Delray Affair, a ‘tradition in our town,’ returns to Atlantic Avenue with arts, crafts, music & more

As Delray Beach has evolved over the years, so has one of its most popular events.

The Delray Affair, a three-day arts and crafts festival, heads into its 61st year starting Friday, with booths set up along 10 blocks of Atlantic Avenue in the city’s downtown.

What began decades ago as a celebration of South Florida’s agricultural and horticultural resources — namely the vibrant gladiolus flower — has grown to feature artisans selling works of all types.

More than 400 vendors offering jewelry, paintings, spices, signs, plants, sculptures, clothing, candles and kids’ accessories, among other items, have been accepted this year based on criteria such as the uniqueness and quality of their art or product along with the process to make it, said Nancy Stewart-Franczak, executive director of Festival Management Group, which helps produce the event.

“We are seeing an influx of new artists and exhibitors and a tremendous amount of interest,” she said. “During COVID, many artisans stopped doing shows, but now we have a whole new influx. We sold out months ago and have over 100 on a wait list.”

Shoppers can take a break from browsing the booths to grab drinks, such as fresh-squeezed lemonade and juices, or foods from one of over 20 vendors. The food court on North Swinton Avenue, next to a Beer and Wine Garden, will be expanded this year, Stewart-Franczak said.

There will also be live music at the Old School Square Beer Garden Stage, near Swinton Avenue. Scheduled musicians include Adam Fine on Friday, Carey Peak and Jason Colannino on Saturday, and the Avenue Church Worship & Service, Melina Soochan and the Taylor Road Band on Sunday.

This year marks the second return of the Delray Affair to its traditional format and location. COVID-19 restrictions forced the cancellation of the 2020 event, and a pandemic pivot in 2021 saw organizers move a scaled-down festival to the Boynton Beach Mall parking lot, renaming it the Affair of the Arts.

Based on that two-day show’s success, Stewart-Franczak and her team decided to continue Affair of the Arts as a separate annual event during the winter season.

But for Delray Beach, the Delray Affair continues to serve as one of its signature events.

“First and foremost, the Delray Affair is a tradition in our town in addition to being a major fundraiser for the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce,” Stewart-Franczak said.

Every year, the Delray Beach Historical Society brings the the Delray Affair back to its roots, promoting the city’s history of growing gladioli.

In the 1940s and ‘50s, Delray’s Gladiola Festival and Fair had a successful run as a featured attraction in the county with movie stars, exhibits, farm animals, parades and flower-covered floats.

In 1950, there were at least 11 nurseries growing 14 varieties of gladioli between Boynton Beach and Delray Beach, which became the leading grower of gladiolus flowers in the United States, contributing to more than a $1 million-a-year industry, according to the Delray Beach Historical Society.

As western areas of the city began to grow, community leaders organized a committee in 1962 with plans to expand the festival to include arts and crafts. The name was changed to the Delray Affair, and it was scheduled for later in the year to extend the tourist season, bringing additional commerce to the city.

The festival’s History & Heritage Headquarters moves to the Delray Beach Historical Society campus, 3 NE First St., this year. Anyone interested may learn about the history of gladiola farming through exhibits, tour the gardens, shop for gladiola bulbs (including the Chit Chat variety) and other gifts, listen to storytelling and play badminton on the north lawn.

If you’ve been planning to get a COVID-19 vaccination, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be on site to provide free shots, testing and testing kits.Organizers have brought in additional luxury shuttle buses and extended the time of service to transport attendees to and from the event from the Tri-Rail station and Palm Beach County Administrative Complex on Congress Avenue.For the first time, there’s an opportunity to catch a major tennis event happening alongside the Delray Affair. The 2023 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers will take place April 14-15 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, 201 W. Atlantic Ave. A total of 18 teams will compete for a spot in the Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Finals in November. Tennis star Coco Gauff, 19, who grew up in Delray Beach, will represent the United States against Austria. Visit usta.com/billiejeankingcup for tickets and other details.

Inspired by South Florida’s “vibrant hues and gorgeous ocean colors,” artist Martha Quigley’s oil painting “Guardshack” invites the viewer down a sandy path flanked by a lifeguard tower on one side and beach chairs and an umbrella on the other. That serene scene was just what the Delray Affair’s organizers envisioned for the 2023 commemorative poster.

“We wanted to capture the beach and new lifeguard station, and this artist submitted the look we were trying to capture,” Stewart-Franczak said.

A Marblehead, Mass., resident, Quigley spent seven winters as a snowbird in Delray Beach and now lives part time in Stuart. She runs the virtual Landfall Gallery and travels to large art festivals each year from coastal New England to Florida.

“I have always favored ocean scenes and iconic imagery,” she said. “I painted the first ‘Guardshack’ in 2013 and was immediately drawn to the new green-and-white-roofed structures.”

Quigley is celebrating her second time as a featured Delray Affair artist. Her painting of three turtles was chosen as the 2013 T-shirt and pin design.

“Doing art festivals allows me to work directly with people to create commissioned pieces and custom sizes,” she said. “I’m never far from like-minded, ocean-loving people. For me, it is a dream come true.”

Find her poster and other Delray Affair merchandise in the booth at the corner of Atlantic and Northeast Second avenues. Apparel is also available at truefloridian.com/collections/delray-affair-apparel.

Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday-Saturday, April 14-15 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, April 16.Parking is available in municipal parking garages for $5 per day, and at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 188 S. Swinton Ave., for $10 per day.Metered street parking will be available using the ParkMobile app.There is free parking plus a shuttle service from the Tri-Rail station (next to the Palm Beach County Administrative Complex at 345 S. Congress Ave., where there is also free parking).Free golf-cart transportation from downtown parking lots is available through the Freebee app.

For more information, visit DelrayAffair.com, Facebook.com/DelrayAffair and/or Instagram.com/delray_affair.