Vermilion + Driftwood = All Washed Up!

When All Washed Up first launched in August 2019, it felt like a natural fit for Vermilion. All the ingredients for success were at hand: Great Lake Erie delivering free, natural materials to our beaches; plenty of creative folks eager to put them to use, and a big audience happy to spend a sunny summer day in beautiful downtown Vermilion. On its maiden voyage, AWU attracted over 800 folks to view entries by almost 60 participants. Amazing!

Now it’s just six weeks until All Washed Up 2021, Vermilion’s 3rd Annual Driftwood Art Contest. On Saturday, July 31, the driftwood entries will be on display 10AM-3PM in Exchange Park at the corner of Liberty and Main. Entries will be judged from 10-11AM with awards presented at 11:30AM. Throughout the day, visitors can to vote for their favorite piece to receive the coveted People’s Choice Award, presented at the close of the event.  To add to the fun, there will be a 50/50 raffle, art basket raffles (thanks to members of Vermilion Arts Guild) and driftwood boats, shell baskets, and temporary tattoos available for a donation to help keep All Washed Up afloat.

While enjoying the amazing driftwood creations, be sure to stop by the Lake Erie Foundation (LEF) table. Foundation members, over 500 strong, work to protect and restore Lake Erie and its rivers and streams. Members of LEF will be on hand to share vital research and the action steps we all can take to protect our Great Lake Erie—and ourselves—by keeping plastics out of her waters.

All Washed Up 2021 is shaping up to be even bigger, better, and more fun. If you or someone you know has been thinking about participating in an art event, All Washed Up is the one! It’s FREE and folks of every age and skill level are welcome to join the fun. Visit the Main Street Vermilion site for details, a registration form, and guidelines to help you safely gather and work with driftwood. You’ll also find an inspiring gallery of entries from previous years. Then… get to the beach! Gather! Get inspired! And tell family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and complete strangers to BE THERE. All Washed Up – It’s Free, It’s Fun, It Floats!

All Washed Up 2021 is made possible by the generous support of Main Street Vermilion Arts Guild and Lake Erie Foundation.

Mary Ellen Cudney, Event Organizer