My daughter Elizabeth and I took advantage of a lovely June afternoon to take in “Bridgeville Day on the Avenue” this year, and were very impressed with the event. In some respects this is the direct descendant of the “firemen’s’” street fairs I remember from my youth. I think they were sponsored as fund-raisers for the volunteer fire department and combined with travelling carnivals. I remember them as the one time that gambling was not considered a sin, with the pitchman encouraging gullible kids to put a quarter on a number and watch the big wheel spin.
The twenty-first century version is much different, combining elements of car cruises, flea markets, food courts, community relations, etc. into a true Bridgeville Borough celebration. From Bower Hill Road to Station Street, Washington Road was filled with classic (antique) cars, each with its owner sitting in a lawn chair accepting compliments on the quality of its restoration. This is not a hobby that appeals to me, but it was interesting to see the variety of post-World War II vehicles on display, including one Volkswagen Beetle. Each car had its hood open, emphasizing the spotless condition of its engine – I wonder how many visitors were surprised to learn the Beetle’s engine was in its trunk.
From Station Street to Hickman the Avenue was filled with tent-covered booths with a wide variety of themes – crafts, food, community-related, etc. The first community-related booth we encountered was Bob Fryer’s collection of exhibits explaining his solution to Bridgeville’s traffic problems – two pairs of parallel two lane one way streets and the expansion of the business district. Later on we had the good fortune to run into Bob and get a first-hand explanation of his argument. The Historical Society booth was capably staffed by Mayor Betty Copeland, Lou Delach, and Jim Watson; it is easily my favorite Bridgeville organization. Another favorite organization is the Bridgeville Public Library. We took advantage of the opportunity to talk to Director Ben Hornfeck and compliment him on the wonderful service they provide the community. I suspect Bethany Church would come in third on my favorites list; I was pleased to see they had a booth as well. Perhaps I should modify this, and include all the local churches on my list.
We talked to Borough Manager Joe Kauer at the Borough booth. He is impressive; Bridgeville is fortunate to have a manager of his capability. He invited me to attend the public meeting discussing the Borough’s Comprehensive Plan on August 16. We encountered Planning Commission Chairperson Justine Cimarolli and agreed to help with a history of the buildings on Baldwin Street that have recently been demolished because of being flood-prone.
The diversity of booths offering things to eat and drink would do any food court proud. Available was Indian cuisine, Latin-American (empanadas), old-fashioned Barbeque, hot dogs, pizza, gyros, ice cream, peanut brittle, frozen yoghurt, and country style steak. I was pleased to see that Paul Massimino’s All-American Bistro had a booth and that Paul was there greeting customers. The Bistro, located on McLaughlin Run Road at Pine Bridge Mall, is one of my favorite restaurants; I made a point of complimenting him on the pork tenderloin piccata I had enjoyed there earlier in the week.
There was, of course, the typical collection of crafts-related booths – cheap jewelry, fancy jewelry, ceramic artwork, laser-cut wood trinkets, home-made candles, stained glass sun-catchers, needle-work (mostly tea towels), jigsaw puzzles, hair bows, etc. One booth had attractive house plants; another, vegetables and herbs. Another pair were selling honey; one of them (the Scott Conservancy), from hives in Kane’s Woods. I was a little bit ambivalent about a booth selling “pain-killing” CBD and also of one marketing “firearms training”. Different strokes! My favorite was the “Old Dogs’ Forge”, two gentlemen demonstrating the fine art of blacksmithing. They were forging wall-mounted hooks; while we watched, one of them put a very neat “fiddle-head” on one of the hooks. I always am fascinated by blacksmiths and their commitment to keeping an old-time craft alive.
The municipal parking lot at Bank Street Extension was transformed into an entertainment venue, a children’s super playground, and a picnic area for customers of the various food vendors. There was “live music” on a temporary stage. We sat down to enjoy the band, which consisted of a drummer and three guitars. Elizabeth described the genre of their music as “70s/80s Rock”; I would have called it “Bikers’ Rock”. The audience was made up of folks who looked as if they had just gotten off motorcycles, lots of black shirts displaying suggestive slogans. The closest I came to identifying anything the band was playing was a song in which the vocalist appeared to be chanting “Red Tattoo”. A lady sitting in front of us did indeed keep pointing to a massive tattoo on her right bicep, to her companion. This performance was another example of how far my tastes have wandered from the popular.
At this point our afternoon came to an abrupt halt. We got up and headed for the children’s play area. I commented to Elizabeth that I felt dizzy, and promptly passed out. After lots of help from bystanders, a highly efficient performance by the Southbridge EMS team, an ambulance ride to St. Clair Hospital, and an hour in the Emergency Room, it was concluded that there was nothing specifically wrong with me and that I had been dehydrated, a diagnosis confirmed by my Personal Care Physician two days later. “Much Ado About Nothing”!
It is unfortunate that such a pleasant afternoon had to be terminated that way. The event was an excellent illustration of the many things that make Bridgeville such a special community, most of all the warmth of its residents.