provided to The Santiva Chronicle
The 89th Sanibel Shell Show & Festival is from Thursday, March 5, to Saturday, March 7, at the Sanibel Community House, 2173 Periwinkle Way. More than 200 artistic and scientific exhibits will showcase shells from far away, such as Japan, the Virgin Islands, and New England. Intricate Sailor’s Valentines will be on display, and lovely shell creations by the Sanibel Shellcrafters will be available for purchase.
Ribbons will be awarded to first, second, and third place winners for the Sailor’s Valentines and the scientific exhibits. The exhibits aim to educate attendees while demonstrating the importance of the Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club’s grants program for education research in conchology and malacology, conservation, and water quality.
Shell enthusiasts can take home a shell creation from jewelry, pottery, or specimen shells and more from the 20 vendors outside the Community House. A live mollusk tank will also be outside to educate kids and adults about mollusks that create the beautiful shells.
The show and festival are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. There is a $5 minimium donation, but children 12 years or younger can enter free with a paid adult. Parking is free.
The Sanibel Shell Show & Festival is jointly hosted by the Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club and the Sanibel Community Association. The shell club’s profit supports its grants program.
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