By Laura Bailey

Families from across Bristol converged at the Open Field at BAIMS on Saturday for the Second Annual Family Fun Day, immersing themselves in a day filled with activities, food and entertainment.

“It’s good to see so many kids and families having fun,” said Bristol Early Childhood Alliance Coordinator Donna Koser. “That’s what we wanted, and we’re just so happy to be able to do this again.”

The family-friendly activities were plentiful, including seed planting, bracelet-making, balloon animals, face painting, bubbles and beach balls. Children had the opportunity to cool off from the 80-degree heat and frolic in a sea of bubbles courtesy of a foam party provided by Rolling Video Games. 

One of the highlights for many young visitors was the touch-a-truck activity, where children interacted with local emergency vehicles from the Bristol Fire Department and Bristol Police Department, as well as large transport vehicles from D’Amato Construction Co, AZ Roofing and Skytop Motors.

Attendees had the opportunity to savor a diverse selection of cuisine and sweet treats from popular local vendors, including Spot on Tacos, Kraftwich Foodtruck Greer’s Cluck Truck and Daren’s Ice Cream.

Free water was available to all guests courtesy of the Bristol Water Department with popcorn donated by 99 Restaurants available at the Making Bristol Better booth.  All children in attendance were provided with a $4 food vouchers that could be used at any of the food trucks onsite. 

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“We’re happy that we were able to provide food vouchers for the kids,” Koser said. “Thank you to our wonderful sponsors; we couldn’t have done it without their support.”

Several local organizations that provide services to children and families were onsite, including United Way of Central Connecticut, Making Bristol Better and the Bristol Public Library.

Bristol Lacrosse had an area set up with a net, balls and lacrosse sticks for children to experience the sport. Those who were able to hit one of the five marked areas walked away with a t-shirt or water bottle. 

Family Fun Day was organized by Making Bristol Better, a local nonprofit encompassing the Bristol Early Childhood Alliance and Bristol School Readiness Council, in collaboration with the United Way of West Central Connecticut. 

Laura Bailey can be reached at lbailey@bristoledition.org

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