FFAll Fest is Saturday, But has been Moved to BMS Parking Lot

A second annual event is coming back to Bridgeport. Founded and hosted by Bridgeport FFA, FFAll Fest is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25. Due to a soccer playoff game at Wayne Jamison Field, the festival has been relocated to the Bridgeport Middle School parking lot. 

There will be many seasonal activities, vendors, a petting zoo, car show, food trucks, and more. Bridgeport High School groups, clubs and classes will host tents and profit from their own activities. Among groups participating are Spanish Honorary, Key Club, Model UN, Art Club, Thespians, Student Council and DECA. 

There is no fee to enter or browse, but individual vendors and booths charge their own price for their own activities/wares. 

This year’s FFAll Fest, said FFA sponsor/teacher Justin Arnold, are more public contests, all offering free participation. There will be a potato sack race, pumpkin carving, a costume contest, pie eating contest, straw bale toss, and corn hole tournament. There will be plenty of prizes and giveaways.

“We will have a lot of giveaway items and contests,” Arnold said. “The community has been super generous. We are hoping to see a lot of participation with everything being free to enter!”

The contest schedule is as follows:

11 a.m. Pie Eating Contest

12 p.m. Pumpkin Carving

1 p.m. Cornhole Tournament

1:15 p.m. Burlap Sack Race

2 p.m. Costume Contest

3 p.m. Straw Bale Toss

The FFA is pleased to bring back FFAll Fest for the second year.

“The students really enjoy bringing the community into the ag program,” Arnold said. “It’s a chance to network and meet supporters. It also shows off the impact of agriculture within our local community.”

Arnold said his students like the interaction and the recognition they receive.

“Given it is student planned and student run, they have their own goals and tasks to accomplish at this event and want to see this through,” he said. “From a teacher side, I this this style of events is a culmination of the soft skills being developed during the school day being highlighted in a public setting. The organic interactions that occur from talking to stringers, running concessions, or overseeing a game or contest are the same skillsets that lead to future employment success.”

FFAll Fest, like other FFA-hosted events, is a testament to the excitement and dedication the members of the FFA chapter have for their school and community, Arnold said.

Photos featured on this page are by Joe LaRocca taken at last year’s FFAll Fest.