Bless Fest celebrates spring with family fun this weekend
By Maria Rakoczy (maria@themadisonrecord.com)
MADISON – The first annual Bless Fest celebrates spring in Alabama the last weekend in April with family fun, community gathering, and local arts and crafts shopping in an outdoor setting.
The festival is taking place on the church grounds at 10509 Segers Road on Saturday, April 29, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 30, 12:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
The event is hosted by Most Merciful Jesus Catholic Parish off of Segers Road in Madison and is in its first year. Bless Fest organizer and parishioner, Roman Chomskis, says it is starting small but hopes Bless Fest will grow to become a local tradition for years to come.
“We wanted to start out small and then every year we would grow,” Chomskis said.
The outdoor festival is an opportunity for a day of family and community fun in the beautiful, Alabama spring. It will feature eighteen vendors selling a variety of artisan products. There will be games for the kids, food for all, and an auction for those wanting to try their luck. Bratwurst, hamburgers, hot dogs, and ribs will fuel the fun that will include activities such as basketball, a cakewalk, and more. Those interested in walking away a winner are invited to enter a raffle that features a first grand prize of $3,000, a second grand prize of a family vacation, and a third grand prize of $500.
“If people are looking for a good time and warmth, I invite them to come and participate,” Chomskis stated.
The Bless Fest has been the result of the hard work and enthusiasm of the church’s parishioners. A group of one hundred eighty volunteers are donating their time over the days of Saturday and Sunday, and even more volunteers, like Chomskis, have given their time and talents beforehand to make the festival possible.
Chomskis described the outpouring of help with the festival, “It’s a fantastic community! It’s a friendly community. It accepts everybody and when somebody’s asking for help, we’re always there to help each other.”
The logo for the festival is even the original work of one parishioner who submitted the design and name in a contest held by the church. The spring-themed logo encompasses the theme of Bless Fest and will grace t-shirts available to purchase at the festival.
Chomskis believes the event is truly an opportunity for the community to come out and come together. “It is important because our community has grown, and the community is growing now even more with the factories being built and our temporary church needs to expand,” he said. “Everybody’s assistance and help is certainly appreciated.”
The festival benefits Most Merciful Jesus Church Parish’s efforts to build a permanent church. The parish was founded in 2017 to serve the religious needs of the growing population of Madison. The church currently utilizes a building meant for temporary use and has plans to begin construction preparation on a permanent structure in the next three years. Bless Fest is a fundraiser for the church to continue meeting the religious needs of Madison in a more appropriate setting.
Tickets are $3 per person and $5 per family. Raffle tickets can be purchased at $3 a piece or $15 for five tickets and t-shirts will be available for $11. All are available to be purchased at the door.
