By Beth David, Editor
Fairhaven’s annual Outdoor Movie Night, featuring Disney’s Inside Out, was going swimmingly, despite one, big ole’ dark cloud that seemed to be hanging around the fringes of Livesey Park on Saturday, 7/23.
The kids ran around and played in the bounce houses, food vendors were busy dishing out their wares, the entertainers of the Girls Rule Tour sang up a storm, and a long line of admirers stretched in front of Joy, a character from the movie, right up until show time.
Zoey and Riley staked out their spot on the Livesey Park lawn with their grandmother Jen.
Riley said she had seen the movie before and liked it because it was about “all the feelings.”
Her favorite character is Joy, she said.
Ariyah, who said she had not seen the movie yet, was there with her older cousin Darrin.
Zoey of New Bedford, and Darrin of Acushnet pose with their adults for the local free sheet while waiting for the movie to start. Beth David photo.
Darrin’s favorite character was the clown.
“It’s a little funny,” he said, and liked the faces he made.
Before the movie started, organizer Wayne Oliveira thanked the United Way for a “major grant” that made the night possible. He also thanked the vendors, who added to the festival atmosphere, the Fairhaven Improvement Association, East Fairhaven IA, the North Fairhaven IA, the Lions Club and Girls Rule Tour.
The movie started around 8:15, and then that pesky little cloud start shooting out some lightning. Then the thunder. Meanwhile, people started packing up. After one or two long rolling thunder growls, even your intrepid editor started packing up her chair (just in case). Then the skies let loose.
As your fearless editor strode quickly to her car, she heard organizer Wayne Oliveira announce that the movie would be stopped.
It looked like about half the 300 or so attendees managed to sneak away before the rain. The rest of us got drenched as we headed to our cars.
On my side of the park, though, there was nothing but squeals of delight and laughter as people raced to their vehicles.
Abby Frias, from the Girls Rule Tour, entertains the crowd before the movie. Photo by Beth David.
“Just wanted to thank everyone for their help and understanding for the rained out movie night,” wrote the organizers on their Facebook page. “Because the movie company showed up to start the movie we are unable to use our rain date as an option. It costs over $1000 to put on the production so we can not reschedule for another date this year. Unfortunately we have to wait for next year and try again. Got to love New England weather….. always unpredictable!”
The group has a GoFundMe page, if anyone wants to donate to next year’s effort. Visit https://www.gofundme. com/rrfzss
Members of the Girls Rule Tour, who performed for the crowd before the movie began. Beth David photo.
Click to download the 7/28/16 issue: 07-28-16 OutdoorMovie
