By Maddy Vitale
Nancy Beal peered into a mirror holding up a blue and green necklace with a vibrant blue medallion.
“I just bought a blue dress that this necklace would go perfect with,” Beal, of Fort Washington, Pa.
The adornment from Ruth Deschler’s Fiber Arts was just one of the trinkets Beal selected at the 2018 Spring Festival of Fine Arts and Crafts at the Ocean City Music Pier Saturday.
The festival was held Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and featured more than 55 vendors which included fine artwork, crafts, garden accessories, baked goods, pet supplies, floral arrangements, soaps and gourmet trail mixes.
“I have been to other festivals but this one is the best,” Beal said before making her purchase.
The festival is in its 16th year. Festival organizer Joanne Schaut, of Jersey Shore Artisans Guild, said this was shaping up to be the best year so far.
Schaut noted on Saturday afternoon that the beautiful weather definitely helped bring more people to the Boardwalk and the event. Some customers walked in off the boards because they saw something interesting was going on. Others planned out their weekend, specifically with the craft festival at the top of the to-do list.
“My die-hard crafters are here,” Schaut said, as she looked through cards filled out by patrons.
Some, like Beal, had bags full of goodies, while others just took a relaxing stroll through the festival, did a bit of “window shopping” and viewed some art work.
Schaut explained that patrons give a $3 entry donation to attend the festival. All the profits from booth rentals help thousands of less fortunate people and animals.
Some of the beneficiaries of the donations are the Ocean City Food Cupboard, Clothing Closet, Gilda’s Club for Cancer Survivors, Atlantic City Rescue Mission, American Red Cross and the Salvation Army
There are three festival a year including two in November, she said. To date, the three festivals combined have raised more than $439,000, Schaut said.
Beth Wray, Schaut’s daughter, said by Saturday afternoon there was already a “good amount of donations” from people.
Barbara Hamby and her friend drove from Millville in Cumberland County to see what interesting items she could buy.
She stopped at Edye’s Naturals to try some organic skincare products.
“It sounds wonderful. I’m glad we came out for the day,” Hamby said, as Edye Dumhart, owner of Edye’s Naturals explained the organic ingredients in one of the body moisturizers.
As a steady stream of customers toured the variety of vendors, many seemed to crowd around Dawn’s Delights, creating a bit of a tie-up, as they stopped to sample some of Dawn Robinson’s German butter cake.
Robinson, who does all the baking out of Burleigh, said her father was a chef and she learned from the best.
John Reid, of Ocean City, could vouge for that. He has become a regular of Dawn’s Delights.
He stopped at Robinson’s table and said, “I will take the pineapple.”
He also ordered a few other tempting confections.
Reid has been going to the festivals twice a year for seven years and just about every time, he sees Robinson and can’t resist her sugary treats.
“She is a great vendor,” Reid said, after taking a taste of the German butter cake.
Jennifer Bogdon and her 3 ½ year-old daughter Samantha, of Ocean City and Philadelphia, had some fun looking at jewelry at Sea Gals.
“We came down for the craft show. We are getting two seashell necklaces,” Bogdon said.
Samantha smiled as she pointed to one of her presents her mom was holding, a shell necklace with a hand-painted design on it.
“Look,” she exclaimed.
For information about the craft shows visit www.oceancitycraftshows.com
