This year’s Art Under the Oaks festival showcased a distinct variety of unique and expert arts and crafts – from metalwork and woodwork, to jewelry, paintings, plant arrangements, photography, clothing, purses, candles, home décor and more. Started 37 years ago as a way to bring the community together by showcasing the talents of local artists, Art Under the Oaks has grown to have more than 110 vendors displaying their own works of art, spread over the grounds of San Pedro Catholic Church. Organized yearly by church and student volunteers, the event also acts as a fundraiser for the church, which has been part of the Keys community for several decades. At this year’s event, the couple thousand attendees who browsed the white tents enjoyed raffles, live entertainment by Generation Gap and the Marathon High School Jazz Band, a bake sale and plenty of food and refreshments. Event chairperson Lynn Clements said the Florida Keys pride themselves on being an art community and Art Under the Oaks provides the perfect opportunity to showcase that distinctive talent.
