10th Annual artsHOP on Anna Maria Island Nov 10-20,2016

The 10th annual Anna Maria Island artsHOP will take place Thursday November 10th through Sunday November 20th and will include a variety of fun, educational and interactive events. Some of the events planned are: art walks in all three island cities, Symphony in the Sand, two additional outdoor concerts on Coquina beach, ten plays and Sandblast. artsHOP is the signature festival of Cultural Connections of Anna Maria Island, a non-profit dedicated to the promotion of Anna Maria Island as a cultural destination by supporting, promoting and advocating for art and culture on the island.

The evening art walk dates are: Holmes Beach - Friday, November 11, and Anna Maria - Friday, November 18. The Bradenton Beach art walk is Sunday afternoon November 13. The art walks showcases dozens of island galleries, shops and restaurants offering special exhibits, art demonstrations, artist-meet-and-greets, creative activities, local musicians at most venues and more. In Bradenton Beach there will also be the launch of a public art project with the theme of mermaids. Prizes from local restaurants, artists, shops and resorts will be given away after each art walk.

The 4th Annual Symphony on the Sand” at Coquina Beach Park on Saturday November 12 features the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra performing Broadway, classical and patriotic American songs. New this year are two additional beach front Symphony on the Sand concerts: the Friday November 11th concert features Country Artist John Michael Montgomery and the Sunday November 13th Concert features The Stranger, the Ultimate Billy Joel Tribute.

Island Players production of “Murderers” includes a total of ten performances November 10 through the 20.

Additional events include SandBlast – a sand sculpture competition, Saturday November 19 with Sand Sculpture Clinics on November 17 and 18; Coquina Beach Market on Sunday November 13 and 20, “Painting with a Twist” at the Center Tuesday November 15; an ongoing exhibit, “Shipwrecks: Legends and Lore”, and a lecture by Charley Morgan about “Early Surveying and Cartography of Tampa Bay” on Wednesday November 16, at the Florida Maritime Museum; and a community BBQ honoring Veterans at CrossPointe Fellowship Church on Saturday, November 19.

For more information and a complete schedule of events visit www.islandartshop.com