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PRESTON - It was a perfect mid-spring day as the rhythmic beats of the jazz guitar welcomed attendees to the Town of Preston’s Springdaze on May 17, at James T Wright Memorial Park.
Springdaze is one of four festivals throughout the year in Preston, the result of a collaboration between the Town of Preston and the Caroline County Council of Arts, to show community appreciation.
Amber Korell, town manager, said that there were 32 vendors at Springdaze, a mixture of small businesses, nonprofits and churches, and food vendors. A steady flow of festival participants browsed crafts, antiques, unique gifts, and got their fill of tacos and specialty coffees.
“Turned out to be a great day,” Korell said, speaking of the weather. Attendance was “pretty consistent.”
The support from the Arts Council helps to offset the cost of arts and crafts for children, big and small, and to provide for musical talent.
Preston local, Jazzy Ed Willz, played his jazz guitar during the four-hour event, accompanied along the way with a variety of singers.
One singer, eight-year-old Nattie, who was there with her grandmother Debbie Alvey, approached Jazzy Ed, and asked to sing a song. He obliged, and she sang a church song, a cappella. When she was done, he said, “That’s one thing in Preston, we always support our talent.”
His daughter, Miesha Williams, joined him with a couple of numbers, performing to applause of the people at the festival.
Shane Compton, Bounce Back Inflatables, based in Preston, had an even pace of little ones clambering to bounce in the inflatable castle. Compton is an electrician and started the five-year old inflatable business as a side hustle. He said, with a big grin, that sometimes the inflatable business feels more like his full-time job as he shepherded another group of kids into the bouncy castle.
Kristi Thompson, Safe Station Certified Peer Recovery Specialist at Affiliated Santé Group, was “doing what I do” – advocating to the community on the Sante Group programs. Thompson was recently awarded a Caliber Award from Mid Shore Behavioral Health, Inc. in recognition of advocacy for substance abuse recovering through her participation in community events like Springdaze.
For information on upcoming Daze festivals, check the Town of Preston Facebook page.
