Coupeville is gearing up for a weekend of fun and creativity with the annual Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival.

The event is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in downtown Coupeville.

A kickoff event will be held 7-10 p.m. Friday with a juried art gallery opening and wine reception at Coupeville Rec Hall.

Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door.

Artists from all different mediums will enter.

Entries will be on display throughout the weekend for those who cannot attend Friday.

The arts festival itself is a family affair, offering a wide variety of activities and interests for the entire family.

There will be a variety of food options including Thai, American, Greek and more.

The Coupeville Chamber of Commerce will offer a wine and beer garden as a fundraising event.

Childrens activities will be offered 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Music will be offered throughout the weekend. Keeping with the integrity of the “hand-crafted only” festival, only bands who write and play their own music are accepted.

While there will be much opportunity to purchase art from vendors, there is also an opportunity to learn.

Artists throughout the festival will offer demonstrations and give visitors a chance to ask questions and interact as they work.

Demonstrations will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Some of the featured demonstrations will include colored pencil art, wire art, Native wood carvings, basket weaving and water colors.

The Coupeville Festival was started in 1964 by Coupeville Merchants and other interested citizens. The goal at that time was to showcase the Coupeville community, its arts and to bring visitors to the area.

It became a means to revitalize the town, said festival president Mike Dessert.

Proceeds from the festival go back into the community in the form of grants for various projects and programs.

To date, more than $500,000 has been given back to the community, according to event organizers.

For more information go to www.coupevillefestival.com