L-R: Fairhaven Selectboard member Charles Murphy holds the umbrella for police Sgt. Kevin Kobza as they wait for the rain to end on Saturday, 6/25, at the annual Homecoming Day Fair. Photo courtesy of Ted Silva
By Beth David, Editor
Homecoming Fair defies the rain
The Fairhaven Improvement Association did not let the remnants of Hurricane Cindy ruin their day. The Homecoming Day Fair vendors set up their booths before the rain hit, and then rode out the storm for a couple of hours on Saturday. Almost all of the 175 vendors chose to stay put and wait it out. The handful who left are probably sad they did, because after the torrential rain, the skies cleared and the sun came out.
So did the public.
Vendors said the street got flooded with people, almost the moment the rain flooding subsided.
Barbara Acksen, President of the FIA, said she was happy they decided to take the chance. She recalled another year when the fair got cancelled and then the weather cleared and people were very disappointed.
So the show went on.
Entertainment started out inside, but then moved outside when the weather cleared; the antique fire engine rides were a big hit; and the food booths had their signature long lines.
Most vendors said they were very pleased with their sales and the amount of foot traffic.
Dave Reynolds and his son Liam of Fairhaven took a few minutes to check out the Paul Revere bell that the Bell Committee had on display. Several committee members were on hand to talk about the history of the bell and the plans to find a permanent location for it to be displayed.
Nils Isaksen (RIGHT) explains the history of the Paul Revere Bell to Liam Reynolds and his father David Reynolds, with Al Benac standing by in case Nils needed any help, at the Fairhaven Homecoming Fair on Saturday, 6/24. The Fairhaven Bell Committee is displaying the bell and raising funds to have it cleaned for permanent display. Students from New Bedford Voc-Tech built the trailer and support for the bell. Photo by Beth David.
The bell was forged by American patriot Paul Revere in 1796, the 12th bell his company made. It is the third oldest Paul Revere Bell know in existence.
Isaac Sherman and Samuel Proctor purchased the bell for the Second Church of Christ, now known as the First Congregational Church of Fairhaven. The bell found its way to the top of the Oxford School in 1914, where it remained until its removal in October of 2015.
“I never knew about it,” said the elder Mr. Reynolds.
“It’s interesting,” said Liam, who said the town could put it back on top of the Oxford School, or “make a little monument for it.”
The art show was moved inside Town Hall, where paintings and photos received a variety of awards.
Michael Tracey, 68, of Fairhaven won second place for his acrylic painting of New Bedford Harbor that he made from an old photograph he saw in a Spinner Publications book.
He said he has been painting as a hobby for about four years, and now has a gallery in his house for his paintings.
Ron O’Berry, 64, won a first place and second place for his watercolors on paper. He said he started painting in the sixth grade, then stopped, and started up again in his 40s. He is a house painter by trade.
“It’s a different brush,” he said.
Michael Scully, Roger Yergeau, Ethan Nault work the booth for Boy Scout Troop 55. The Scouts sold bird houses, window boxes, and bat houses at the Homecoming Fair. Photo by Beth David.
Outside the Boy Scout Troop 55 sold bird houses and, for the first time, bat houses.
Bats eat mosquitoes said Michael Scully and Ethan Nault, and that’s a good thing.
“Basically, they’re the Mosquito Squad, but their bats,” said Mr. Nault.
Emergency personnel said there were no medical issues during the fair and not one person melted from the rain.
Click here to download the entire 6/29/17 issue: 06-29-17 Homecoming
