Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Kennett’s festivals add value to the town
Town festivals have been around for centuries. Beyond the day event, town festivals can become a value adding process. Neither the particular focus of the celebration nor who is at the helm matters, just so the festival reflects our town’s living philosophy, adding to the whole of the community through time.
In our town of Kennett Square, we are learning to honor the land’s virtue, which we see as, “peaceful-progressive-inclusivity.” Because we all walk on the same land, Bridging the Community has chosen the land’s virtues expressed through the rolling hills and diverse flora and fauna to serve as our living philosophy for building community.
As we plan our aroundthe-year street festivals, it helps to reflect on our town’s philosophy. What are the elements that are emerging in our community? Can we progressively include all the essential energies of our town in a peaceful way? How are we carrying the essential elements of our history forward?
The annual Mushroom Festival celebrates the primary industry of our area and manifests the essential elements of a vibrant community. Cooking contests allow our prize and amateur community chefs to develop and contribute their talents. Demonstrations of mushroom growing evoke appreciation from the town folks for the industry that supports the local economy.
In recent years, Cinco de Mayo festivals have come to the heart of town. The Mexican food, dance and games become central for a day. Kennett’s Cinco de Mayo provides an arena to exemplify our town’s philosophy of peaceful-progressive-inclusivity.” After a lull due to the pandemic, Cinco de Mayo will again be celebrated on Saturday, May 4th, 2024. Mayra Castillo and Gonzalo Cano are recruiting vendors and volunteers. Contact: mayrac@cciu. org or gonzalo@kacsimpact.org
At the festivals, handcrafted items and art pieces from our local area inspire the arts and express the spirit of our community. In essence, in experiencing the food, crafts, music and conversation, festivalgoers are sharing in a dynamic community process.
The Memorial Day Parade celebrates our freedoms as a community in Kennett Square by remembering those who gave their lives in service with the United States Armed Forces. The broad participation of veterans, military groups, community organizations, local businesses and entertainers evokes the experience of being a “peaceful, progressive, and inclusive” community. This year the parade will take place on Saturday, May 27, 2024, at 10am on the streets of Kennett. To become a sponsor or a participant contact: info@kennettcollaborative.org
The town’s work continues after the festival. The resources and participants who were engaged during the planning and execution of the festival are now more in tune with a cross-section of the community for ongoing interactions and integration.
For example, after recent festivals, volunteers are now being brought into other community projects. The town businesses are given a boost and visitors return as new customers. The Farmer’s Market reintroduces the food items enjoyed at the festivals. In addition, the surrounding communities return to share common fields of interest. For one, the Borough of Oxford will be hosting their own Cinco de Mayo festival on Sunday, May 5, 2024.
Kennett Square is making the commitment to add value through town festivals. Living these festival events as one community process, we will learn how to better live our town’s philosophy of “peaceful-progressive-inclusivity.” Some say, “Festivals are the face of the community.” Our vision for Kennett Square is “Be the face of the community every day.”
The Story of Kennett — Shaping the future one child at a time” Joan Holliday and Bob George’s book on Kennett may be purchased on Amazon and at the Mushroom Cap. You may contact Joan at: dochollisv@aol.com