Over 65,000 people are expected to attend the 13th Annual
Keney Park Family Day Festival this weekend, August 15 and 16
(rain date: August 22 and 23). The festival, which begins at
10 am each day, is sponsored by the Friends of Keney Park.
This year's festival will be highlighted by performances from
a wide array of local Jazz, Reggae, Rhythm and Blues, Hip-Hop,
Rap and Gospel acts from 12-7 pm each day. On Saturday, Tony
Harrington & Touch, Crucial Massive, Carol, Redbone, People
of Goodwill, Lance James Project, Just Us, ABISS and the Artists
Collective will perform. Sunday's schedule includes Connections,
Barbara Brison, Lift Every Voice & Sing, Motivators, Gethsemane
Baptist Church, Angels on Assignment, Sam Patterson and Ghea
& Steadwell. Radio station 910 JAMZ-FM will broadcast live
from the festival and hold contests and give away CD's.
Off the stage there will plenty of activities for people of all
ages, including paddle boating on the park pond, swimming, pony
rides, a fishing derby, horseshoe, softball and basketball tournaments,
the "super bouncer," train rides, a petting zoo, free
balloons and face painting.
Over 30 vendors have signed up to display their wares this year,
including food, arts and crafts items, jewelry, literature and
clothing. On a more serious note, the festival will offer free
health screenings for cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes
and the Hartford Fire Department will once again have their Fire
Escape Trailer on hand to teach children how to escape from a
burning building.
This year's festival is dedicated to the memory of Evelyn Howard
Ball, a former member of the Friends of Keney Park Board of Directors.
For more information on the festival or to volunteer, call 722-6567
or e-mail to Keney-park@ursa.hartnet.org.
