Dino Fest, ‘God’s gift to Granby,’ returns Sept. 10Date: 9/6/2022 GRANBY – Dino Fest 2022 is returning for its eighth year and residents are welcomed to join in on the family fun.
“For some reason, God blessed us with Dino Fest,” said Festival Coordinator Dennis Doucette.
According to information on the Granby Historical Society Facebook page, one of the largest dinosaur tracks ever discovered was found in Granby.
This year’s festival will be on Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be located on the common near 235 State St., rain or shine. The event is open to the public and free except for art crafters and food vendors.
The one-day celebration embraces the town’s heritage and talent. Doucette said the Dino Fest motto is “hugs and smiles,” and the event is designed to feel like one big family reunion for the community of Granby.
Kicking off the event will be a walk, run or ride for charity starting at Church of Christ Granby and wrapping 4 miles back to the common area where Dino Fest will be hosted. Participants are invited to walk, run or ride the charity event. Doucette said this year there are plans for motorcyclists to join the cruise around Granby. Residents are welcome to join.
Donations raised will go to support the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports veterans in paying various bills. The group also provides mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and builds custom-designed smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders.
The foundation was started after New York firefighter Stephen Siller died responding to the attacks on Sept. 11. Siller tried driving to help after first hearing of the attacks and was stuck in traffic at the entrance of a city tunnel. Refusing to be stopped by the traffic, Siller put his gear on before running through the tunnel and to the site of the attack to aid those in need.
Local Granby organizations and community outreach groups will be on site as well.
Food vendors will be open on the common as well as art crafters where residents are able to purchase any of the work for sale. Doucette said the opportunity for crafters serves as a stepping stone for many local artists looking to display their work.
There will also be contests going on during the festival, including a talent show open mic and a costume contest with the theme being the Flintstones. Both contests will have a $100 reward for the winner.
Doucette said his favorite part of the festival is seeing the community come together for a family-friendly and fun day.
“It’s a very family-friendly event. Age doesn’t matter. I get kids to people in their hundreds. It’s a family reunion,” Doucette said. “When I go up and down the aisles day of, it’s nice to see people smiling, walking across the grass and hugging like they haven’t seen each other in years. It’s a very community-oriented thing. It’s very cool.”
Also joining the festival will be Dino Fest mascot Zippy the Dino, who will lead the return of the popularly demanded Dino Dance. Doucette added there will be a pie eating contest, a pie baking contest, antique and vintage cars, a tractor display and a handful of other visitors and activities to the event.
Doucette said he works to help put on Dino Fest out of his love for the community and seeing people come out and enjoy the day outdoors.
“The cool thing about Dino Fest is every year is different,” Doucette said. “These are people that enjoy life and its great to see people living life.”
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