The Orange Beach Festival of the Art will be held March 10 and 11 and volunteers are needed to make it its typical caliber of success.

One weekend each year, volunteers come together to support the arts, raise much needed funds and make the Orange Beach Festival of Art one of the most prestigious visual arts event of the year.

Volunteers are needed in each of the venues of the Festival:

• the Literary Arts with regional and celebrity authors, readings and book signings,

• the Performance Stage

• the Kid's Art Alley for hands-on exciting children's art projects

• the Songwriters and Musicians Stage

• the Visual Arts Exhibition

Festival volunteers are needed in all areas. Through volunteer support, the Festival makes a significant investment in the future of our local communities. The Festival of Art is sponsored by The Friends of the Arts, a non-profit organization, and the City of Orange Beach. The Festival is held at the Orange Beach Arts Center and the adjacent Waterfront Park.

If you wish to volunteer, please go to orangebeachartcenter.com and fill out the form to become a Festival Volunteer or call 981-2787 for more information.

Since the 1970s, the Festival of the Art has been the Gulf Coast's first rite of spring. The Festival is a celebration of the visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, music and culinary arts. The Festival of the Art takes place on the second weekend of March; Festival admission is $1 for adults.

The visual arts includes 90 artists from across the nation with live demonstrations of glass blowing, molten iron casting and raku pottery firing.

The culinary arts brings the unique flavors of the Gulf Coast as local restaurateurs prepare specialties for Festival guest.

The performing arts includes two stages of non-stop music and entertainment with individual performers scattered about the Festival site. Plus the wonderful Kids' Art Alley with amazing children's art activities. Join the anticipated 25,000 guests for this year's exciting Festival; show hours are Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The art center is located at 26389 Canal Road, Orange Beach, Ala. For more, call 981-2787.