Eight-two years young, the Sanibel Shell Festival will run from March 7th to the 9th at the Community House. The Festival officially began in 1937 and it has grown over the years to the international reputation it has now. Shell collectors from around the world compete in juried show in two divisions, artistic and scientific. Hours for the show are
9 – 5 Thursday and Friday, and 9 – 4 on Saturday. The Sanibel Community House is located at 2173 Periwinkle Way.
There is no entrance fee to attend the show, but a $5 donation is requested to view the judged entries in the indoor exhibit space. The donation includes one free visit to the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, which is itself a $15 value.
The show consists of the juried show and an Author’s Table featuring writers who are on hand for book signings and to answer questions about their books. In the Shell Tent, collectors can look at the thousands of shells on display for sale and add to their own collections.
The Sanibel-Captiva Shell Crafters are an extremely busy club throughout the year. The shell crafters will be on hand at the show to sell shell jewelry, mirrors, flower arrangements made completely from shells, and also their “shell critters.”
Funds raised from the Shell Crafters go to educational initiatives such as grants for local marine and conservation organizations as well as scholarships to the University of South Florida and the Marine and Ecological departments at Florida Gulf Coast University.
It is so fitting that an island like Sanibel with its abundance of shells would have a show of the caliber of the Sanibel Shell Festival. It is definitely worth a visit to this extraordinary and unique Island event.
Sincerely,
The Sandalfoot Team
Located on the east end of Sanibel Island, just one mile from the historic Sanibel Lighthouse, our vacation rental condo community is nestled beachfront on the Gulf of Mexico. Sandalfoot Beachfront Condominium has been consistently ranked #1 and #2 in our category by TripAdvisor, also receiving their Certificate of Excellence three years in a row. Sandalfoot Beachfront Condominium. So much more than a room with a view!
