College, community gear up for street fair

Alexandra Matthews Guest Writer

Maybe you’ve been to Zorona or visited the Arlington Farmer’s Market. Maybe you’ve been meaning to venture out into the surrounding Arlington community, but have been trapped in the library stacks. Well, wait no longer: Arlington Street Fair is here and promises cheer, communitas and—of course—chili.

On Saturday, Sept. 29, the College, along with the Vassar Student Association (VSA), the Arlington Business Improvement District and Clear Channel Radio will sponsor the ninth annual Arlington Street Fair. The fair spans three blocks on Raymond Avenue (between Collegeview Avenue and the Eastbound Arterial) and runs from 12-6 p.m.

The fair is an annual highlight of Vassar’s Freshmen Parents’ Weekend. The weekend gives parents a chance to check in on their kids and to get a taste of the surrounding community. Of course you don’t need to be a freshman, or the parent of one, to take advantage of the fanfare.

Although students didn’t get involved in planning the fair until early fall, community and faculty members started planning as early as last March. Event organizers have spent hundreds of hours coordinating local vendors and entertainers—this year they sent more than five thousand postcards. This year’s community participants include sponsor Clear Channel Radio, which will host a talent tent, along with KISS FM and Lite FM. Other community-sponsored booths include a petting zoo, pony rides, magicians and a dance floor.

And then there’s a fair favorite: the chili contest. More participants are expected than ever before, which means an even greater smorgasbord of chili concoctions.

Dozens of Vassar organizations take part in the festivities each year, including The Night Owls, Barefoot Monkeys, Philaletheis and the Vastards among others. “The Fair has something for everyone,” said VSA Vice President for Activities Jimmy Kelly ’09, who was on the planning committee for the fair.

The fair is about “diverse people coming together to produce and support a collective community event,” said Assistant to the Dean of the College and Chair of the Arlington Street Fair Committee Andrew Meade. He said that the fair should serve as a starting point from which students should begin to further involve themselves in the local cause.

The fair not only showcases local vendors and entertainment groups, but also raises money for Community Works, a philanthropic campaign aimed at helping local non-profit organizations. The VSA has been selling raffle tickets in the College Center to raise money; students can win an iPod Touch and other prizes donated by local businesses. Proceeds from the raffles will benefit Community Works. Community Works is an annual fundraiser that gathers donations from students and employees and distributes these funds to worthy recipients in Dutchess County.

It’s a “fantastic opportunity for Vassar students and families to explore what Poughkeepsie and Vassar have to offer,” said Sara Cornish ’09, a member of the Arlington Street Fair Committee. “We tend to forget that there is a town surrounding Vassar.” But also, “it’s a break from a Saturday afternoon at the Library!”