Bethel Summer Festival Returns This Weekend

By SHANNON HICKS

Published: Jul 16, 2010 12:00 am

BETHEL â Many shops and restaurants in downtown Bethel will be participating in the 32nd Annual Bethel Summer Festival, which will run Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 16-18.

Booths will be set up by Bethel Garden Club, Bethel Public Library, St Maryâs Parish, Bethel Historical Society, Bethel Womenâs Club, Danbury Animal Welfare Society (DAWS), and more.

Highlights will include the following:

On Friday, sidewalk sales will run from 10 am until 5 pm, early bird specials 11 am to 3 pm, Zooky the Clown performing from noon to 3, and Bethel Volunteer Fire Department truck demonstrations 10 am to 3 pm, all on the lawn of Bethel Municipal Center, 1 School Street.

The festival will continue on Saturday from 10 am until 5 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm.

On Saturday on the Bethel Library lawn there will be the libraryâs book sale, and old-fashioned games hosted by the historical society (10 am to 5 pm), and a live broadcast by KICKS 105.5 FM (11 to 12:30). On the Municipal Center lawn there will be another demo by the fire department (noon to 3) and a craft fair (10 am to 4:30).

Also on Saturday, there will be an ice cream eating contest at The Gift Cottage (154 Greenwood Avenue; at 2:30); ongoing Locks of Love haircuts by Great Clips staff at P.T. Barnum Square, Greenwood Avenue at Wooster Street; live music by Mental Health (noon to 3) in front of Greenwoods (186 Greenwood Avenue); a block party with pig roast, live music and DJ selections at The Spot (Greenwood Avenue at Front Street), starting at 5; an antique car show and cruise night at 5 pm at The Sycamore (282 Greenwood Avenue); and St Thomasâs Church BBQ beginning at 5:30 (95 Greenwood Avenue).

Sidewalk sales will continue on Sunday from 11 am until 4 pm, and special events will include the following: free travel mugs to the first 100 visitors, age 13 and older, who sign up for the Forty below Zero email club at Dolan Plaza Dippinâ Dots in honor of National Ice Cream Day; more visits with Bethel FD, noon to 4 pm on the municipal center lawn; and a performance of childrenâs music by Nancy Hershatter at 1 at The Toy Room, 153 Greenwood Avenue.

The weekend will conclude with a free concert by Fairfield Cross at 6 pm at Bethel Municipal Center. Bring a picnic supper, a blanket or lawn chair for seating.

In the event of rain, the concert will move inside the Municipal Center.

Locks Of Love Info

As mentioned above, Great Clips will be cutting, collecting and mailing ponytails donated for Locks of Love on Saturday.

Locks of Love is a not-for-profit organization that provides children with a custom, vacuum-fitted hairpiece made entirely from donated human hair. For those who are thinking about participating in the cut-athon on Saturday, the following guidelines need to be met: hair must be at least ten inches in length, it must be bundled into a ponytail or braid, and it must be free of damage caused by chemical processing (no bleach or recent perms, although dyed hair is acceptable as long as it is healthy).

Donors will receive a coupon to have the haircut finished for free at the salon at 83 Stony Hill Road in Bethel (in the Big Y Shopping Center).

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The voters certainly spoke — and I respect the outcome — but let’s not forget that a “majority” doesn’t mean everyone agreed. Many of us are deeply concerned about the rising cost of living here. Supporting schools and services is important, but so is ensuring that residents can afford to stay in the town they love. We all want Newtown to be a great place to live, but lately, it’s starting to feel less like “Nicer in Newtown” and more like “More Expensive in Newtown.” That’s not sustainable, and it’s not a criticism of the town itself — it’s a call for responsible budgeting and long-term planning that doesn’t rely on tax increases year after year. I hope future decisions will reflect not just the desire to maintain services, but also the need to ease the financial burden on residents.

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I appreciate the passion behind this message, and I absolutely understand the desire to invest in our town. That said, I voted no — not because I don't care about Newtown, but because I do. Fiscal responsibility is not about ignoring problems, it’s about making sure we address them in a sustainable and transparent way. It’s frustrating to feel like every year there’s a new “urgent” reason to raise taxes, with little serious effort to curb spending or prioritize needs. I worry this just sets the stage for another round of increases next year. That doesn't mean I’m against education, safety, or our town’s future — it means I believe in accountability and in asking tough questions about how our money is managed. Voting no wasn't a rejection of Newtown — it was a call for more thoughtful, balanced leadership. I hope future conversations can include all perspectives, not just those willing to write a bigger check.

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The voters spoke, loud and clear that they support our schools and municipal services. The majority vote was a mandate to keep delivering well rated education services and keep it" Nicer in Newtown."

Great effort by the those who attended to shine a light on the attacks on Democracy. Thanks for the article so all can understand whats happening.

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Thank you LeReine, for speaking out about this. The list of public servants who are unfairly targeted for abuse just for doing their jobs has been growing. It is a testament to the power of propaganda that otherwise good and well-meaning people can get so emotional as to act out in this way.

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Bethel Summer Festival Returns This Weekend

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