KENT—Even at three years old Rye Mayor knows that he wants to try all kinds of tools.
He spent a lot of time at the TradesUp booth at the Kent Carnival Saturday, Aug. 31 and the volunteers there were happy to help guide him. It is part of their mission with the organization to inspire young people to work with their hands and get familiar with tools.
“He likes to learn,” Rye’s father Erik Mayor said.
While working with Nancy Meyer, she showed Rye how to use sandpaper to smooth a piece of wood. The youngster also learned how to guide a jigsaw and pound nails into wood. “He’s got good concentration and he’s determined,” said Mason Lord, founder of TradesUp. They were next to the Eric Sloane Museum tent that also encouraged children to use historic tools.
The activity was just one of many offered to children at the carnival, sponsored by Kent Memorial Library with many of the town’s nonprofit organizations. The four-hour event started under cloudy skies and rain sprinkles but heavy rain held off. Tents were erected around the perimeter of the Golden Falcon Field.
“It’s been great – lots of happy children and happy parents,” said Sarah Marshall, director of the library and coordinator of the event. “It’s just so freakin’ cute.”
It is the fifth year of the carnival that Marshall wanted to start because she missed the Kent Volunteer Fire Department’s Firemen’s Fair that was held for decades but ended in 2013.
“It has the same feel of the Firemen’s Fair. It’s not really for tourists, it’s for us,” Marshall said. People stopped by frequently to thank her for organizing the event. “There’s been multiple children who’ve come up to me and said, ‘Where’s my mom?’ and I have been like, ‘over there.’”
She estimated 200 people attended.
Children were enjoying jumping and crawling through the inflatable obstacle course that was provided by Kent Park and Recreation. There were many games offered by the library that were run by teen volunteers. Hot dogs were served by the Kent Lions Club and donations accepted.
The Kent Land Trust had jenga and fishing available and Program Manager Melissa Cherniske went around to the different booths and got adults to wear googly eye glasses that move easily with a shake of the head. She created a funny video of the different clips and posted it on the @dogsofkentctfarmersmkt Instagram account. Even Resident Trooper Vicki Donohoe got into the spirit and wore the glasses. First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer and Selectman Glenn Sanchez are also featured.
Kent Volunteer Fire Department had its brush truck on display and answered questions from youngsters such as Ronnie Gibson of New Fairfield, who knows a lot about the KVFD apparatus. Captain Sean Dingee and his brother, Louis Dingee, lifted young children into the driver’s seat and allowed them to look out the front window. Children and adults could also stand behind cutouts of an EMT and firefighter for photo opportunities. Kent Affordable Housing was also on hand to answer questions about its work to expand housing opportunities.
There was a line at the Little Guild booth for Jenny DeCerbo to paint faces. Many youngsters were running around sporting intricate designs on their faces.
There were artistic opportunities as well. Beading and friendship bracelets were being created at the Kent Chamber of Commerce booth with Ellen Corsell. Bookmarks with the Kent Quilters allowed children to decorate with all kinds of stickers and various geometric shapes.
Marshall said it was a sign of success that children were sprinting across the field barefoot with huge smiles on their faces.
