The annual Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Craft Festival is now in its 16th year, proving the enduring appeal of this event in this sun-loving community. There’s an older sibling in the spring, looking to turn 19 next March, but the best part about these two is that given South Florida’s unique year-round summer conditions, you’d be hard-pressed to find an atmospheric difference between the two. Run by Howard Alan Events and American Craft Endeavors, the weekend-long festival features more than 100 crafters exhibiting and selling their work along the “Gold Coast” between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal. Featuring photography, jewelry, paintings, sculpture, and other artisanal crafts from locals as well as traveling artists, the festival prides itself on its symbiotic relationship with the area’s beaches, high-end shops, and restaurants.
This two-day festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 4400 N. Ocean Drive in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. Admission is free. Area hotels are offering special rates through the festival website. Call 561-746-6615, or visit artfestival.com.
Sat., Oct. 25, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 2014