The sixth annual DARE Arts and Crafts Fair will take place on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Coral Reef Park in Palmetto Bay. The popular yearly event benefits the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program for schoolage children.
Admission is free to the family-oriented event set in Coral Reef Park, but it will feature more than 60 vendor booths selling artwork and crafts including jewelry, clothing, food and drinks.
Officer Patience Glasko of the Community Outreach Unit of Palmetto Bay’s Village Policing Unit, organizer of the fair, is looking forward to it and said there is more than just the arts and crafts.
“I want to let people know we’re going to have live performances from Howard Drive Elementary School, Perrine Elementary and Coral Reef Elementary, and Alexander Montessori is bringing their musical group to our stage,” Officer Glasko said. “We’re going to have Benefits Car Show there with their antique cars. Christ Fellowship Church will be there with a musical performance. There will be free kid rides, so families won’t have to spend money for those. Home Depot has promised to have a craft center for kids.”
Glasko said there are more bonuses as well for those who attend and wish to take part.
“We’ve got some really good raffle items so people can buy a ticket and participate in that,” she said. “Fairchild Gardens has a family four-pack; there are theater tickets around Miami, Cutler Bay and Coral Gables; Deering Estate gave us some family packages and there are more raffle items coming in as well.”
The fair will also feature the inaugural appearance of the new DARE Car used by the Miami-Dade Police Department at schools and special events, replacing the older one.
When the vendors participate, the fee they pay the fair will help the DARE program by covering the cost of student workbooks, diplomas and other instructional aids that will be used in classes to help children learn how to avoid drugs. There may still be room for a few more vendors, and anyone interested should contact Officer Glasko at 305-278-4000 or by email at psglasko@mdpd.com.
“This is our sixth year and I’m hoping we’ll get a great turnout,” she said.
