Whitpain Community Festival is a family favorite

By Diane VanDyke
Thousands attend the annual Whitpain Community Festival at MCCC's Central Campus in Blue Bell.

Thousands attend the annual Whitpain Community Festival at MCCC's Central Campus in Blue Bell.

More than 7,000 people attended the seventh annual Whitpain Community Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28, cohosted by Montgomery County Community College and Whitpain Township at MCCC’s Central Campus in Blue Bell.

The festival featured an array of activities for all ages, including hayrides, a petting zoo, pumpkin painting, pony rides, inflatable games, firetruck and helicopter displays, Pony ridescommunity dance performances and craft and local business tables. The food court featured numerous vendors and food trucks, and P.J. Whelihan’s beer garden was open throughout the day and evening.

The Love Hope Strength Foundation held its wellness fairannual bone marrow awareness drive to add candidates to the National Bone Marrow Registry. MCCC students hosted a Wellness Expo with free screenings, back massages and display tables of health care information.

MCCC alumni also met for their first ever homecoming event, including several members of the Class of 1970 alumni homecomingwho are celebrating their 50th graduation anniversary in 2020.

Musical performances included children’s music by Ants on a Log and Señor Fancypants followed by the Fort Washington School of Rock, Phillybloco and country music rising star, Danielle Johnson.

The Amish Outlaws amish outlaws crowdentertained the crowd with popular songs that had many people on their feet dancing. The daylong festivities wrapped up with a spectacularfireworks finale fireworks finale.

 

 

The event was free to the community, thanks to the support of many generous sponsors. Event sponsors included Baird/The Foley Hillsley Group and MCCC Lively Arts Series. Gold sponsors include Arden Credit Union, Chambers Associates, McCaffrey’s Food Markets and P.J. Whelihan’s. Silver sponsors American Heritage Credit Union, MidAtlantic Construction, Sesame/Rockwood Camps and Whitpain Police Association. Bronze sponsors include Blue Bell Country Club, GSI Concrete, Janney Montgomery Scott – Patitucci Wealth Management, McMahon Associates, Inc., Professional Data Solutions, TD Bank and  Univest Bank and Trust Co. Friends of the Festival include the Rothman Institute and Weichert Realtors.