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By Rachel Borman
Hometown Weekly Correspondent
Many families attended Old Post Road Elementary School’s Country Fair on Sunday, June 13. Following in the footsteps of last year’s Big 50 Carnival, the planning committee chose a Country Fair theme that influenced all areas of the event.
In the country spirit, unique additions to the Fair this year included a mechanical bull ride, performances by the Fiddling Thompsons that included line dancing instruction, and a cupcake bakeoff.
The day actually started earlier in the morning with a Fun Run/Walk around the Meadow Ridge neighborhood. Participants worked their way around the 1.1-mile course, and awards were given in 18 categories to reflect the different elementary grade level, Old Post Road alumni status, and adult runners of both genders.
Olivia Romeo, age 10, was ecstatic to have come in first among fourth graders. The Fun Run was the best part of the day for her, although she was eager for a turn on the mechanical bull ride.
“The fair is a great community-building event,” said OPR Principal Stephen Fortin. “It takes a number of hardworking chairpeople and parents to make events like this possible.”
He particularly commended Krista Sullivan for three years of excellent Fun Run/Walk coordination and Coreen Jackson as the mastermind behind the entire event this year.
Principal Fortin joined Fire Chief Timothy F. Bailey, Jr. and Gerri Polo, Old Post Road’s school nurse who is retiring this year, as the trio judging the cupcake bakeoff.
The winners were Maura Kemig, whose Barnyard Pig cupcakes won the Crowd Favorite title; Corrine Garrity, whose Cherry and Blueberry Pie cupcakes won the Most Creative title; and Bella Meredith, whose Cowboy Hat cupcakes won Best Overall.
Over at the picnic tables, Owen Alson, Connor Alson, Jack Gibbs, and Tommy Gibbs were having so much fun that they could not help talking over each other as they shared the best parts of the day so far.
The list included the Fun Run, the playground swings, the pinewood derby, the robots, the mechanical bull ride, and the obstacle course. They agreed that the day was far from over and were excited by how much there was still to do at the Fair.
