Mansfield celebrates, raises morale for future plans

Mansfield is often overlooked and underrated - known as the community that supports UConn due to because it is completely dominated economically and demographically by the presence of the campus. However, take a look past the campus - and the cows, farms, mills and hills - and you'll find an active neighborhood of residents that have deep roots connected with the town and a passion to keep Mansfield liberal, green and fun. It may be hard for some students to believe, but surrounding the six-square-mile bubble of Storrs and the thousands of young scholars it homes eight months of the year, there is a town that has much to celebrate. And celebrate it did this weekend.

"Mansfield Weekend" was dedicated to celebrating Mansfield's unique town, residents, organizations and businesses while promoting causes and issues inherent within the community.

The celebration began with a wine tasting Friday night in "Vintage Mansfield" at the Altnaveigh Inn and Restaurant. Saturday kicked off the 23rd annual "Know Your Towns Fair" that took place at the Mansfield Community Center, sponsored by the Mansfield League of Women Voters. The fair had a gathering of representatives from town offices, UConn groups and non-profit groups in the area. The purpose was to make newcomers to town and long-time residents alike aware of the services the groups offer and the opportunities for public participation available to them, according to Mansfield's official Web site.

There was also an opportunity to explore River Park along the Willimantic River and enjoy the musical talents of Mansfield's own Seldom Heard at the Farmer's Market. The market goes on every Saturday from May through November in the Mansfield Town Hall parking lot and everything available is Connecticut grown. Lastly, Saturday's festivities ended with "Picnicpalooza: An All-Town Picnic," sponsored by the Town of Mansfield and the Mansfield Downtown Partnership, featuring a performance by Bruce John and The Eagleville Band.

Residents took the streets Sunday with the "Celebrate Mansfield Parade," complete with marching bands, dancers, police and fire trucks, athletic teams, puppets, old cars, horses, local politicians, the 2009 Mansfield Grand Marshal, animals and more. The sixth annual "Festival on the Green" then got started behind the Storrs Center commercial plazas.

The festival drew thousands of residents as well as some interested students to the future site of Storrs Center project. The Mansfield Downtown Partnership hopes to begin construction on the project next year, aiming to combine retail, restaurant and office space alongside residential zoning including studios, town homes, condominium apartments and rental apartments, according to the Storrs Center Web site. The festival provided many local food options, including free Dairy Bar ice cream, pony rides, local talent showcases, massages, art shows, pie-eating contests, and local business information.

"The festival is a great way for people in the area to get out, eat lots of good food and find out more about the town," said Larissa Gordon, a junior at E.O. Smith High School who spent her afternoon attending the E.O. Smith art showcase. "The artwork [displayed] was done by 15 E.O. Smith students who do everything - painting, drawing, ceramics, and sculpture."

Other vendors offered information about cultural centers, real estate companies, "going green" causes, political petitions, or just-for-fun arts, crafts and music. Some companies, such as Starbucks, gave their products to visitors free of charge, but asked for donations to be put toward the Storrs Center project. "Interacting with Mansfield residents at this festival today, and seeing how passionate many of them are about changing and updating the community, made me feel that this [cause] is going to benefit the town in the long run," said Jesse Grab, a 7th-semester journalism major and Starbucks employee who worked at the festival. "I've lived in Tolland my whole life but have never been to this festival before. It's a good time, though, and the music has been great."

Several musicians drew large crowds of listeners and got many couples up and dancing throughout the afternoon. The James Montgomery Band wrapped up the festival with its bluesy rock sound and happy jam sessions.

One of the key parts of the festival is the push to keep it a "low-waste event." Waste stations with bins for recyclables (cans and plastic bottles), compostables (food scraps, paper plates and bowls, and corn-based utensils and cups), and trash were set up around the perimeter of the festival with volunteers to clear up any confusion about properly sorting garbage. According to Mansfield's Web site, the festival organizers work to reduce the amount of waste generated at the event and to divert a greater percentage of waste from Mansfield's trash incinerator.

Although many students passed yesterday afternoon by or were not aware of the activities, the successful festival celebrated much more than just a town. With their history and goals, the people of Mansfield have made quite the effort to create not only a supportive town for UConn, but a lively and fun community for all.