More than 150 people browsed the art at QuickDraw in Lighthouse Park.

Visual and performing artists at the 2010 QuickDraw filled St. George Lighthouse Park with music and cheer on Saturday, May 8, and for a short time county residents were able to take a break from ongoing preparations to deal with the possible impact of the Gulf oil spill.

Twenty-one artists captured the beauty of the Cape St. George Light and its surroundings by participating in the two-hour QuickDraw event which kicked off the Forgotten Coast Plein Air Invitational Paint-Out.  As the artists, both professional and amateur, worked on their paintings in oil, watercolor, and pastels, visitors in the park were entertained by music and the activities of wandering performers.

The Panhandle Players "Take Two Players" improvisational group were joined by island residents in costume to entertain the crowd gathered to watch the artists.  Music by local group Close Up and Panama City duo Lucky Mud provided a festival atmosphere as Raggedy Ann, the Court Jester, Charlie Chaplin, and a host of eccentric characters roamed the park and interacted with the crowd.

Prizes in the QuickDraw competition were awarded to several of the artists, with James Richards taking the top Judges' Choice Award, and Kirsten Andreason recognized as Best Emerging Artist.

While the artists with canvasses and easels were at work, another art competition was also taking place.  A Sidewalk Chalk Art Competition featured 12 young artists drawing imaginative scenes in colorful chalk on the park's sidewalks.  Ayla Ashley, Bianca Huber, and Katie Dineen took top honors with their elaborate renditions of turtles, beaches, palm trees, and (of course) the lighthouse.

A Poker Run attracted participants to 16 island businesses and was won by Ed Zygmonski and Liza Strub, who assembled the first and second ranking poker hands.

Please see the Photo Album for more photos of this festive event!