By SCOTT D. JOHSTON

“It’s Only Make Believe” is the theme of the 7th annual Ocean Shores Wearable Art Show, at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, June 2, at the Ocean Shores Convention Center.

The theme is almost a literal description of “Wearable Art” and the yearly runway-style fashion production that is a fun, fast-paced celebration of creativity gone crazy with hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind artwork designed to be worn on the human body.

Despite the theme, putting it all together involves a lot of the real-world concept known as work, for show creators and producers Tricia Funk and Eric Bjella. And this year it takes a big step toward fulfilling one of their goals, as the show will benefit Stage West Community Theatre’s participation in the Free Summer Fun program for Ocean Shores and North Beach students ages 8-14, that will run July 9-27 at Ocean Shores Elementary School.

Bjella explained that they have always “wanted the show to support something, usually for the arts.” He said the show has typically made a small profit, from which they would keep “a little seed money for the next year’s show,” and donate the rest to various area groups.

This year, Bjella said, Stage West had been developing a summer theater program for kids when details began to come together on the Free Summer Fun program funded by the City of Ocean Shores and supported by the North Beach School district and several area sponsors. “We will use some proceeds to help support” the theater group’s participation in the program. Part of that will be a hands-on wearable art project that Funk will lead.

In addition, for the past few years, “we’ve been looking for a non-profit to help” with what has become the most elaborate stage production on the North Coast.

“We’ve said a couple of times, ‘We just can’t do this anymore’” Funk explained, “but people would tell us, ‘You have to continue this.’”

So, the creative couple are “hoping that Stage West can make this part of their regular season and use it for future fund raising,” Bjella concluded.

The program is packed this year with 24 scheduled artists. Convention Center Manager Cheryl Turner will be this year’s emcee and Bjella said some surprise special guests are on tap.

He noted that, to try to give some significant help to Stage West’s part of the Free Summer Fun program, they’ve had to increase ticket prices slightly. That had no impact on the quick sellout of front row tickets, which were gone in the first week. General admission tickets are still available, at the Visitor’s Information Center on the west side of the Convention Center, at Delores and Fay’s on Pt. Brown Ave. NW, and online at www.stagewestcommunitytheatre.org. He said they are usually down to just a handful of tickets remaining for sale at the door.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30. The artists usually remain in their creative costumes to meet and chat with audience members in the Convention Center lobby after the show. More information is available online at www.oswearableart.com and the Facebook page, Ocean Shores Wearable Art Show.