NEW HOPE, PA.- Over 125 artists present and sell their work at the 13th annual juried New Hope Outdoor Arts and Crafts Festival on Saturday, September 30, 2006 from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 1, 2006, 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in historic New Hope, Pennsylvania. Organized by the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce, this prestigious event features the work of premier artists and artisans specializing in photography, watercolors, oils, pastels, pen and ink drawings, silver and gold jewelry, ceramics, wearable art, glass, wood, sculpture and furniture. The festival is rain or shine and admission is free.

“With professional artists from near and far displaying impressionistic paintings and lathe turned wooden bowls to peacock feathered handbags and gorgeous photographs of our own incredible Delaware River, the 2006 festival serves something for every taste,” says Sharon Flanagan, co-chair of the event and owner of New Hope Leather on North Main Street.

“Needless to say, the festival also provides the perfect excuse to begin your holiday shopping in New Hope this fall,” adds Maria D’Ambrosio, co-chair of the event and owner of Tesori Gifts and Accessories in Union Square.

Highlights of this year’s festival include musical entertainment in various locations, plus local food vendors such as the Landing Restaurant, Main Squeeze and Triumph Brewing Company. The James A. Michener Art Museum’s educational staff assists visitors in hand painting silk scarves. A venue for young artists on West Mechanic Street affords aspiring talent an opportunity to participate in and experience an outdoor arts showcase. There are still booths available for young artists. For more information, call the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce at (215) 862-9990. Please note that space is limited for this juried festival.

Booths line North Main Street from Bridge Street to Perry Street, the PNC Bank parking lot overlooking the river, Ferry Street Park and West Mechanic Street. Parking, ranging from $5.00 to $15.00, is available at numerous lots throughout town including the New Hope-Solebury High School parking lot, the New Hope & Ivyland Railroad, Union Square and three public lots at the south end of Main Street. Limited on-street metered parking is also available. Signs divert traffic to the festival while North Main Street/River Road is closed from the 202 toll bridge overpass to downtown New Hope from Saturday at 6:00 a.m. through Sunday at 7:00 p.m.

“We’re thrilled to announce that trolley service will operate between various parking locations during the Arts and Crafts Festival,” says Frank Policare, Vice President of the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce. “This joint effort with the New Hope Historical Society is something we’ve been aiming to do for some time to alleviate traffic congestion and to assist and entertain our visitors.”

Now featuring romantic bed and breakfasts, elegant art galleries, antique shops and fine restaurants, the artist colony of New Hope was once stomping ground for renowned painters Daniel Garber and Edward Redfield, among others. Historic hotspots include the famed Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope Canal Boat Company and New Hope and Ivyland Railroad. Union Square, a destination for shopping and dining, features Triumph Brewing Company and the James A. Michener Museum’s satellite location.

The Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce is organized to promote the economic, civil, commercial, cultural, artistic, historical and educational interests of the area. For more information, visit www.NewHopeChamber.com or call (215) 862-9990.