By LISA CAPOBIANCO
STAFF WRITER
Bristol All Heart, the marketing partnership of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce and the city of Bristol, has teamed up with the Bristol Exchange Club to revive the historic Mum Festival.
Under this new partnership, the Mum Festival will continue into its 55th year. After the Mum Festival Committee disbanded in January, questions lingered about whether the annual event was done for good. But after passionate discussions among members of the community who did not want the festival to end, a new team was energized to bring back the event.
Branding and Marketing Manager Mark Walerysiak and Bristol Exchange Club President Jack Ferraro saw the new partnership as an opportunity to reload the festival, which they said has been a part of Bristol’s fabric for so many years they did not want to lose it.
Both Walerysiak and Ferraro said the new partnership is the “perfect marriage.”
“There was a feeling that we didn’t want to lose that history and that opportunity for our community to gather and create memories,” said Walerysiak, adding the festival will return in a new and vigorous way.
“The parade and festival brings so much to the community and the residents of Bristol and surrounding area along with many smiles from young to old,” added Cindy Scoville, president & CEO of the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce. “Many of us are so pleased that these groups could work together to make it happen.”
Ferraro said the festival has attracted not only Bristol residents, but also residents from other communities.
“We bring residents to this that stirs business for the community,” said Ferraro, adding that the event also benefits local non-profits. “That’s what it’s all about—making Bristol a destination.”
As the “Mum Fest Squad,” the Exchange Club and Bristol All Heart have been meeting for several months now, and are planning for the festival to be a multi-day event starting Thursday, Sept. 22 through Sunday, Sept. 25.
Walerysiak said the festival’s events will continue to be family-oriented. Children’s activities, vendors, food, programming and all-day live music and entertainment are expected to be key drivers of the festival. Mum Fest Bingo also is scheduled to return.
“We want to continue those programming for children and parents…to come down and really enjoy themselves,” said Walerysiak, adding other traditions of the festival are currently in the works.
With the Mum Festival also comes the continuation of the historic Mum Parade, which the Exchange Club has operated for many years in Bristol. When news broke of the Mum Festival Committee disbanding earlier this year, the Exchange Club stepped up and committed to continue the parade even if the festival did not continue.
The parade, which will continue receiving support from the city through a grant, is scheduled to take place on the Sunday, Sept. 25.
“The parade has been the focal point of the festival for 55 years,” said Ferraro.
Meanwhile, new features of the festival will be integrated. Throughout the month of September, which the Mum Squad referred to as the “Mum Season,” a series of events will take place throughout the city that will be tied into the festival. In the past, a variety of events took place throughout the month of September leading up to the festival, and even after the festival in October.
“We cross-promote, we cross-synergize part of that calendar of events,” said Walerysiak.
Meanwhile, the group is currently seeking sponsorships, and strong community support will be needed for the festival, said Walerysiak. Volunteers also are needed.
“We have a couple of sponsors already, but we definitely need more community support,” said Walerysiak. “We’re doing this for the community, and we really would love community participation.”
The Mum Fest Squad is excited to continue the hard work of all past volunteers who made the festival for what it became.
“To make it this far is really a great accomplishment,” said Walerysiak. “We may be a new group but we’re building this on the foundation of all the hard work and the tremendous efforts and passion of all the folks who came, who were part of it before, are still going to be a part of it.”
For more information or to get involved with the 55th Annual Mum Festival, visit bristolmumfestival. com.