Iremember my first Mayfest visit as if it were yesterday. A pigtailed 10-year-old with a double-decker penchant for powdered sugar and good-natured pranks, it was funnel cakes that slaked my sweet tooth. But it was the confetti eggs that appeased my inner rapscallion. I'm not sure which was more amusing: squashing them on an unwitting victim or watching the obliterated orb release its colorful contents.
Flash forward to now, and kiddos of all ages are still enjoying the same family-friendly fun for which the annual Trinity Park fete is famous.
"Mayfest truly has something for everyone, at every age," said marketing manager Shannon Baumgardner. "We've got six giant areas of activities and events … great food, three dedicated live music stages, four performing arts stages, a full-blown carnival, and an art and gift market with over 50 booths. We also host the Mayfest Run on Saturday morning - which is a USATF-certified 5K and 10K - as well as a fun run."
Besides everything tried-and-true, there's also plenty of new, including the first-ever Best of the Fest, a judged food contest featuring Mayfest's very own food vendors; trained retriever dogs strutting their canine skills along the riverbank and in the water; and "Muttalica," a literal dog-and-pony show starring rescued and adopted pooches that do athletic stunts and a miniature horse that plays basketball and paints pictures. And that's just scratching the surface.
"We work really hard to make sure Mayfest is the place you come home to, that's familiar," said Executive Director Elizabeth Basham. "But we also want to surprise and entertain you, so we're always looking for the next big thing that will get you here while keeping in mind the tradition and giving you the things you've come to expect."
Including, of course, those fabulously feisty confetti eggs.
