Bethel Blooms This Saturday! Art Walk, Music, Festival and Discounts.

The Bethel Blooms Spring Festival and Art Walk celebration will be held on Saturday, March 31, from 10 a.m to 4 p.m., at the Clifford Hurgin Municipal Center and throughout downtown and Grassy Plain.

“It's a celebration of spring that has been going on for many years,” said Bobbi Jo Beers, director at the Chamber of Commerce, which is sponsoring the event. “It's a tradition that has grown and changed. There are a lot of people participating this year, and it will go on no matter what the weather is like. So much of it is indoors, it will not matter at all if it's raining.”

This year will be the town's first Art Walk, which Beers said is unique within the Greater Danbury area. “We did the art walk to celebrate all of our local artists. Bethel is a very eclectic town with many local artists and we wanted to feature and showcase them. All of the artwork will be indoors throughout many of the businesses downtown and on Grassy Plain. “Besides local artists, we also have 90 pieces of artwork from the local Bethel schools,” she said.

The Art Walk commences with Bethel Blooms but is expected to continue throughout the season. “We are hoping to make this a weekly event to go along with the Farmers Market.” Beers also noted that Bethel Blooms will coincide with Park and Recreation's Easter Egg Hunt.

The Farmer's Market will begin in mid-June and will be a cooperative effort between the Chamber of Commerce and the Town. The spring market will feature fresh local meat and eggs from Percy Meadow.

Over 30 vendors and businesses will be participating in the Bethel Blooms Festival, and many will be offering promotional events including sales and special discounts. Some, like Aurora Photography, will be hosting additional local vendors within their shops. Byrd Books will give 25% off of hardcover books if Bethel Blooms is mentioned. Silver Touch has a mystery egg discount, worth up to 20% off. Fulton Jeweler will host a diamond remount event. Alice's Flower Shop & A Country Touch Gifts will have a free raffle and a 30% discount off of certain handbags.

Many of the blooms that will decorate the town have been made by the students at the Teen Center, and local artists will show their art work in many of the shops.

Local artists that will be featured are:
Cupcakes and Milkshakes - Marc Moorash (Seraphemera Books) & Bethel Students
Wesley Lounge / Fulton Jewelers - Kyle Shike, Sue West & Bethel Students
Take Time Relaxation Center - "I like the way I look"  Self Portraits by K-8 Students
Private Fitness Studio - Bethel Students
English Apothecary - Laura McCormick & Bethel Students
Hedgehog & Company - Kaz Oda & Several other local artists and photographers - vintage watercolors, oil paintings & prints
Aurora Photography - Aurora Olmstead
Bethel Chamber of Commerce - Michael Seri & Kathy Miller
Bethel Photoworks - Bethel High School Students
Boylan Chiropractic - Danielle M Soule
Daily Fare - Elisabeth J. Levy
Carlson Physical Therapy - Jennifer Ganser and Barbara Liviosi-Conlin
Molten Java - Ival Stratford-Kovner
Byrd's Books - Jim Felice (Upstairs Gallery) & Bethel Students
DRS Designs - Stamping Workshop
Karate America - Peter Schacter & Bethel Students
Bethel Music Center - Live Music from 11:30 - 12:30 and 1:30 to 2:30
Wah-Lah - Nicole Cudzilo & Bethel Students
Alice's Flower Shop & A Country Touch Gifts - Gregg Karvelis & Bethel Students