The weekend weather didn’t exactly cooperate, but you would never know it by the large turnout of runners who took part in the 5‑Mile Branford Road Race on Father’s Day. The race was the premier event on closing day of the 31st Branford Festival.
“We caught a break,” said race founder Ray Figlewski. “The rain came earlier than expected and was clearing out in time for the race. So people came.
“The mid-week forecast called for heavy rain on Sunday morning and that reduced our pre-race registrations,” said Figlewski. As a result the number of registered runners dropped from 2,100 last year to 1,700 this year.
Despite the lower numbers, he said, “I was very happy so many showed up to run. To me it’s an indication of how much people love running on Father’s Day in Branford.”
It was also the 35th anniversary of the race, which preceded the Festival. Here are First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove, United States Senator Richard Blumenthal, race founder Ray Figlewski and State Representative Sean Scanlon get ready for the start of 35th Branford Road Race on Fathers Day.
Activities include a 1‑mile Fun Run for children, a 2‑mile Health Walk and the 5‑mile race.
Here are the kids in the Fun Run heading up Church Street toward the finish line on the Green
The overall winner of the race was Eliud Ngetich of New York with a time of 24:01.
The top female was Hirut Guangul from Ethiopia with a time of 28:04.
The top male and female runners from Branford were Thomas Dextradeur, 22, with a time of 27:56 and Christine Paktuka, 34, with a time of 34:31. They are shown with Figlewski.
The Festival got underway on Friday with a large crowd.
The Branford Chorale opened the evening.
Next came the Branford High School Concert Choir. The entertainment closed with “Draw the Line,” an Aerosmith tribute band.
The next morning, nearly 200 vendors and non-profit organizations displayed their products and services, courtesy of the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce. Branford Garden Club’s past president Eunice Lasala (L) and current president Bonnie McKirdy spent time greeting visitors at the fest. The Green was beautifully decorated.
It was cloudy all day but many people came through and the Green was very active. Here is Attorney Jim Perito flipping pancakes for breakfast at the Branford Rotary Club’s tent.
Here’s a happy customer enjoying the Historical Society’s strawberry shortcake.
About an hour before the daytime events closed, as vendors rushed to take down tents, the rain moved in and didn’t stop until Sunday morning.
A full night of entertainment was washed out. Board member Bill Keane (pictured), emcee for the weekend, told the sparse crowd on the Green the concert had been cancelled because the stage was too wet for a performance.
“While the music has been electrifying, we could risk electrocuting the performers,” he observed.
The festival closed with the annual “Branford’s Got Talent” contest on the Green. Thirteen performers were in the competition. Pictured above L‑R are Emma Gallagher 3rd place, Alexandra Hernandez, 2nd place and the winner, Lilly Stockwell. They are shown here with Festival Chairman Dennis Nardella.
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