Editor:

On behalf of the board of directors of the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce, I would like to thank all of the volunteers that made the 56th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival in Fairhope, a resounding success.

Our festival committee Chairpersons Elizabeth Stone, Lee Teumer, Jackie and Larry Pate did an unbelievable job! The volunteers who work on this festival are many, but I would like to thank the committee by name: Fran Faust Slade, Barbara Haas, Lee Rivenbark, Verna Johnson, Linda Scott, Mel Sakmar, Louie and Barbara Blaze, Brian Snyder, Christina Stankoski, Diane Douglas, Caroline Marney, Leslie Costigan, Diane Herzog, Jim Horner, Regina Hanberg, Jennifer Fidler, Kenny Graves, Jaca and Mac McLaren, Susan Crutchfield, Susan Pearce, Ricky Lewis, Robert Graham, Ken Cooper, Andrea Klumpp, Jude Mansur, Lauren Safley, Pam Rhea, Lindsay Nordan, Leis Fleming and Glenn Normand. The hours and love that our committee devotes to this festival is overwhelming.

We also would like to thank our major sponsors because without them we could not create an event of this magnitude: Our stage sponsors; Alabama Properties and Grand Entertainment, Hospitality Sponsor; Buffalo Rock, Pepsi, Children’s Art Village Sponsor; The Colony at the Grand, Platinum Sponsor; Thomas Hospital, Silver Sponsors; SunTrust Mortgage, Chick-Fil-A, Eastern Shore Healthcare, Wachovia and our Media Sponsors: AL.com, Island TV, Media Com. Special thanks as well to WALA TV, WKRG TV, WZEW, WABF, the Mobile Press Register, the Baldwin Register, and the Gulf Coast Newspapers for all their support There are over 100 local businesses and individuals who contributed services, time materials and much more to make this festival a success. The board would like to offer them a heartfelt thank you as well.

This festival cannot possibly be held without the efforts and cooperation of the city of Fairhope, the enthusiasm of the city employees of Fairhope, and the businesses all along the Eastern Shore; especially the businesses in downtown Fairhope. The Fairhope Downtown Merchants Association members adopted a record number of artists and shared with them some true Southern hospitality, which will stay in their memories for a long time. Our young ambassadors from many Eastern Shore service clubs added a special touch to the festival. These youth work many hours and they always receive many compliments from the artists.

As you can see by the lists above, it is definitely a community effort to put an event of this size on. It truly touches the hearts of the artists and the festival committee to participate in such teamwork that benefits us all. Teamwork includes the staff, and I would like to thank the staff for all their support of this event. I would like to especially commend our Communications Manager Kathie Barton and Jay Hasting, our community events coordinator for all their hard work.

The best compliment the chamber can receive, beside comments on our Southern hospitality, is that the festival has benefited the businesses in the area. There was a record attendance of over 250,000 visitors and residents this year, and the revenue that flowed into the economy not only through taxes paid, but through hotel reservations, meals, items bought in the stores, and even through wages paid to employees is impressive. We filled hotels and beds and breakfasts not only on the Eastern Shore, but Foley, Loxley and into Mobile.

Many of the artists who attended the 56th Annual Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival were extremely pleased with their sales. There are always some artists that don’t do well, but on the whole, the artists said sales went extremely well this year — better than last year!

The festival money raised contributes to the day-to-day operation of both Eastern Shore Chamber offices promoting the Eastern Shore. Local residents and tourists who need information about the area utilize both offices. Last year we averaged over 45,000 people signing in at both offices. This does not include the estimated 8,500 phone calls we answer a month. The money also helps us with supporting the many worthwhile committees and projects that the membership works on such as: educating; promoting and aiding our local businesses; our environmental award; training community leaders and our Youth Leadership Program.

Again, I would like to thank the many, many people involved in this festival, which helps us make the Eastern Shore a better place to live, conduct business, and play. And thank you to all of our neighbors from both sides of the bay who attend every year and support our artists and local businesses.

ESCOC president