Dunk tank among new additions to Market Madness

On Saturday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., downtown Springfield will close down for the day for the 5th annual Market Madness Street Fair — a day of music, food and fun for the whole family. The event will be held rain or shine.

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2016-08-11 / Local Dunk tank among new additions to Market Madness By NEIL P. ALLEN mftwmail@gmail.com The Market Madness Street Fair on Main Street in Springfield in 2015. — COURTESY The Market Madness Street Fair on Main Street in Springfield in 2015. — COURTESY SPRINGFIELD — On Saturday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., downtown Springfield will close down for the day for the 5th annual Market Madness Street Fair — a day of music, food and fun for the whole family. The event will be held rain or shine. “We’re squeezing in everything that we love about summer in Vermont. Main Street will be wide open this year, helping to create the most festive and welcoming street fair possible,” said Carol Lighthall, director of Springfield On the Move (SOM). “New this year is a dunk tank sponsored by Claremont Savings Bank that will feature 30 people over the course of the day from town government and the Springfield Rotary Club,” said Lighthall. The list of dunkees includes town manager Tom Yennerell, selectboard members Walter Martone, Peter MacGillivray and Kristi Morris, as well as Jeanice Garfield and Ed Caron from the school board and school superintendent Zach McLaughlin. Co-chairs Tom Hernon and Buddy Dexter are also on the list to be dunked. “We’re trying to involve more people. The shopping plaza will be included this year,” Lighthall continued. “Jay Young, who owns the plaza, will be opening it up to the Elks for their barbecue, they’ll have a deejay and a cross-fit competition.” In addition to the new stuff, there are many things returning including the Springfield Farmers Market and vendors representing artists, artisans, arts and crafts, antiques/collectibles, a tag sale, barbecue and festival food. There will also be music venues featuring more than 10 musical acts, more than 50 classic cars, antique tractors, Harpoon Brew on tap, Trout River Beer tent and a Kid’s Corner with clown Troy Wunderle and carnival games. An ice cream social, quilt raffle, the Humane Society Kissing Booth and the Gallery at the VAULT will host an artisan demonstration to round out the fun. “We’re still looking for more antique cars and vendors,” said Lighthall. There will also be a booth for the Steampunk festival and 30 sponsors for the event will have booths with information and giveaways, according to Lighthall. With a larger event, SOM and the committee have had to lean on Hernon and Dexter, the co-chairs, for assistance. “They have offered a lot of support in making it bigger and better,” Lighthall said. “If there has been an issue or problem, they’ve worked hard to resolve them, like with the detours and police coverage. Buddy has been here a long time and knows a lot of people. That has really helped.” This year, the downtown sections of Main Street (VT Route 11), Valley Street, Park Street and Summer Hill will be closed to all traffic during the event between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Main Street traffic will be detoured along Mineral Street, Park Street and Chester Road (VT Route 11) during the event. Valley Street traffic will be detoured along Pleasant Street, Summer Street and Skitchewaug Trail (VT Route 143). To help people get around the larger event, Crowne Point Country Club will be making golf carts available for the event. For information on the event or becoming a vendor, sponsor or have an antique tractor, please call Springfield on the Move at (802) 885-1527 or email som@vermontel.net.