Sausalito, CA: 60th Annual Sausalito Art Festival, September 1-3, 2012

Nearly 300 award-winning artists exhibiting and selling more than 25,000 works of art from around the San Francisco Bay, and around the country will flock to the waterfront village of Sausalito, CA, Labor Day weekend, September 1, 2 and 3, for the 60th annual Sausalito Art Festival.

One of the oldest, most prestigious and most looked-forward-to Art Festivals in the country -- for 60 years the Sausalito Art Festival has set the standard for quality, variety, innovation and sheer scope of artists, as well as for a celebrated entertainment line-up, gourmet food and beverages and special exhibitions. The Festival’s ambiance electrifies the village of Sausalito for three days every year, transforming it into a “Camelot” of art and community.

Exhibiting artists have been selected by a rigorous jury process and will show a range of work including painting, sculpture, drawing, ceramics, glass, fiber and fashion, wood, photography, mixed media and more. The 60th annual Sausalito Art Festival will be held in Marinship Park adjacent to the Ferry landing, Friday and Saturday, September 1 and 2, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Monday, September 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Last year, more than 30,000 people attended the Festival, which is considered by artists, art collectors, Festival fans and the media as a must-attend event. Sausalito has long been regarded as one of the world’s great artist’s communities, and the Festival and community have co-evolved for 60 years, bringing world-wide attention, top artists, and international visitors to the area that is also known for its excellent restaurants, shopping and access to breathtaking natural beauty and outdoor activities.

The Festival is produced by the non-profit Sausalito Art Festival Foundation, and proceeds from the Festival support the local arts community in the form of student scholarships, grants to other non-profit arts organizations and community service programs. All food and beverage concessions at the Festival are operated by local non-profits that benefit from the proceeds of their sales at the Festival. Annual student scholarships are generated by the opening night gala silent auction, which raises more than $15,000 annually for education support.

Opening Night Gala and Benefit Friday, August 31

The 2012 Festival will kick-off with an opening night gala and benefit the night before the Festival opens to the public. Artists and guests will preview the art, enjoy cocktails, dinner, dancing. Funds raised from the Gala will support a new pilot program, Artists Teaching Art. Tickets for the gala benefit are priced $250 each. Table sponsorships are also available.

About the Sausalito Art Festival

Over one million visitors from throughout the world have attended the Sausalito Art Festival since its inaugural event in 1952. Sausalito has been the focal point for artists for close to 200 years. Weekend painters first arrived by sailboat from San Francisco in the early 1800's to capture scenes of tall ships and nature against the majestic backdrop of the bay.

Sausalito was a major shipbuilding site during World War II. Workers came by the thousands to build the famed Liberty Ships on Sausalito's northern waterfront. At the end of the war, the idle waterfront became a magnet for poets, writers, artists, and film makers from throughout the world.

The rustic waterfront and growing houseboat colony all helped create a popular haven for a bustling artists' community. The growing camaraderie among nativeborn and newcomer artists created the foundation for the Festival. Sausalito artists staged their first festival on Shell Beach, September 6, 1952, in conjunction with a salmon festival and regatta. Shell Beach is now the site of the world famous Spinnaker Restaurant.

The Sausalito Art Festival is one of the first juried fine art festivals in the nation and in the 1970's, cash awards were instituted.

Its current location at Marinship Park, next to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Bay Model Visitor Center, was built and paid for by the Art Festival, the Rotary Club and several other non-profits and volunteers with donated money and labor in 1988 as a permanent home for the Festival. The new site allowed for direct ferry service,a shuttle system, more artists, entertainers, and higher attendance.

Under the Chamber's stewardship, the Festival has seen its greatest growth, gained national recognition as the #1 Outdoor Fine Art Festival in America, and has earned an international standing for excellence in the arts. It is now considered one of the "best" and "most prestigious" fine art festivals in the United States by both artists and collectors worldwide.

The Festival is a nonprofit fund raising Event that has benefited every civic and nonprofit organization in Sausalito with over 1,000 volunteers and over 270 of the nation's top juried Artists. It is produced by a dedicated group of artists and community volunteers. It The Sausalito continues its long-standing mission of supporting the arts and community nonprofit organizations through grant programs, artist awards, scholarships, and the Sausalito Chamber of Commerce Community Service Programs. Through this support, the Festival makes a significant investment in the future of its community, totaling over $500,000 in recent years.

Getting to the 60th Annual Sausalito Art Festival

There are many transportation options to the Sausalito Art Festival, including the Blue & Gold Fleet, which offers a combined ferry/Festival ticket package (http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com) and transports Festival-goers from Pier 41 in San Francisco directly to the Festival pier. Golden Gate Transit, will add extra ferries for the Festival, and sails to downtown Sausalito. Free shuttle buses will transport ferry passengers to and from the Festival. Golden Gate Transit’s bus service is also available; contact 415.455.2000 or http://www.goldengate.org for ferry and bus information. Additionally, free valet bicycle parking will be provided.For those traveling to the Festival by car, take Highway 101 North or South to the Sausalito/Marin City exit and follow the signs to the Sausalito Art Festival.

Tickets and information

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Tickets to the Sausalito Art Festival are $25 for general admission; $15 for seniors 62+; $5 for children ages 6 – 12; free for children under 6. Tickets are available for purchase beginning in July via www.sausalitoartfestival.org. Please note: Pets are not allowed into the Sausalito Art Festival.

For more information about the Festival, its artists and performers, the Sausalito Art Festival Foundation and much more, visit the Sausalito Art Festival website at: http://www.sausalitoartfestival.org.

To book hotel accommodations, contact: Melissa Land at (877) 294-3918, or bookit@goelevationtravel.com.