2022 SANIBEL SHELL SHOW
After having to go virtual in 2021 due to Covid, we were happy to be back in person with the 2022 Sanibel Shell Show- “Cheers to 85 years.” The 85th annual show was an amazing success with over 250 Artistic and Scientific exhibits with many spectacular, world-class, award-winning entries. We must thank our tireless retiring chairs Mary Burton and Joyce Matthys for their years of service to the Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club and the Show. Both will be sorely missed but will continue to help behind the scenes during future shows. As a result, new leadership has stepped up to continue the Shell Show tradition.
The new Shell Show Chair will be Linda Graves Arnold. She is a full time Sanibel resident who recently retired from real estate in the Midwest. She has experience with event planning and management and will be a good fit to oversee the Show planning and operations. Additionally, she will be the Artistic Division Co-Chair with Tyler Schoenherr’s assistance. Tyler is well known in the Artistic community and has experience as a creative shell artist. The Scientific Division will also have a new leader at the helm – Kathy Kenley. Kathy has a degree in Marine Biology and is a self-described Shell Nut. Linda, Tyler and Kathy look forward to getting to know all of the exhibitors.
Feedback from exhibitors was solicited after the 2022 show and suggestions will be implemented as much as possible. What won’t change is the Sanibel Shell Show being the most prestigious and longest running shell show in the world. New leadership will inevitably bring some changes but we hope you agree the changes will continue to improve the show. Some of the changes we know already include some fresh new Artistic classes, changes in sponsorship and in the awards given. You will have to attend to find out what else!
So much positive feedback from attendees was also greatly appreciated. Each year, our goals are to entertain, educate, and raise money for our annual grants program designed to support education, studies and research activities in the fields of conchology and malacology. Past grant beneficiaries include the Conchologists of America Scholarship Fund, Florida Gulf Coast University, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum.
Planning is well underway for the 2023 Sanibel Shell Show which promises to be another exciting show. While several other shell shows have decided to close their doors, Sanibel is planning the best show ever for 2023. Please join us – as an exhibitor or as an attendee-or BOTH!
2021 VIRTUAL SANIBEL SHELL SHOW
The Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club hosted an amazing FREE Virtual 2021 Sanibel Shell Show instead of the traditional in-person show at the Sanibel Community House. 45 videos premiered on the club’s YouTube channel on Mar 5 and 6, 2021. Clair Beckmann was the Chair of the Virtual Shell Show.
Read more about the fun and successful show here 2021 Virtual Shell Show and here.
2020 SHELL SHOW
The Sanibel-Captiva Shell Club invites you to participate in the 83rd Annual Shell Show, the highlight of the Sanibel Shell Festival.
March 5, 6, 7 at the Sanibel Community House.
Read the LATEST (revised) exhibitor packet (this newly revised version has a corrected mailing address; no other changes) for important changes and revised rules for the 2020 Sanibel Shell Show. More details for the 2020 show will be included as they become available.
The Shell Show chairs have already completed the Exhibitor Packet for the 2020 show. Please read more about it here.
2019 SHELL SHOW
I hope you were able to attend the marvelous 82nd Annual Sanibel Shell Festival. It was a huge success with over 3800 people entering the Shell Show exhibit hall to see the Scientific and Artistic entries.
In case you’d like to refer to the 2019 exhibitor packet and forms, read about those here.
Read the announcements of the 2019 ribbon and award winners here, and check out our April 2019 Junonia newsletter for many more photos.
2018 SHELL SHOW
The 81st Annual Sanibel Shell Show was a wonderful success. All the Scientific Division and Artistic Division exhibits were outstanding, the weather was perfect and the visitors expressed surprise and wonder as they wound their way through the exhibit halls.
Read about it here.
INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO CREATE A SHELL SHOW EXHIBIT
If you have never created an exhibit for a shell show before or would like a refresher, check out this informative presentation with ideas about different ways to make a presentation. This is courtesy of John Timmerman of the North Carolina Shell Club and can be found at the following link.