No Rain, Just ‘Super Duper’ Fun

The weather forecast wasn’t promising as church members and volunteers prepared Main Street in Marion and the First Congregational Church for its annual ‘Super Duper Fun Fair’ on July 29. Call it divine intervention, but it did not begin to rain until the church bells rang out announcing it was 2:00 pm, time for the fair to close.

Between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, the tiny village of Marion saw a steady flow of people intent on enjoying the decades-old fair. In fact, trying to find out when the fair first began proved difficult.

Susan Smith, publicist for the event and bake sale table attendant said, “Well, I’ve been here a long time and they’ve held it every year.” Jean Lake, vice chairman of the lunchroom, where chicken salad and lobster rolls featured high on the menu, chuckled at the question. “I’ve been here a long time, and I don’t know the answer,” she responded.

Regardless of how long the fair has been taking place – let’s call it ‘decades’ – the event has given families a place to go and enjoy the simple old-fashioned joys of a ring-toss or knock-down the bottles games (homemade of course), find a good summer novel, or buy a plate of homemade cookies. Or maybe it’s simply the desire to participate in a hometown event that is quintessentially New England.

Whatever the driving force might have been, it drew people together and a good time was had by all.

Down in the church basement, seasoned flea-market hunters were scanning tables crammed to overflowing with bargains, while outside on the midway children squealed with delight as their tossed balls hit the mark.

Also outside was the baked goods table where Smith said, “Everyone pitches in and donates baked goods for the table…. They are great bakers … we even have an heirloom recipe,” as she pointed to a blueberry cake. Smith said that in the coming year the church would be publishing a cookbook filled with recipes, many of which are family treasures.

Smith also said proceeds from the event helped to fund the church’s many outreach programs and mission work. “It goes in the general fund.”

And let’s not forget the volunteers that donned fancy hats for this event. There was Susan Kenny in her giant hot dog and bun-shaped head-piece apropos for the snack table she was working, and Betty Linzee whose genteel straw hat decorated in flowers had been handed down to her by a previous churchgoer who wore it every year while manning the flower and blueberry table. “I have to wear her hat,” Linzee said with a soft smile.

If you were looking for a good used book, there were plenty of those as well as new books signed by their author. Bearing up in the cool air was Phyllis Washburn autographing copies of her book Good Morning Sam, a charming heart-felt story of the years she cared for a lonely swan.

In the lunchroom, Lake said that diners were enjoying the food and the live music provided by pianist Truman Tirrell and flutist Bob Sanderson.

As the church’s automated music emitted such tunes as “Lazy Crazy Days of Summer” and “Michael Row Your Boat Ashore” from its bell tower, the cool fall-like breezes and dark skies were no match for the warmth generated by the Super Duper Fun Fair. And overheard were two volunteers plotting with each other, “Well, next year, let’s.…”

The church’s work is never done.

By Marilou Newell

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