MIDDLEBORO — The 15th annual Middleboro Sip and Stroll: Summer returns Saturday, July 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. on the Town Hall lawn, featuring 95 vendors offering music, food trucks, crafts, baked goods and, of course, a beverage of choice. 

Nearly a third of this year’s vendors are from Middleboro or Lakeville. Some local examples include Lakeville’s Sue Spieler with her offering of artisanal soaps, Middleboro High School teacher Valerie Rufo and her pottery as well as Cloverdilly Candle Company and Blue Anchor Studio’s Robyn Larrobino’s jewelry. 

Food highlights include The Hideaway, pizzas prepared onsite by Central Cafe and sourdough bread from local baker Courtney Wright — which is known to sell out quickly. A new fried dough truck will serve fried Oreos and Twinkies. 

Bartending Service of New England will manage the bar, providing not only alcoholic beverages but also mocktails. Coffee Milano will offer lemonade and iced coffee options. 

Organized by Lorna Brunelle of the Burt Wood School of Performing Arts, Sip and Stroll began 15 years ago as a small craft fair and has grown into a popular community event drawing thousands each year. This year’s summer event also marks the 30th anniversary of the Burt Wood School and falls on Brunelle’s late mother’s birthday.

“She loved artists and the arts. This was her favorite event of the year,” Brunelle said.

Volunteers play an essential role in the event’s success, Brunelle said. Students in Middleboro High’s continuing education program help prepare the event grounds while Brunelle’s husband and Maureen Whalen assist with production and on-site coordination. 

Proceeds from vendor fees support scholarships and programming at the Burt Wood School, where nearly 40% of students participate in theater classes funded by scholarships.

Following the summer event, Sip and Stroll will return with two more editions in Middleboro this year: Harvest on September 13 and Holiday on November 1.

For more information visit the Middleboro Sip and Stroll Facebook page.