The Santa Barbara Sea Glass and Ocean Arts Festival will be Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14-15 at the Santa Barbara Elks Lodge and events venue, 150 N. Kellogg Ave.

Festival hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

The annual gathering coalesces around sea glass collectors and artists brought together by imagination, education and a fascination with the finds on the coastline.

The not-for-profit festival annually benefits a Santa Barbara-area organization whose mission relates to the ocean or the arts. This year’s beneficiary will be Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute. 

“Picturesque Santa Barbara is the perfect site for our artisan-driven sea glass festival,” said festival organizer Louise Sciutto. “All of our participants, followers and attendees share a passion for the sea’s treasures and creating incredible art that uniquely connects nature and creativity.”

This year’s festival features sea-glass expert Mary T. McCarthy of Maryland who will discuss how to identify the historical origins of each colorful bit of sea glass and other treasures of the seashore.

Whether pieces begin as a whiskey bottle on a sunken pirate ship, or as part of a Victorian tea set, McCarthy relishes in the stories behind curious and colorful beach finds and will help attendees identify the origins of their own bits and pieces from the sea. 

Continuing with tradition, the festival will include collections, hand-crafted jewelry, and visual art for sale. Attendees can also participate in workshops on ocean arts and crafts, and have chances to win prizes in juried contests for best sea glass.

Admission is $7 for adults and free for those under age 12. Two-day passes are $12. Early-bird tickets $15. Parking is free.

For complete details or for presale tickets, visit https://www.santabarbaraseaglassandoceanartsfestival.com/.