By: Sharon Aron Baron
The City of Tamarac has announced plans for their first Arts & Crafts Festival this spring featuring an outdoor event that will include art vendors, entertainment, a children’s interactive area, and lots of food.
Presented by the Greater Tamarac Chamber of Commerce, this two day event held on April 2 and 3, 2016, will be located along NW 57th Street behind the library and community center. The street will be cordoned off to accommodate vendors and pedestrian traffic.
“Sunrise has Woofstock, Coral Springs has the Festival of the Arts – we all have to start somewhere; we all have to blossom,” said Peter Mason Executive Director of the Chamber.
One of the ways Mason hopes to attract artists is by offering a juried event with prize money of $3,000 awarded at a special dinner on Saturday during the show.
“We ask, ‘Why would someone come to Tamarac’? That’s why they created a juried event. We wanted to give a great experience for them as well.”
Once the future Tamarac Village is completed nearby, Mason wants to hold the Arts & Crafts Festival there.
“We have a role to be the PR to the businesses in Tamarac, and that’s why we chose the closest location to the future Tamarac Village, so when they’re ready for us, we’ll just walk across the road.”
Currently, Keith Koenig with City Furniture has been tapped as the honorary chair. The board is currently accepting applications from artists and vendors, as well as looking for sponsors for the event. In September, a new cookbook was unveiled created by the Chamber to help raise money for the event.
“If we sell all of the books at the Turkey Trot, Chamber events, and at the Taste of Tamarac, that will be where we get our prize money for the juried event,” said Mason.
So far, no launch party date is set. Mason said they are targeting a concession company, and hopefully there will be a bar and entertainment at the event.
“We’ve had a lot of local excitement so far for this event and the City is behind it.”
If you are interested in becoming an artist or a sponsor please go to www.tamaracartsandcraftsfestival.org
