One of the highlights at 55th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival, an Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce event, was the special activities presented at the artist dinner. Not only did the best artists and craftsmen receive awards for their works, art students at local schools competed for a $300 prize for the best art panel representing Fairhope.

Two pieces were submitted by Fairhope High School. And Fairhope Middle, Daphne High School, Bayside Academy and Spanish Fort High School all submitted one piece. The art panels were hung on the walls of the Fairhope Civic Center for the festival artists and craftsmen to view and judge. Each exhibitor in the Arts & Crafts Show was given a ballot. The winner was Fairhope Middle School art students from Shawn Johnson’s class.

The award money, which was donated by Mobile Educators Credit Union, will go to help fund the art program at FMS. Second place went to Daphne High School.

The entire collection of art panels created by the students will be on display during the First Friday ArtWalk on April 6 at Andre’s Wine & Cheese. After that date they will be displayed at the Fairhope Public Library for a month, then delivered back to their respective schools.

Another treat for the artists, was a performance done by Bayshore Ballet Academy. The mimes were exquisite, representing a ballet dancer, a potter and a painter, changing poses behind large ornate frames. Then the ballet troupe treated the artists to an elegant dance recital.

The 55th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival is an Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce event, presented this year by Fairhope Falls, a master planned community. For more information, call 621-8222.

For more information on Friday night’s ArtWalk activities, see our online Arts & Entertainment section.