Parrish Business Expo and Fall Festival big success

By CARL MARIO NUDI

CARL MARIO NUDI PHOTOS
Hundreds came out on Saturday and Sunday to the Parrish Business Expo and Fall Festival at Brown’s Farm Market, 12255 U.S. 301 in Parrish, to check out what the more than 35 business and organization vendors had to offer.

In spite of the winds and rain of Tropical Storm Nestor on Saturday, Oct. 19, the third annual Parrish Business Expo and Fall Festival was a big success at its new location.

Hundreds of visitors braved the iffy weather forecast and trucked on out to Brown’s Farm Market, 12255 U.S. 301 in Parrish for the day.

Then with the skies bright and sunny, hundreds more turned out on Sunday, Oct. 20, for more children’s games, business vendors, petting zoo, food trucks and a corn hole tournament.

More than 35 businesses, organizations, and food trucks set up to sell their wares and let people get to know them.

The event was held to raise funds for the Anthony Fowler Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps families who lost children in an accident.

“I think it went great,” said Gretchen Fowler, co-founder of the Anthony Fowler Foundation. “Even on Saturday with the bad weather we had a great turnout.”

Susan Woolson, left, helps out her daughter-in-law, Gretchen Fowler, co-founder of the Anthony Fowler Foundation, at the Parrish Business Expo and Fall Festival at Brown’s Farm Market, 12255 U.S. 301 in Parrish.

Fowler, who also is the president of the Parrish Civic Association, said the event provided people in the Parrish area something with family fun activities.

“And people even traveled from outside of the area for the corn hole tournament,” she said.

The Parrish Business Expo and Fall Festival has become a community event with businesses supporting each other.

“And the Parrish Community High School football team came out on Friday to clean up and set up for the event,” Fowler said. “That is what the community of Parrish is all about, helping each other to succeed.”

Cub Scout Pack 1226 had a booth at the Parrish Business Expo and Fall Festival at Brown’s Farm Market, 12255 U.S. 301 in Parrish to inform the community about its activities and meetings from 6:15 to 8 p.m., every Tuesday at Harvey Elementary School. Cub Scout Evan Fulton, 8, front left, and his father, Cub Master Ian Fulton Sr., back left, and Cub Scout Lars Grubaugh, 9, front right, and his mother, Qi Wang, greeted visitors.