FAIRHOPE, Ala. - Spring is nearing and it is always the most favorite season of the year. It couldn't be nicer than in Fairhope, where thousands of beautiful flowers, including azaleas, will be in full bloom. Join the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce in Fairhope and celebrate the beginning of Spring at the 59th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival, scheduled for March 18-20. Festival hours are 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily and there is no admission charge.

The Planning Committee, co-chaired by Diane Herzog and Clara Smith, has been meeting for months to create the most dynamic event ever held. The jury selection is near completion. Each year there is a varied selection that appeals to patrons, keeping it fresh and new. Over 200 exhibitors from throughout the nation will bring their best works to show and sell at this prestigious juried show. Live entertainment will be going on throughout the three-day event and unique cuisine will be served up in the food court. It all takes place on the streets of beautiful downtown Fairhope.

Last year the event attracted more than 250,000 visitors to the area. The festival was chosen as one of the top 20 events in the southeast for March by the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and it was voted in the top 25 out of 100 Best Predominantly Classic & Contemporary Craft Shows in the nation by Sunshine Artist Magazine in 2010. The Festival was voted #1 in the state in 2004.

BRATS (Baldwin County Area Transportation System) will offer a shuttle service from the Plantation Pointe Shopping Center, Eastern Shore Village Center and Ecor Rouge Place. All parking is free and the locations are less than a five-minute ride away. The shuttle ride costs $1 one way. Please keep in mind that parking is limited.

There will be so much to see and do on the Eastern Shore that folks will want to

stay over. There are many wonderful stores and great restaurants to choose from.

This year’s sponsors are: Diamond Sponsor: Verizon Cellular Sales; Platinum Sponsor: B B 7 T Bank; Stage Sponsor: Regions Bank; Gold Sponsor: Grand Hotel Marriott Resort Golf Club & Spa; Silver Sponsors: Rivera Utilities; O’Sullivan Creel, LLC; Radio-2-Phone; Pen Air Federal Credit Union and Citizens Bank. Sponsorship opportunities are still available to help members promote their businesses.

For complete information call the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce at (251) 621-8222, 928-6387 or visit the Chamber’s Web site at www.eschamber.com.