(6/30) Mark your calendar for the 39th Annual Pippinfest, which is set for the last full weekend in September, the 28 and 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., along Main Street in Fairfield. The organization and planning for Pippinfest, Fairfield's "Old Fashioned Street Festival," is well underway. Organization for the festival typically starts in February, but really kicks in during the month of June, when Committee members begin setting the schedule and organizing vendors for the event.

New this year will be the ‘Colonial Corner’, which will take place on Sunday. This area will feature demonstrations of colonial life around 1760 by a costumed interpreter using reproduction artifacts, as well as colonial story times and games for children. The committee is anticipating a number of colonial craftspeople including a basket maker, fraktur painter and powder horn scrimshaw artist. The committee is also pleased to announce that the apple dessert contest will be taking place on Sunday. Details will be forthcoming in August on the web page and Facebook.

Dating back to 1980, the Pippinfest festival holds its roots firmly in community togetherness. The festival was started as a way to promote local non-profits, which has been a tradition that has continued ever since. As a way to bring townspeople together, David Thomas, owner of the Fairfield Inn in 1980, invited local clubs and school groups to participate in a community-wide celebration of the apple harvest. As a small town with a strong sense of community, the citizens of Fairfield were eager to support the idea and an all-day street festival was planned. Next year marks the 40th anniversary and the committee, is already planning for a very special Pippinfest 2020!

Community and local business’ support contributes significantly to the success of the festival every year and Pippinfest allows local non-profits to fund raise for their causes. Local Boy Scout troops, high school groups, churches and many others are able to sell food, drinks and other goods in order to help raise money for their organization. The festival brings people into the community, fosters an environment of fun for everyone, and brings community members together.

At this time, numerous craft and food vendors are already lining up for the two-day event, and Pippinfest organizers are pulling together entertainment for the entire weekend. The Pippinfest Committee schedules entertainment that covers an array of different musical genres, from bluegrass, to folk to rock n’ roll – there will be entertainment for everyone!

As usual, Pippinfest will be a two-day event. Day 1 consists of primarily yard sales up and down Main Street, but craft and food vendors will also be present. The second day of the festival features many craft vendors, craft demonstrations, food vendors, children’s activities and musical entertainment.

The twelve-member committee for the Pippinfest is currently in the midst of its organizational meetings for the 2019 festival. Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at the Village Hall at 7 p.m. Beginning the second week in August, the Committee will meet weekly until the event. Those interested in becoming volunteers for the organization, planning and event itself are welcome to attend the monthly meetings. Volunteers are needed for this event to be such a great success! For more information please visit www.pippinfest.com; www.facebook.com/pippinfest; or call the Fairfield Borough office at 717-642-5640.