WALPOLE, N.H. – Last weekend’s Walpole Fall Festival, held on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., at the Walpole Elementary School, was, by all accounts, a resounding success.
An estimated 400 people attended the annual festival, which always takes place on the first Saturday in October, and is the main fundraiser for the Walpole Parent Teacher Group (PTG).
The PTG continually supports students, teachers, staff, and the community by providing classroom supplies, hosting field trips, and organizing events such as Family Night Out Week, Roller Skate Nights, Staff Appreciation Week, and the Welcome Back Breakfast for Walpole Elementary teachers and staff.
The day featured games and prizes, a foam cannon provided by Granite State Foam Frenzy, touch-a-truck, and a dunk cannon, where, with proper aim, anyone could land a teacher, or school principal Justin Cassarino, in the water tank.
There was also a silent auction, face painting from The Funky Brush, and food vendors like Junior’s Food Truck from Bennington, Vt., and Birdie’s out of Keene, N.H. New this year were a petting zoo and an artisan craft fair.
Leading up to the festival, students were given tickets for a 50-50 raffle, and the student who sold the most tickets received a free festival T-shirt. The total of this year’s pot came to $8,600. Proving what a good sport he is, Principal Cassarino (aka “Mr. C.”) endured quite the day. After being subjected to the dunk tank, he happily allowed second grader Hannah S., the student who sold the most raffle tickets this year, to smash a pie in his face at the day’s end. Both were left smiling.
The warm fall weather could not have been a more perfect backdrop for a fun day outdoors, gathering with other community members to benefit the school and students.
President of the Walpole PTG Anne Majewski thanked everyone who contributed toward the success of the event, commenting, “The fall festival would not be possible without the sponsors, donors to the silent auction, and volunteers.” Participating sponsors include WW Building Supply, Galloway Real Estate, Green Turtle Bed and Breakfast, Savings Bank of Walpole, Alyson’s Orchard, and Allen Brothers Farms, among others.
Majewski reported that “plans are already underway for the 2026 fall festival.”
