The Big Kahuna of art festivals is coming the first two weekends in August when the Rehoboth Art League (RAL) hosts its 51st Outdoor Fine Art and Fine Craft Show on its 3.5-acre campus in Henlopen Acres. The show is set for August 3 – 4 and August 10 – 11 with hours 9 – 5 on each Saturday and 9 – 4 each Sunday. It is one of the longest running shows in the country. Admission is still $5 for adults. There is no charge for children under the age of 12. The show will take place rain or shine.
More than 100 artists from all over the country will display their work. One of the out-of-towners is Tara Funk Grim who currently hails from Florida but who previously lived in the Bethany Beach area. She produces original works and prints from originals. The RAL show is her favorite. “It is a show of community where patrons and artists have become friends and we all look forward to seeing one another and the new work produced,” she says.
The Outdoor Show is juried so exhibitors must survive a rigorous review process. Lewes-based Nina Mickelsen is one of those artists. She is on the RAL board of trustees and while she is not directly involved in the jury process, Mickelsen has some words of advice for fellow exhibitors
“I always recommend that artists read the prospectus really carefully and make sure they follow them to the T,” she says. “In general, in applications, you can get dismissed if, for example, you left your name visible in your submitted photos for a jury that is supposed to be blind. Details can derail even a fabulous artist.”
Artist displays range from wind chimes to watercolors and from pottery to oil paintings. The overall mix is designed to appeal to a wide range of tastes and budgets.
Local musicians augment the visual display with a full slate of performances. Past performers include The Pros from Dover, Kerry Hallett (also half of the Goldstar duo) and Hot Sauce. Musical performances are outdoors as well.
Local eateries such as The Point Coffee House and Bake Shop and Chesapeake and Maine provide food for show goers. Dogfish Head, a big supporter of the Rehoboth Art League, will be serving up some craft brews in the Homestead Garden.
Nearby parking can be tricky and limited since the Rehoboth Art League campus is in a residential neighborhood. Buses, operating on a rotating schedule, will transport people to the show from the parking lot of the Rehoboth Beach Elementary School at 500 Shockley Street. Riding your bike to the show is another option as there is ample parking for bikes.
Delaware artist Rick Phillips donated an original oil painting priced at $2,000 for the show’s raffle fundraiser. The painting is posted on the RAL web site and will be on display in the Corkran Gallery. All permanent galleries are open during the show.
The Rehoboth Art Leagues next big event is the 40th Annual Holiday Fair Fine Craft Show scheduled for November 2nd and 3rd with a special preview night set for November 1st.
Mary Jo Tarallo spent much of her career in public relations with various non-profits and spent 40 years involved with the ski industry as a journalist, public relations director for a national trade association and as executive director of the Learn to Ski and Snowboard initiative. Prior to her ski industry involvement she worked for the Maryland International Center in Baltimore and United Way of Central Maryland. She won a Gold Award for TV programming for a United Way simulcast that starred Ophrah Winfrey. She has been cited for her work by numerous organizations. Mary Jo grew up in Baltimore, attended the University of Maryland and Towson University, lived in Washington, DC for 21 years and has been a full time resident of Rehoboth Beach and Milton since May 2019.
