OCEAN CITY — Sea glass lovers and beachcombers won’t want to miss the 11th Annual North American Sea Glass Festival at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City this weekend.
Sponsored by the North American Sea Glass Association (NASGA), the event is open to the public both days. The Friday night, Aug. 25 “Sea Glass Soiree” from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. will grant attendees exclusive first access to the artists and authors with live entertainment in a festive atmosphere while shopping. Join local tropical themed band, Island Fusion, and other fun activities. Adult libations will be served Friday night only.
The festival continues on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. featuring lecture presentations by authors and sea glass experts Richard LaMotte and Mary McCarthy. LaMotte will share his knowledge from years of experience on sea glass during his presentation, “The Lure and Mysteries of Sea Glass.” Sharing beautiful images from his two successful books, Pure Sea Glass and The Lure of Sea Glass, LaMotte plans to provide insight into the art of identifying unique shards and review the basic science of how sea glass is formed. McCarthy, a bestselling author, lifelong journalist and avid sea glass collector, will be speaking on one of her passions, “Sea Glass Marbles from Around the Globe.”
Enter your best piece of sea glass in the highly anticipated Shard of the Year Contest on Saturday, Aug. 27 for the opportunity to win prizes in 11 categories, including the grand prize of $500.
“The winning piece,” says NASGA President Kim Hannon, “will be judged by several sea glass experts for rarity, color, shape and unique qualities.”
Join over 50 sea glass artisans, craftsmen, photographers and authors for both day’s events. Come learn from sea glass collectors’ exhibits and educational presentations, have the origin of your shard identified by experts who will be on hand Saturday only. Tickets, available at the door are $10 for Friday night and $5 for Saturday. Children under 12 are free.
“The North American Sea Glass Association was founded to help educate the collector, consumer and retailer as to the properties, value and benefits of genuine, pure, natural, beach sea glass,” said Hannon, a business owner in nearby St. Michaels. “As sea glass becomes more sought after and supplies diminish, the need is even greater to educate. We continue to provide a forum and knowledge base for sea glass enthusiasts to communicate with other individuals who share their passion for genuine beach sea glass.”