Celebrate Charles! Fall Fest packed with fall fun
The Balloon Nerd, cooking demos highlight the activities
The fall fun is not over yet, as Charles County will present an opportunity to combine many interesting Southern Maryland activities into one day at the Celebrate Charles! Fall-Fest.
From noon to 4 p.m. this Saturday at Regency Furniture Stadium, visitors will experience how Charles County celebrates the season with games, live performances, lots of vendors and
support from the community. The event is free.
Rachel Ammerman, promotions specialist at Charles County Department of Recreation Parks and Tourism, said this the fifth annual Celebrate Charles! Fall-Fest and it is unique because it is held at the stadium. She said five years ago the Charles County Board of Commissioners wanted to see Regency Furniture Stadium used as a multi-event facility.
“We take over the entire ballpark with artisan crafters and the kids can get candy from vendors who are from all over Southern Maryland,” Ammerman said. “Then we also have amusement park rides on the field, which is free for everybody to enjoy. This year we have the Balloon Nerd performing and he’s so much fun. We’re also bringing in a global chef from A Taste of Southern Maryland.”
Brian Garner, the Balloon Nerd, said visitors had better be ready to laugh, dance and see some pretty rad magic and fun with balloons. He loves to provide balloon twisting entertainment to children, both young and old, in Southern Maryland. His skill involves being able to take a balloon and manipulate it into a piece of artwork, which he describes as an amazing experience.
“The best part about what I do is seeing the smiles and excitement as I bring their ideas to life,” Garner said. “I have a lot of audience participation. Some visitors will be helping out with magic, others involved with a competition as well as making a giant balloon snake dance. I have a 20foot balloon snake that comes out and several children are invited on stage to help make him dance. It’s hilarious!”
Ronda Goldman, A Taste of Southern Maryland executive director, said the cooking show at the fall festival will feature La Plata chef Rocquelle Devine, who was featured on the television show “Rachael Ray.” At the event, Devine will demonstrate how to make harvest trail mix, miniature caramel apples, pumpkin smoothies and fall potpourri, blending ingredients such as orange peels and cinnamon sticks to get that seasonal smell at home.
A Taste of Southern Maryland is a CSA (community supported agriculture) that partners with local food producers to put together harvest boxes. It is a farm-to-table experience that delivers homegrown goodness to the doorsteps of residents.
“People will get to see what they can create with foods from local farmers’ markets and local producers,” Goldman said. “This is our second year at the fall festival and the event is a great time to celebrate the harvest season. This is a big season for our local farms, and Southern Maryland is home to some of the best farms in the country. The region is a peninsula surrounded by water on three sides and our soils are very rich, so farmers are doing wonders with growing delicious, nutrient-rich foods in the soils.”
Goldman said last year’s food was more adult centered, but this year’s recipes are geared towards the whole family, adults and children, with opportunities to taste test as well.
The Balloon Nerd will perform at noon and the cooking demonstration will take place in the Legends Club. Fun for the whole family on Saturday also includes live entertainment performed by Rocknoceros at 1:30 p.m. and kids of all ages can play all day in the Family Fun Zone and wear a halloween costume on the Trick-or-Treat Trail.
Ammerman said approximately 5,000 people are expected to attend the event.
Visitors will be able to purchase goods from local artisans and crafters in the Celebrate Charles Marketplace featuring Krafts by Kaye, Pop’s Jewelry Shop, Turnings By Darrel, Deatley Family, Elf Sea Glass, Debbie Bacon, Stephanie Dean, This N That, Janet’s Homemade Candy, Love Your Mother, Intergalactic Space Bears, The Pelican’s Pouch and other unique local vendors.
For more information about the festival, call 1-800-766-3386.