Informational meeting planned for ‘Awesometown Fall Festival’

By Elise Franco

Planning has begun for a new fall festival next October.

AUSTINTOWN — Brad Bloomster wants to show residents their township is worth celebrating.

Bloomster, director of ministries for Austintown Community Church, said a plan has been in the works to create a festival event for next year called “Awesometown Fall Festival.”

“The thought came to my mind, Austintown is ‘Awesometown,’ and wouldn’t it be wonderful if that’s the way we really felt about where we live?” he said.

“I believe there’s a lot of good here worth celebrating. It’s the idea of what we can do to really bring our community together and make this place truly an awesome town.”

Bloomster said the event would build the township churches’ individual fall festivals into one larger collaboration.

He said he will continue planning all the way up until the festival, starting with an informational meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 19 in the Stacey Pavilion at the township park on Kirk Road.

“We’re really hoping that every church, club, business and civic organization will take part,” he said. “We see this as a way to connect the needs in our community with the organizations that can meet those needs.”

Parks Department Supervisor Joyce Gottron said she met with Bloomster and agreed that Austintown Township Park would be the perfect venue.

“The park is central to the community,” she said. “Obviously it’s a government park, so it’s not affiliated as a religious event but as a community event.”

Gottron said she was on board, especially because of the timing of the festival, which would be Oct. 9 and 10, 2010.

“When we have events in the park, the springtime always seems to be a focal point because we’re just beginning our season,” she said. “This festival is at the end of our season, so it gives us a lot more time to get the park ready.”

Bloomster said if next year’s festival is a success, he’d like to see it become an annual event.

“It’s an opportunity to come together and celebrate all good things about Austintown,” he said. “I really hope that this will just be the start.”

For more information contact Brad Bloomster at (330) 799-4214.

efranco@vindy.com