Picture perfect
Great weather brings crowds to arts festival
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Lisa Newell/Gulf Breeze News Bett Zito of Gulf Breeze considers a print at the Gulf Breeze Arts Festival. Over 120 vendors participated in the event, which also included a member's art show and works by area students.

Throngs of art lovers gathered in the Gulf Breeze High School parking lot over the weekend for Gulf Breeze Celebrates the arts. The event featured works from students and professional artists.

"Everything went great and we had a really good show," said event organizer Sue Warner. The events director added that this year's turnout, an estimated 5,000 people over two days, was a little lighter than previous years and speculated the warmer weather may have impacted the turnout.

Approximately 120 vendors, 130 professional artists and at least 100 students submitted art for the event.

"This is a great boon to the Gulf Breeze community. All these artists come from all over the country to our back yard," Warner said, adding that some of the artists traveled from Minnesota, Delaware and Texas among others.

Warner said all the proceeds from the event, which are still being tabulated, would be donated to a performing and visual arts scholarship fund at Pensacola Junior College. For more information call The Arts Council of Northwest Florida at 850-432-9906.