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By Stephen Press
Hometown Weekly Staff
There are some things that a steady October rain cannot thwart. Tantalizing scents of fresh food wafting through the air, for one. The traffic and buzz of a small town, for another. The most apparent example on Saturday, however: Needhamites themselves.
Despite less-than-stellar atmospheric conditions, the town was out in full force on Saturday morning, packing the town common for the Needham Business Assocation (NBA) Harvest Fair. The Harvest Fair, one of the NBA's yearly highlights, features local merchants, a food court, a Souper Bowl Contest, and festive atmosphere on Needham's town common.
If the faces of the attendees were any indication, the weather wasn't spoiling anybody's fun.
"We love to come to the NBA fair and festival just to meet with local nonprofits, to see the booths from all of the different vendors, see what's going on in town and get some fun freebies as we do," said Alison Rivers, who stood smiling with her husband and daughter at the edge of the town common. "Not even the rain will ruin the day for us."
Her daughter, Katharine Kurdziel, nodded her head vigorously in assent. "We get free pumpkins! I love pumpkins! I usually come to this every year. I like everything," she enthused. "Even if it was pouring, we'd bring umbrellas."
"We enjoy coming because we bump into a lot of our neighbors, and it's a fun way to to be out in the community," said her father, Michael, who dutifully carried a pumpkin. "The other two kids ran off with friends, so it's a great social scene."
A short while away under a tent, Lee Anastasia and Chris Lovezzola savored cups of hot soup. "We never miss it," said Lee, who had come home from Mount Ida College.
"We like to come for the soup tasting. It's a great way to start the fall," added Chris.
"And to see people around town," interjected Lee. "There's a lot of friendly faces around."
"It's a great way to know new businesses and get to know Needham better," Lovezzola concluded.
As fathers held umbrellas for their children, groups of laughing teens swaggered through the common, and old friends shook hands and caught up, it was easy to forget the puddles under their feet.
Moving between her own booth and those of her constituents, State Representative Denise Garlick had a ground-level view of the happy Needhamites who dodged raindrops to make the most of the special day. "I think a sense of community isn't weather-dependent," she smiled. "Rain or shine, people come together and celebrate this great community."
