In a year of Wareham anniversaries, one of the longest running events in the area will celebrate its 50th birthday, though not with cake and candles, but rather with oil and canvas.

The Bourne/Wareham Art Association (BWAA) was formed nearly 50 years ago in 1963 by a group of local artists in an effort to bolster community involvement and participation in local art.

"They started it to keep the interest in local art alive," said Betty Beaulieu of the BWAA. "50 years is a long time to be going."

Beaulieu, who has been with the Association for over a decade, said that the upcoming 50th Annual Art Show at Buzzards Bay Park will include a variety of art created amid a myriad of mediums including oil, acrylic, watercolor, and pastel paintings, as well as giclee prints, photographs, and jewelry, all of which will be on sale.

The show will be judged, with ribbons going to standout pieces. This year, the Association will also make a special presentation of the Clayton Fuller Best in Show Award, created to honor the memory of its late namesake, who died in May at 97-years-old. Fuller was a founding member of the Association and was heavily involved with it until his passing

"It's an honor to have this award," said chairwoman of the upcoming show Carole Raymond, who has been with the BWAA for over fifteen years. "Clayton was a member right from the beginning, for over 50 years. He played a big part in the organization. Huge."

Fuller created the well-known bronze bust of the Indian Maiden at Onset Bluffs. According to Betty Beaulieu, he was a major driving force behind the organization.

"He always held it together.  He was always a force behind keeping it active," she said.

Carole Raymond says that this 50th anniversary is all the more special as the club is currently experiencing an uptick in membership.

"Everybody is excited over [the anniversary]," said Raymond. "50 years is a long time for an organization to stay together. This organization has gone through times where there weren't that many members and now our membership is building up again, and we would love to have new artists come too."

In addition to this show, which supports the BWAA's three yearly scholarships to graduating high school seniors, the Association also holds two other shows throughout the year and holds meetings where well-known artists are brought in to demonstrate some of their techniques.

"We give our members those three shows a year plus all the demos," said Raymond.

She added that joining the Association is a great way for local artists to meet others like themselves and expand their own artistic horizons.

"We're always looking for members," she said.

The show will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 19, rain date July 20.While the show is usually held in Onset, this year it will be held in Buzzards Bay Park in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Cape Cod Canal.