Cedar Key to hold 46th annual fine arts show

If plain old curiosity hasn't yet inspired you to visit the town selected by the USDA as Florida's Rural Community of the Year for 2009, then mark this weekend on your calendar for an excursion to the western terminus of State Road 24. That's when you'll have the added incentive of enjoying Cedar Key's annual Old Florida Celebration of the Arts.

Unlike many art festivals and most craft fairs, this one is juried to ensure original artistry and fine craftsmanship. Over a hundred artists chosen to participate this year will compete for $10,000 in prize money and another $10,000 in purchase awards. The charming and Historic Second Street will become a pedestrian-only mall for this weekend event, both sides lined with booths displaying art and fine crafts in many different media - oils, acrylics, prints, jewelry, ceramics, photography, stained glass, woodwork, sculpture, fiber and textiles.

If you have time, consider arriving a few days early or leaving a few days later. It will give you the chance to enjoy the quiet charm of Cedar Key, its waterways, its bird life, its museums, shops and restaurants. You can walk or cycle the entire town, photograph magnificent oaks and historic architecture, rent a kayak, charter a fishing trip, cast a line from the town dock, go birding, watch incredible sunsets, or stay up late stargazing. Wander through the local art galleries or visit the Cedar Key Pottery Studio and see where their signature flat blue glaze originates. Or bring an easel and meet up with a group of plein air artists.

Cedar Key is made up of a chain of small barrier islands extending three miles out into the Gulf of Mexico; the currently inhabited keys are joined by short bridges (which also make popular fishing spots). Thirteen other islands make up one of the oldest National Wildlife Refuges in the country, providing habitat to vast numbers of migratory and shore birds. There are daily boat tours to the island of Atsena Otie, site of the original settlement and home to an Eberhard Faber pencil factory, but devastated by a hurricane at the end of the 19th century and never rebuilt.

The coastal waters and tidal marshes of the Cedar Keys are a fisherman's paradise and support an important clam farming industry. Depending on the season and the weather, your catch of the day on inshore waters may include red drum, black drum or trout.

The Old Florida Celebration of the Arts is easy to find. Take State Route 24 (Archer Road) out of Gainesville and drive southwest to the end of the road, about 60 miles. You can also pick up S.R. 24 at Archer, Bronson or Otter Creek if you are coming from other directions. Aviation buffs can even fly here, as long as they can land and take off with about 2,000 feet of runway.

For more info

Information on the city of Cedar Key and surrounding area, accommodation, facilities, attractions, artists and all aspects of the festival can be found on the following websites:

Festival website: www.cedarkeyartsfestival.com

Cedar Key Arts Center: www.cedarkeyartscenter.org

CK Chamber of Commerce: www.cedarkey.org