Library event draws artisans, hobbyists and foodies

Close to 50 community members filled the Springfield Town Library for a taste of local foods, music, hobbies and and other local “passions” at the library’s second annual “Feed Your Passion: A Little Taste of Springfield” on Wednesday, June 8.

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2016-06-09 / Front Page 'Feed your passion' Library event draws artisans, hobbyists and foodies By Tory Jones Bonenfant toryb@eagletimes.com Visitors try out the Edgar May Health and Recreation Center's “smoothie bike” at “Feed Your Passion: A Little Taste of Springfield” on Wednesday, June 8 at the town library. — D.F. DASCENZO Visitors try out the Edgar May Health and Recreation Center's “smoothie bike” at “Feed Your Passion: A Little Taste of Springfield” on Wednesday, June 8 at the town library. — D.F. DASCENZO SPRINGFIELD — Close to 50 community members filled the Springfield Town Library for a taste of local foods, music, hobbies and and other local “passions” at the library’s second annual “Feed Your Passion: A Little Taste of Springfield” on Wednesday, June 8. “We started this last year and felt like we needed to do public relations and expand so people could learn about what the library provides,” said Library Board Chair Pat Magrosky. “We’re trying to keep people aware in this age of technology. And it’s a fun event to bring these wonderful people together.” Displays on the library’s three floors ranged from a steampunk troupe to how to care for a bearded dragon, and visitors could learn about topics from growing flowers to campaign fundraising to cake decorating. At the library’s entrance, The Fab, a four-member Beatles tribute band, entertained visitors with a live performance, and directors offered local cheeses, meats, crackers and fresh fruit punch with gelato. Nearby, several local restaurants and the Springfield Co-Op also had samples out for visitors to try. Kelly Stettner with Black River Action Team showed visitors the lifecycle of dragonflies and damselflies, and had up-close, hands-on samples of dragonfly larvae. Eva Harris, 15, demonstrated how to create rosettes and other cake decorations. She has had this hobby for two years, she said. Zinny Harris, 11, was seated nearby with her female bearded dragon, Noodles, showing visitors how affectionate the reptiles can be and how to care for them. “They get attached to one person,” Zinny said. In the next room, Steampunk Society of Vermont Co-Founder Sabrina Smith, along with Joey Dressel, Lori Claffe, Kimberly Plourde and Matthew Rockwell, all in full steampunk costume and with accessories, spoke to visitors about the upcoming second annual Steampunk Festival, scheduled for Sept. 23-25 in Springfield. “It’s Victorian science fiction, but it’s not meant to indicate a specific culture,” Dressel said. “It’s yesterday’s tomorrow. It’s what the 21st century thinks the Victorians thought the 21st century would look like.” Upstairs, presenters included the Edgar May Health and Recreation Center with a “smoothie bike” and an electricity-producing bike, Chuck Gregory explaining campaign finance, Rick Hunter with Stellafane, retired dentist John Sinclair, and Manita Johnson’s “Iris Extravaganza.” She and her husband Bruce Johnson raise more than 100 colors and varieties of iris, some dating back 60 years to past family members. Jace Harris, Cliff Weyer and Charis Boke showed visitors their beekeeping equipment and explained how the process works. The library also tied in reading materials to each display, offering several books on the topic matters for those interested in checking them out. The free evening event, which ran from 5 to 7 p.m., was organized by the library’s board of directors, including Sandy Richardson, Matt Pincus, Kerstin Burlingame, Josephine Hingston, Richard Cofrancesco, Judy Edwards and Magrosky. The board has been organizing the event for about two months, Hingston said. “We are all community-connected,” she said. “We had a lot of repeat [presenters] who wanted to come back.” Magrosky said the library may organize the event again next year, depending on community feedback. “We’d love to do it,” she said.