Vendors, visitors warm to new site of fall art festival

By JOY DAVIS-PLATT

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 23, 2000

Jamie Hendry was looking for something hot.

What she found at the Spring Hill Art League's Fall Harvest of Art was a plate decorated with colorful red chili peppers.

"I think it's beautiful," she said. "It's almost a shame I'm going to fill it up with stone crab claws and lemon wedges."

Organizers say the 27th annual festival did well in its new location this weekend at the Sand Hill Scout Reservation on State Road 50, east of Weeki Wachee.

On Sunday, rows of blue and white tents stood in the same grassy field where the Brooksville Raid Festival is held every January. The reservation boasts parking for 5,000 cars and plenty of room for vendors and visitors.

The Spring Hill Art League's annual festival was moved from Weeki Wachee park on U.S. 19 adjacent to Weeki Wachee Spring two years. Festival organizers say there were conflicts with Weeki Wachee Spring and the city of Weeki Wachee.

Hendry, who crossed the county from Spring Lake to attend, said she prefers the new location.

"This is a much better spot," said Hendry. "As this show gets bigger, I think this will turn out to be the better location."

During the early afternoon, visitors filed through the open tent of Lithuanian ceramic artist Rasa Saldaitis, drawn by the brilliantly colored platters and bowls.

"This has been the same as last year," said Saldaitis, who has an art studio in St. Petersburg with her husband, Juozas. "We have been very successful here."

Over the weekend, she said, customers bought several of her large platters priced at $110 each.

Art league vice president Joe Hooper said reactions from the 80 arts and crafts vendors involved in the show were positive.

"Most of the artists I've talked to like this location better," said Hooper. "I'm not concerned that (visitors) will find us."

Tammy Ambrozaitis came from New Port Richey to show her husband's woodwork and bird feeders at the festival.

"The crowd has been about the same," she said. "In fact, I like it here better because there is so much more room to spread out and park."

Art league president Anne Preston said about 5,000 people came to the festival on Saturday. On Sunday, numbers were a bit lower, but still very good, she said.

"Everyone has made the best of it," said Preston, taking a break from handing out paintbrushes at the children's art tent.

"And you never know. This might work out even better in the long run."

Preston said shehopes that the festival will return to the Boy Scout Reservation next year.

"We need to have some roots," she said. "It's just a matter of letting people know where we are."

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