FROM BLUFFTON ICON - The 48th annual Bluffton Arts and Crafts Festival on Saturday, May 11, is a family friendly, activity-packed event with two new features: a music tent and shopping passport.

The festival brings some 60 vendors with non-commercial arts and crafts to Bluffton’s Main Street from Vine to Franklin. This year, the event will also include a music tent on the lawn of Bluffton Presbyterian Church, 112 S. Main.

A shopping passport will feature 12 businesses that have contributed to a prize of $250 Bluffton Bucks.

The music tent is sponsored by Superior Energy Solutions. The lineup:
9 a.m. Ryan Strickler
10 a.m. Brett Prothro
11 a.m. Old Folkies
noon Jeff and Marlyce Gundy
1 p.m. Don Juan's Reckless Daughter
2 p.m. Toraigh
These performances are sponsored by Wessler Engineering.

Shopping Passport
Twelve downtown merchants are participating in the Shopping Passport promotion. When you spend $10 each at three of the participating shops, you can enter a drawing for a prize of $250 Bluffton Bucks, checks redeemable at Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce member businesses.

Participating merchants are:
Bike Crazy
Bluffton Senior Center
Boutique 415
The Curling Iron
The Dough Hook
Et Cetera Shop
The Food Store
Gallery 323
Shirley's Gourmet Popcorn
Ten Thousand Villages
Town & Country Flowers
Twisted Whisk Cafe

The festival also includes:
• free pony rides sponsored by Bluffton Hospital
• mini golf provided by M&R Plumbing and Heating
• Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District activities van
• Lima Symphony Orchestra drumming activity
• Hard Rock Llama Co. display

The weekly Bluffton Farmers Market and the Friends of the Bluffton Public Library Spring Book Sale will also be held on May 11.

The Bluffton Arts & Crafts Festival opens at 9 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. Further information can be found at the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook page and at ExploreBluffton.com.