SHIPPENSBURG, PA (May 23, 2012) - The 5th Annual Shippensburg Art, Wine and Brew Festival sponsored by Shippensburg University's Alumni Office & Art Department, Shippensburg Area Chamber of Commerce and D.O.I.T (Downtown Organizations Investing Together) is going to be held on Saturday, June 2nd from 12 to 5 p.m. on the North Earl Street Triangle near the Old Main Drive campus entrance of Shippensburg University. A wristband must be purchased for the wine and beer sampling. The cost of the wristband is $20 per person and it includes your admittance to the festival, souvenir wine or beer glass, sampling and entertainment (You must be 21 years or older to purchase a wristband). There is a $5 admittance fee to the festival for ages 13 and up. Children 12 and under are free. For more information, please contact the Shippensburg Area Chamber of Commerce located at 53 W. King Street, Shippensburg at 717-532-5509 or visit www.artshipfest.org or e-mail community@shippensburg.org.

Wine and microbrew tastings, sculptures, great food and music will be on the North Earl Street Triangle. The following wineries are planning on participating; Greenhouse Winery and Sand Castle Winery. Microbrews will be offered by the following participants; Market Cross Pub & Brewery and Roy-Pitz Brewing Company.

There will be installation pieces that transform the park. Numerous outdoor sculptures created by students from the Art & Design Department at Shippensburg University will be on display on the North Earl Street Triangle. "The opportunity to create sculpture that reacts to the environment and interacts with the public is profound" according to Steve Dolbin, Chair of the Department of Art & Design at Shippensburg University. In addition, the following local artists will be demonstrating and selling their art throughout the event; Margaret Evans - jewelry, Pamela Foster- mixed media, Robert Hirschorn – photography, William Hynes – pottery and Donald Strayer – woodworking. Members of the SHAPE (Shippensburg Arts Programming & Education) Organization will have various types of art on display and for sale as well.

Music will be ongoing throughout the day and will include performances by Ray Cressler from Noon to 1pm, Nick Andrew Staver featuring Tommy Hoy on bass and Caitlin Allen on keys from 1:30-3:30pm and The Negley Brothers from 4-5:00pm. Please bring along a lawn chair or blanket so that you can relax and enjoy the music, art, tastings and great food.

Delicious food will be available both on the North Earl Street Triangle and in Downtown Shippensburg. Participating restaurants and food vendors include CC Funnel Cakes, Green Ridge Village, Hillbilly's Chuckwagon Snack Foods, Keswick Creamery at Carrock Farm, Knute's Pub & Grill, Nirvana Cookie Bakery, Sherri's Crab Cakes, Shuman's Concessions, Smith's BBQ Chicken, Uncle Moe's Soul Food and University Grille.

Some other related events that are occurring on the same day in Shippensburg begin at 9am to noon at The Thought Lot located at 37 East Garfield Street in Downtown Shippensburg. Join them for art, music and food before ArtSHIP. They will be selling breakfast sandwiches, donuts and coffee to all hungry art appreciators. There will be local art on display as well as live music. So stop over and enjoy a good breakfast before attending the Art, Wine & Brew Festival.

Also in the morning, is a 10K Race supporting the Cumberland Valley Rails to Trails Council (CVRTC a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation). This race will begin at 10 a.m. with the award ceremony at 11:30 a.m. (Results will be posted at www.cvrtc.org). The course travels through the Shippensburg University campus and on the Cumberland Valley Rail-Trail. Online registrations are available at www.active.com or registration will be on the North Earl Street Triangle beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 2nd . This event is held rain or shine. Early registration prices available on www.active.com until June 1st and will include discounted wristbands for the wine and microbrew sampling along with a souvenir wine or beer glass. For more information or to volunteer contact: Garrett Stahlman at 717-300-1337 or e-mail race@cvrtc.org.

If after ArtSHIP you don't want the party to end, join SHAPE (Shippensburg's Arts Programming & Education) at 20 West Kings Street in Downtown Shippensburg for the "After Party" from 5:15 until 7:45pm. Enjoy a visit to the gallery while sampling hors d'oeuvres prepared by local restaurant, Biscotti, and a sampling of wine, beer and refreshing drinks. Guests can view the Seventh Annual Members Exhibition in which SHAPE member artists bring out their latest works and relax on SHAPE's patio. To attend the After Party, place a reservation with Tom Crochunis at tccroc@ship.edu and a cash payment of $15 per person can be made at the door.

Later in the evening, enjoy a great performance by Cornell Gunter's Coasters, Bobby Hendricks Drifters & The Platters appearing live in concert at the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center on the campus of Shippensburg University at 8 p.m. Seeing any one of these talented 50's groups by themselves would be a treat, but seeing the combination of all three on the same stage in the same evening is nothing short of spectacular! To purchase tickets you can call 717-477-7469 or visit www.luhrscenter.com.

So, come experience the arts and plan to spend a part or the whole day in Shippensburg. We look forward to seeing you!