29th Annual Celebrate Wallingford Festival

[UPDATE: Due to impending inclement weather from Hurricane Joaquin, this year's Celebrate Wallingford has been postponed until the weekend of October 17-18. Any changes in events, entertainment or food vendors will be made as the information becomes available.]

October 3rd marks the start of the 29th Annual Celebrate Wallingford Festival this year, and it will be here before you know it! Get ready for two amazing days of activities, displays, food tasting, crafting, contests, and entertainment, all set in the beautiful uptown area of Wallingford Center.

The main venue for the event will once again be along North and South Main Streets and Simpson Court, with other activities taking place at the Railroad Station green at 11 Hall Avenue. The festivities begin on October 3rd at 11 AM and continue until 7 PM, and continue on October 4th at 12 noon and conclude at 5 PM. Here is a list of some of the planned activities for both days:

• Taste of Wallingford food court
• Crafters exhibiting their creations along North & South Main Streets
• Extended activities area for children and teens, including Curious Creatures, Magic Matt balloons and face painter Ruth Gordon
• Bounce Bash Events will have a bounce house on the Train Station Green, and costumed characters will be available for pictures with the kids
• Live Entertainment (on the Parade Grounds): Don Gioella, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM; Academy of Dance and Music, 12:15 - 12:45 PM; Cover Story, 1:30 - 3:00 PM; Six Step band, 3:30 - 5:00 PM; Coyote River Band, 5:30 - 7:00PM
• Home Depot Kids Workshop & Home Improvement Fair, 11:00 AM to 3PM at the Railroad Station
• Storefront Nostalgia Walk, on Center St, No. Main St, Hall Ave and Quinnipiac St.
• Fitness Fun Zone in the Holy Trinity School parking lot, sponsored by the Wallingford YMCA
• 19th Annual Art Walk through Center Street Cemetery, 9 AM - 5 PM

Sunday, October 4th:

• Taste of Wallingford food court
• Crafters exhibiting their creations along North & South Main Streets
• Storefront Nostalgia Walk, on Center St, No. Main St, Hall Ave and Quinnipiac St.
• Extended activities area for children and teens, including Curious Creatures, Magic Matt balloons and face painter Ruth Gordon
• Bounce Bash Events will have a bounce house on the Train Station Green, and costumed characters will be available for pictures with the kids
• Live Entertainment (in front of the train station): Rich Bobinski Orchestra, 12:00PM - 1:00 PM; Sing Along with Elsa & Anna, 1:15 - 1:45 PM; Choate Musical Group, 2:00 - 2:30 PM; Mariachi Singers, 2:30 - 3:00 PM; California Dreamers, 3:30 - 5:00 PM
• Home Depot Kids Workshop & Home Improvement Fair, 11AM to 3PM at the Railroad Station
• Fitness Fun Zone in the Holy Trinity School parking lot, sponsored by the Wallingford YMCA
• Car Show by the Doo Wop Car Club on Hall Avenue from 11AM -3PM, featuring food and a DJ
• Free tethered hot air balloon rides at Choate Rosemary Hall, time TBD

Begun last year, the Storefront Nostalgia Walk will again be held this year. Several stores along Center Street, North Main Street, Hall Avenue and Quinnipiac Street will have poster-sized photos of old Wallingford that you can view and test your memory of what the town was like in the old days! Our office at 116 Center Street won't have the poster size photos, but we do have several 8x10 images of historical photos that you can also come in and view! Plus, we'll have an art open house for our current artist, Kathy Singer, going on from 12 noon to 3 PM on Sunday!

The Taste of Wallingford has long been a favorite of festival attendees, giving them an opportunity to sample the cuisine of some of their favorite local eateries. Here are the establishments participating and their menus for the event:

Amore Pizza

Pizza slices (Pepperoni/cheese/mashed potato), Fried Dough

Gaetano's Tavern on Main

Pulled Pork Sandwich, Chili, Hot Dog w/Kraut or Chili, Stuffed Baked Potato, Pot Roast with gravy Sandwich

Kender's Indian Palace

Assorted pokara, chicken tikki marsala, chana masala, rice combo

HFT Grill

Chicken teriyaki bowl, spicy pork bowl, steak bowl

Los Mariachis

Tamales, Tacos, Burritos, Nachos Supreme

Pralines

Ice cream cups & cones, Sundaes, Waffle cones

Sweet Cioccolatta

Chocolate candies & confections

Wallingford Elks Club

Breakfast sandwich, Coffee, New England Clam Chowder, Burgers, Chicken tenders w/fries

Wallingford Wishing Well

Beef tip grindersw/ peppers, onions & cheese

Wallingford Rotary Club

Soda, Water

Tata's

Spanish rice, Roast Pork, Beef & cheese Empaneda, potato balls, sweet plantains

Dad's Restaurant

Corned beed w/ Dad's homemade cole slaw, cheddar cheese on a hard roll, Lobster Bisque, hot lobster sliders

Mr. D's

Apple crisp, Caramel apples, Apple cider, cupcakes, pumpkin bars, hot/cold pumpkin spice chai tea

Dry Dock

Gourmet grilled cheese, Tomato soup, chicken wings

East Wallingford Volunteer Fire Department

Sausage & pepper grinder, spicy curly fries, meatball grinder

LHHS Food Truck 

Southwestern turkey chili w/cheddar, sour cream & jalapeno cornbread

Apple pecan chicken salad on sunflower seed bread w/ red grapes & homemade chips

Smoked turkey with bacon, havarti & cheddar on Dijon spread crisp panini

Salted caramel apple cheesecake

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Passionfruit lemonade

This promises to be a fantastic weekend at Celebrate Wallingford, come down and see why Wallingford, CT is a great place to live!