Great Lakes arts festival May 4-5 celebrates coastal living

Pieces of frosted beach glass, worn by smooth by tumbling wave action, represent the Great Lakes on the event ticket. Image courtesy Great Lakes Beach Glass & Coastal Arts Festival

ERIE, Pa. (PRNewswire) – The 2019 Great Lakes Beach Glass & Coastal Arts Festival will be held May 4 and 5 at the Bayfront Convention Center. More than 80 vendors will exhibit their original, handmade works, including jewelry, home goods, décor and edibles.

Event hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Early admission is available to VIP ticket holders 9 a.m. Saturday only.

The two-day event is hosted by artist Jennifer Reed and her team at Relish Inc., a shop in Erie featuring handmade, American-made jewelry, art and gifts.

“This festival celebrates our love of all things coastal,” said Reed. “Everyone who attends can expect to have an amazing and affordable experience. There are new and returning vendors this year bringing some wonderful, unique items. The energy is palpable and the vibe infectious.”

In addition to shopping, attendees can enjoy:

• Fun and informative lectures;
• Live music;
• Wine tasting featuring a selection by Courtyard Winery;
• Collector area bottle/shard ID exhibit;
• Antique bottle collections;
• Crafts for the kids and face painting from noon – 3 p.m. Sunday.

Attendees can also see the largest piece of sea glass found in Lake Erie on display at the show. Weighing in at more than 275 pounds, it was found Oct 4, 2017 in Ashtabula, Ohio by Lynn & Larry Brady.

Reed anticipates that having the festival back in Erie this year will only add to the excitement of the event.

“Past festivals have seen attendances of more than 5,000 people,” Reed said. “We co-hosted, with Rebecca Ruger of Beachcombing Magazine, the Buffalo Beach Glass Festival in 2018. This was a sister show to our Great Lakes Beach Glass & Coastal Arts Festival. We’re alternating locations every other year and we know that people are excited to be back in Erie and we’re anticipating a very large, enthusiastic and vibrant crowd,” she said.

This family-friendly event is $6 each day (children 10 and under free). Special VIP tickets for early bird shopping preview hour at 9 a.m. Saturday only are $15. Free parking is available at the convention center and overflow paid parking lots are located nearby.

For details, contact Jennifer Reed at 814-836-1827 or visit the event page on Relish’s website.