Chincoteague Island .Net

Enjoy great food at the Oyster Festival on Saturday afternoon then spend your evening at the 2nd Saturday Art Stroll. The Art Stroll, sponsored by the Chincoteague Cultural Alliance, takes place in participating shops and galleries throughout the town.

Meet artists and authors, listen to great music and sample wine and gourmet food as you visit an array of galleries and shops. Pick up an InfoMap at participating shops or at the Chincoteague Visitor Center, lodging and local restaurants. Special events take place from 6:00 – 10:00pm unless noted.

Start your stroll with a visit to Gull Watch Basketry on South Main St. where owner/artist Helen Sheets demonstrates basket-making from 10:00am – 3:00pm. Then head up toward North Main St. for a cooking demonstration with treats for the holidays by The Pampered Chef at Threadgoodes from 4:00 – 7:00pm. From there, it’s an easy walk to the shops on Maddox Blvd. Island Cottage Collection features demonstrations of metal-smithing by Laughing Dog Studio, soap-making by Marianne Warren and painting by Nancy Madison.

In addition, Island Cottage Collection features an exhibition of paintings by Ken Castelli and decoy carvings by “Sawdy” Jester. Fran Severn will also be signing copies of Art Drives on Delmarva. Next door, visit Island Arts to meet artist Jean Ketner-Loeffert, who demonstrates painting with silk thread. Stroll over to Church Street to check out the Linda Nerine Gallery (which is closing for the season Oct. 12) where local artist Lucy Roehm, will be making pencil sketches of island scenes. Then stroll back down to Main Street for a stop at Psychotronic Music and Beads where DJ Michael plays James Brown and the Famous Flames and Mia Weldon demonstrates her unique glass bead-making.

The wine-tasting at Wine, Cheese and More features wines by Williamsburg Winery in honor of Virginia Wine Month. Stop by the Island Library to see the (almost completed) new expansion and view works by local artists. Then step next door to Sundial Books to meet Virginia author Neva Bryan who will sign copies of her new book St. Peter’s Monsters (6-8pm).

Unleash your own inner creativity at Guinevere’s as you make Halloween greeting cards with mixed media and altered objects. Then just ‘unleash’ in the Garden of Gripes at Egret Moon Artworks. Keep griping until the “You’ve Gone on Way Too Long” gong sends you on your way.

Then, mosey over to the Kite Koop and tap your toe to the sounds of Bill Troxler on hammered dulcimer and Owen Hooks on guitar (7-9?pm). End your evening at aNoPheles Blues with the infamous Soiree, which is yielding to public pressure and featuring a reading of Pinter’s The Basement.

Keep in mind that while the shops and galleries listed above have special events scheduled this month, other members feature art, books, antiques and specialty foods in their shops and many provide special treats during the art stroll. These include the Bayside Arts Coop, The Bookhounds, Flying Fish Gallery, Island Butterfly and the Osprey Nest Gallery. For more information, visit the CCA website at www.chincoteagueculturalalliance.org