On a cool, sunny afternoon, a Walpole tradition was again successfully carried out as the Lions’ Club hosted the 12th annual Adam’s Farm Field Day. On September 17th, the field was alive with color, variety, and the feeling of togetherness as the community came together to have a memorable time.

When the event officially started at 12 o’clock, visitors were scarce. The children that arrived early took advantage of the emptiness and started exploring the numerous activities that were there. Girl Scouts, Longview Farm, and Commonwealth Dance Academy all had their own booths and provided different forms of entertainment — Girl Scouts had nail and face painting; Longview Farm, an obstacle course; and Commonwealth, a Cotton Eye Joe and Cupid Shuffle performance.

Always one of the more popular booths, the candy store called Watson’s featured pumpkin painting, and of course, lots of candy.  There was even a martial arts booth that allowed guests to slice a piece of wood in half with a sword. The three eye catching moon bounces — a Spider Man, a Wizard’s Castle, and an army themed — seemed to be the most popular one for the children. The colorful, speedy train ride that zipped around the field and the traditional hay ride were both extremely popular as well.  When the patrons needed a break from all the excitement, there were food booths spread all over the field. Among those selling food were members of Walpole High’s National Honor Society.Lions’ Club member Beth Pelick said, “The purpose of the field day for the Walpole Lions’ Club is really to give back to the community and it is just  one way of showing appreciation to Walpole.”  And with plenty of ways to have a good time, the Field Day had a plethora of people of all ages  pour as they day stretched into the later hours.

Specifically, teenagers swarmed the event in eager anticipation to see their friends compete in the Battle of the Bands — a tradition of bands or solo performers competing for a cash prize.  This year, a total of seven groups or solo performers competed, and the tunes provided a nice background for the overall atmosphere of the day.

The field was a scene of happiness and diversity, full of children, teenagers, adults, and families alike. With the 12 year tradition, it was never uncommon to see a familiar face there. Mary Warley, who has gone to Field Day with her family in the past, said, “Field day is about being part of the community.”

And this year, in addition to the traditional booths and musical acts, Walpole had some interesting, new guests partake in the uniting of the community: some therapy dogs, sheep, and a pink haired clown running around with a giant camera. The Adam’s Farm Field Day always has some interesting visitors, but they just added to the spectacle of a fun-filled day.

During the last hour, guests started to leave and some of the booths packed up, but the Battle of the Bands continued to rock. At the end of the day, the judges deliberated and presented the awards: 3rd place went to Lieutenant Dan’s Magic Legs, who won $100, 2nd place went to Maria Earabino, who won $200, and 1st place went to Downdraft, who won $300. With the competition over, there was only a little more time before the Field Day was over. As the Lions and other volunteers were cleaning up, the field slowly emptied of all the lively, bright activities it had featured just hours before.

Field Day has been a well known tradition in Walpole for numerous years, and this year appeared to be a success to everyone who attended. The Lions Club hosted yet another Field Day that attracted those of Walpole and gave them diverse forms of fun, entertainment, and worked to unite the community as a whole.   In regards to this year, Head Lion Bob McCaffrey said, “I think this year’s field day was on par with some of our most successful days in recent years.”