PHOTOS: Something For Everybody At The Essex Fun Fest

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With a photo booth, NASCAR simulators, Kids Zone activities, vendors, live entertainment, food and of course a carnival, the reasons to come out to the Essex Fun Fest this weekend are endless.

The festival kicked off yesterday evening and continues in to tomorrow night. It opened this morning with a nearly hour-long parade with enough candy to keep kids active until late in to the night.

It’s Joe Garon’s first year on the organizing committee for the Essex Fun Fest and he said he couldn’t have asked for a more supportive crowd. They’ve had people offering to volunteer their time left, right and centre. Everyone wants to help out, and it’s helped to make the weekend a success so far.

“This year we’re revamped the festival, we have a whole new layout, new rides, better vendors, more vendors, more entertainment attractions for all ages,” said Garon. “From the toddlers in our Kids Zone with the inflatable’s, to the 65, 75-yea-olds that like to play the Bingos and go to the outdoor stage shows. We’ve got something literally for everybody all weekend.”

The festival has roots back in 1978, where it began as the Soy Bean Festival. However, Garon said, it’s been the Essex Fun Festival for as long as he can remember. He’s taken it upon himself to revamp the show to be attractive for everyone coming out, and with charging just $2 for admission he said he’s had a great response.

“We’re expecting in the neighborhood of about 10,000 people to the fair grounds this year,” said Garon. “It’s always a lot of hours, a lot of work. We’re pretty geeked about this, pretty excited.”

Molson Coors is also sponsoring the beer tent this weekend and Garon said two big headliner bands are still set to perform on the outdoor stage. Big Wiggle is performing later tonight and The Mike Ure Band will be performing tomorrow.