Seaside Craft Show hits the boardwalk

This weekend, more than 100 crafters will come together to display their handmade wares at the sixth annual Seaside Craft Show on the Bethany Beach Boardwalk, on Saturday, June 5, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Live entertainment from the Back Bay Strummers will hit the bandstand from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The fine crafters will share their expertise in a variety of media, including jewelry, pottery, glass, metalwork, wood, floral, fiber and leather, decorative painting and wearable art.

“It’s always a great event,” said the town’s event coordinator, Gloria Farrar. “There are a good handful of non-profit organizations that benefit from it, too.”

Among those non-profits is the Bethany Beach 4th of July Parade Committee, which will be selling their fundraising T-shirts on Saturday. Information and giveaways from other upcoming events in the Quiet Resorts, such as the Beach-to-Bay Cottage Tour, will also be available.

Bethany Beach’s Cultural and Historical Affairs Committee is the direct beneficiary of the event, which raises money for the committee to put on cultural events in the fall and winter, and to do projects such as its ongoing recording of the oral history of the town and plaques marking historical locations around the town, among other uses.

“We have a lot of favorites who have helped us build up a nice following,” said Farrar of the roster of crafters, “and we are welcoming some new faces, too.”

Among some of the newcomers to the show are Sue Baxter, who specializes in unique handbags and purses.

“I’ve made handbags for fundraisers in the past,” she said, “but I’ve never featured them for profit. I’m proud to be a part of the Seaside Craft show this year. When I started three years ago, I had no idea I would see the type if success I have seen.”

Baxter’s bags are truly one-of-a-kind, each one taking on its own personality and design.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands,” said Baxter, who’s dabbled in woodworking and lamp-making in the past. “Fabric just seemed to catch my interest. I can really be creative with it. I’m proud to say that no two are alike. If you have one and are walking down the street, you will not see another one like it.” (For more information about Sue Baxter and her handbags and purses, check out her Facebook page, via www.baxterbags.com.)

Others, such as Paul Marley and his son, Paul Marley Jr., will be featuring their hand-painted woodwork at this Saturday’s show.

“It’s amazing to see what people will show up with each year,” said Farrar. “We have a very good reputation, and we’ve built it up, year after year. Our crafters have come up to us and told us how well-organized the event is. A lot of them are getting here at 6:30 in the morning for a show that starts at 10 a.m., and, every year, we have repeat shoppers. Hopefully, we can get the word out there once again and spread the news. We try to build it up every year.”

Warm weather last holiday weekend drove visitors to the area by the thousands, and Farrar is hoping that another busy weekend is rolling into town.

“The weather looks good, and a lot of the businesses in the area saw a good increase in vacationers,” she said of the Memorial Day weekend. “Hopefully, we’ll have another great turnout. It makes for a nice day, and people really enjoy strolling the boardwalk.”

The show is free and open to the public. It will take place all along the Bethany Beach Boardwalk from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday. For more information about the Seaside Craft Show, check out the Web site at www.townofbethanybeach.com.