Never too Early to Plan: Shellabration 2012 Good Reason to Think Ahead

Sanibel sells seashells by the seashore. Yes, there are stores, plenty of them, where you can buy shells or art objects made of shells. And there are shells aplenty to gather at the beach. But now there is an extra flair for shells with the annual Shellabration held on Island.



Aside from the Island spirit to be found during Shellabration, there are bargains to be had and discoveries to be made.




Shellabration 2012! is an island wide, week long celebration of the Sanibel Shell Fair and Show, designed as a tribute to the island's shell bounty. The celebration will run from February 26 through March 4, with the shell fair and show running March 1 to 3 at The Community House.



Shellabrators from around the island are joining in on the excitement with events and promotions. Everybody is invited to participate. A calendar of events will be prepared and promoted in local and national publications. Below is current list of Shellabrators:



• Amy's Something Special, 630 Tarpon Bay Road, is going to offer a 15 percent discount on locally made shell pendants wrapped in sterling silver.



• BIG ARTS will be participating with a shell-theme art exhibit in the Theater Lobby Gallery February 26 through March 4.



• Billy's Bike And Rentals, will be giving all customers (on-line and in-store) a raffle ticket for a chance to own a signed Shellabration poster designed by artist Pam Brodersen.



• Sanibel Historical Museum will have several shell collections on display throughout Shellabration week inside the Rutland Home, Burnap Cottage, Morning Glories and the schoolhouse. In addition, there will also be a shell collection from Thomas Edison with a letter to authenticate it from Mina Edison.



• Great White Grill has created its own microbrew, Shellabraton Beer, to be available during Shellabration week.



• She Sells Sea Shells will be running two promotions during Shellabration week: 25 percent off craft supplies including wood and paper mache boxes and frames, many other paper and wood items, glue, glaze, glitter, glass jars and mirror backs; Sailor's Valentines priced at $275 will be reduced to $75.



• The Sanibel Public Library will have a shell book reading and fossil shell displays featuring 120 different species as old as 5 million years. Some of the shells are extinct and some are found at the beach today. The fossils are from the Burnt Store area is in North Fort Myers. For 10,000 years the area has been dry land. Before that, during the Pliocene and Pleistocene eras it was at times a shallow bay of what is now the Gulf of Mexico. When stockpiling this fill on the Library building site in the early 1990s, the material was observed to be full of marine fossils, evidence of the abundant life of the ancient sea.



• A Shellabration necklace will be offered for sale at various venues around the island. It will allow for creative additions to make each one as unique as its owner.



• Children's art, The children of the island will be invited to get involved by creating a special Shellabration! work of art.



• An attempt to break a Guiness Book of Worlds Records with the Sanibel Stoop will take place Friday, February 17.



• Opening Gala at Traditions, Sunday February 26.



• Fashion show luncheon at Sweet Melissa's featuring one of a kind shell adorned garments.


• 75th Shell Fair and Show, Thursday March 1 to Saturday March 3.



• Rusty Brown presents In Celebration of Ann Morrow Lindbergh, followed by a traditional ice cream social.



So if shells are your thing, and Sanibel is your place, you do want to start a conversation about visiting the Island during Shellabration 2012!