The Walpole Recreation Department will be holding the second annual Walpole Day on Saturday, May 16. The day will be filled with floats, food, parades, and all-around fun, and is expected to match the huge success it had last year,  if not exceed it.  

While it may seem as if this day goes off effortlessly and without a hitch, it is actually a very detailed, involved process that takes a lot of time, energy, money, and creativity.  This hard work was put on display last year at the first Walpole Day.  The day started out with the parade and float contest and continued with lots of food, games and activities, and a battle of the bands.  Businesses and organizations held booths selling their goods and raising awareness about their different causes.  Some of the groups that took part in this event included the Walpole Swim Team, Invisible Children, and Best Buddies.  During the event, these groups, along with several others from Walpole High School, oversaw tables with information about their causes and offered games and activities with prizes.  Many people showed up and had a great time; however, getting to this point was not easy.

Here is a “behind-the-scenes” look at all that goes into planning this exciting day: Planning starts very early on, and continues right up until Walpole Day.  Vendors prepare their booths, and people participating in the parade focus on making the perfect float in order to win the super-competitive contest.  Arrangements are made for everything from the food to the games to the bands and booths.  Everything is prepared to a T in order to have the best Walpole Day possible.  All of this preparation definitely paid off last year, the first time that this event was held.  Many people showed up to participate in this fun day.  Children and adults alike had a great time walking around, seeing all the booths and the battle of the bands, and participating in the games.  The parade was also a lot of fun, and the hard work that the groups each put into their floats definitely showed.  It was an enjoyable event for participants and spectators alike.

Walpole Day was a huge success last year, and will most likely continue to be so this year as well.  With all of the preparation that has gone into making this day the best it can be, it is sure to please all of the Walpolians who attend.