It's That TIme of Year Again!!!

For the Newman Fall Festival! 

Our little town has a Fall Festival every Labor Day weekend.

Everyone looks forward to it each year.

There is lots of entertainment, contests, and just plain fun!

Some of the contests can get serious like the Salsa Making Contest

(our neighbors have won like 8 years straight!).

Some are just for fun like the Pets On Parade Contest.

There are several categories you can enter.....Best Dressed Pet,

Biggest Pet, Littlest Pet, Most Unique Pet, Pet Owner Look-a-Like, etc.

Someone in our family usually enters one of our many pets.

We took this year of......to give everyone else a chance ;)

But we went and watched..gotta keep an eye on the competition!LOL

Here's just a few of the competitors.

Getting ready for "The Best Dressed Pet"

"Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz with bunnies dressed as

The Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow"

She even has ruby slippers!

"Owner Pet Look a Like"

Owner is in beachwear,

dog is wearing scuba gear.

lol

This time she's wearing fairy wings

and so are the bunnies.

"Most Unique Pet"

Goffin Cockatoo

"Smallest Pet"

 She was so cute and so tiny !!

She didn't win though...

a one week old baby bunny took it for smallest...

Of Course, the best thing about the Festival is the.....

FOOD!

Rows and rows of all those deep fried, junky, and delectable treats!!

Just a taste of what was available...

Deep fried Calamari, Chinese Food, Terriyaki Bowls, Sicilian Canzones

Tacos, Carnitas, Tamales

and don't forget the Margaritas!!!!!

1/4 pound of deep fried Bacon on a stick

(not to sure about this one....)

Kettlecorn

And a cheap way to advertise your burgers and dogs!

Fruit Smoothies, Blended Mochas, Coffees, Hawaiian Ices

Tri Tip, Chicken, Linguica

Carnival games and rides too 

Hello there C!

It was a gorgeous blue sky day

 

It's starting to get crowded, time to go.

But first need more deep fried...

corn dogs, polish dogs, spiral potato chips, Twinkies, Candy Bar, Moon Pie

and Funnel Cakes!

Pioneer Park, where the Festival is held,

 is right across from the F.D.E.S. Hall which was built in 1914.

F.D.E.S. stands for The Festa do Espirito Santo,

"The Festival of the Holy Spirit"

The majority of the Newman’s Portuguese community

hail from the islands of the Azores, 930 miles off the coast of Portugal.

An annual Festa is held each year honoring the Holy Spirit, and with a nod to Queen Isabella of Portugal, who gave freely to the poor, the Festa is open to all at no charge. Festivities begin with the bodo de leite, or parade of animals, Saturday morning.

Festivities continue throughout the weekend.
After Mass on Sunday, the traditional Festa meal of sopas—tender meat slowly stewed with broth, cabbage, and bread—is served to all at the F.D.E.S. Hall.  Auction and bazaar follow all in a festive and family friendly atmosphere.