exciting and new hands on arts activities in the kids’ area including visual arts, performing arts and musical arts.”
Morrison explained, “The SouthShore Chamber of Commerce supports and promotes the business community as well as the community and residents as a whole. The Ruskin and Apollo Beach Chambers merged on July 1, 2011 and now form the SouthShore Chamber of Commerce.”
For more information about the 20th Annual Apollo Beach Manatee Festival of the Arts, please visit www.ruskinchamber.org or call 645-1366.
