Fall Festival returning to Windham Primary School

By Masha Yurkevich

Since 2016, Windham Primary School has been hosting the Fall Festival with the intent of having a safe event early into the school year that everyone could participate in. Featuring a fall theme, the annual event aims to involve staff and the community and will be held this year on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Windham Primary School will hold its annual Fall Festival
with fun games and activities for the entire family from
1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the school.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Hours for the WPS Fall Festival are 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 2 on school grounds with parking limited to the front of the Windham Primary School and the A House Playground lot. Many activities are at no cost and the entire family is welcome to attend and participate.

"We received great feedback the first year that we did this, and so we have pretty much stuck with the same formula,” says Dr. Kyle Rhoads, WPS principal. “It has changed a little bit during the COVID years, but most of the activities that we have are ones that we had the first year; activities like face painting, scavenger hunt, pumpkin decorating, and the dunk bucket, which is $1 for three attempts.”

The Windham PTA plays a big role in organizing and hosting the event. Rhoads said that PTA members offer a bake sale with some items that are free and some that you can purchase for a small price as a donation.

“We have a good core volunteer group that we divvy up the roles and responsibilities of getting ready for the Fall Festival, such as contacting someone for pumpkins, corn stalks, bales of hay, crafts, music, the selfie booth, and much more,” says Rhoads.

One challenge that they have had in previous years is long lines of kids waiting for face painting, he said. To alleviate those long lines this year, event organizers have lined up some Windham High School cheerleaders that are going to help with face painting.

According to Rhoads, there will also be a performance by one of the youth cheerleading squads at the Fall Festival as well as a story time reading offered by the Windham Public Library.

All children and families attending Windham Primary School are encouraged to attend this fun and exciting event, Rhoads said. It remains popular year after year because of its affordability, fun games and activities and great snacks. Because the Fall Festival takes place this year before Halloween, many activities involve pumpkins and are designed to embrace cooler weather that fall brings to Maine.

Students and their families who attend can connect with WPS teachers, staff members, school administrators and volunteers on hand for the event.

One of the annual highlights of the WPS Fall Festival is a dunk tank where current and former students will have an opportunity to watch Principal Rhoads get splashed in the tank.

But the said the underlying significance of the festival is that over the years it remains something that everyone can come out and enjoy in a spirit of togetherness.

“I feel that the original intent of the festival has stayed in the sense that we have kept it low cost and in a way that your entire family can come and both the young and old can have a blast,” Rhoads says. “We invite WPS families to come join us for an afternoon of face painting, pumpkin decorating, scavenger hunting, and connecting with the school staff. It is so fun to watch the children enjoy this event and turn our school cafeteria into a pumpkin patch. I assure you that you will not regret coming and will leave with smiles and many new memories.” <