WINTER HARBOR — It took Leila Saad four hours to make the tiny earrings, delicately fashioned out of porcupine quills and nylon thread. And when she finally finished her project, there was satisfaction in knowing she had made them herself.

It’s been several summers since Saad, 19, of Steuben, made her earrings at the Schoodic Arts Festival. But she returns to the event summer after summer to dive into a new art skill. This year she’s trying spot-welding.

The Aug. 1-14 festival, which celebrates its 12th season next month, brings art enthusiasts to the Schoodic Peninsula each year. Hosted by the nonprofit organization Schoodic Arts for All, the event is made up of three parts: workshops, performances and brown-bag lunch discussions, where participants can buy or bring a bagged lunch and listen to a series of free talks.

“The festival is our biggest party, it’s our signature,” Schoodic Arts for All Director Mary Laury said. The Winter Harbor arts center began in 1999 and provides workshops, art shows and performances at affordable prices.

A July 31 silent action of donated items at Hammond Hall starts off the festival and is one of the art center’s biggest fund-raisers. The festival continues with a series of performances at the hall as well as a slew of unique workshops that offer instruction in a diverse array of arts. Based on past numbers, Laury guesses between 4,500 to 4,900 people will participate in festival events.

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