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Matthew Mandell, executive director of Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce, said the family-friendly event, which involves wine, food and retail, will have more participating venues, offers and children’s activities this year.
“The festival is back and it’s bigger,” Mandell said. “Not only will there be tastings at over two dozen eateries, and great offerings by all the other merchants; there will be a mini-maker space, drones, obstacle courses, bouncy houses, magicians, hula hoops and rock climbing. The kids are going to love it.”
Kathie Bennewitz, town curator, also plans to present a retrospective of Saugatuck. The new festival feature will include old photos and historic items, along with the "Saugatuck Mural" by Robert Lambdin, which is currently undergoing restoration.
The beneficiary of the event will once again be the Homes with Hope Gillespie Food Pantry. Last year’s festival netted the organization $5,000.
“This is a great partnership for us,” Homes with Hope Executive Director Jeff Weiser said. “Our residents get paid to work at the festival, it supports our food pantry and it gives the entire neighborhood a boost.”
Viva Zapata’s co-owner Harry Brady said, “The festival is such a positive for business and the area. We are looking forward to again seeing the streets filled with people coming to check it out and see how vibrant things are.”
Tickets are $10 per adult and $5 for children age 6 to 12. Five or more locations will have live bands playing, including three Staples student bands at Toquet Hall, the town’s teen center, Miss Suzy’s Opus, Silver Steel, Trag and the School of Rock.
The Saugatuck Fire Station will serve as a fun learning center for children, as it has in years past. There will be an antique truck on display and a fire safety trailer, where children can learn what to do if there is a fire. Railroad Place will be closed to traffic as well.
For more information, along with a list of merchants and a map of the festival, visit the website at www.westportwestonchamber.com/saugatuck.
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