MAKING A DIFFERENCE

13th annual Midtown festival a hit with community, area service providers

“Instead of having to go and find us, we’re coming to everybody here right in the heart of Midtown.” — Mayor Steve Noble

KINGSTON, N.Y. » Candy-filled piñatas, arts and crafts, music, food, books for kids and information on local services available to the public were all on display Saturday during the 13th annual Midtown Make a Difference Day.

A portion of Franklin Street was closed to vehicle traffic to make way for the festival, which is held each year as a way to connect residents to services available in Ulster County.

“One of the main reasons we

created this event 13 years ago with all of our partners was that we wanted to be able to have an event where the community could have access to services,” city Mayor Steve Noble said. “Many people don’t have vehicles, or can’t get to all of the places that they need to.”

He said Kingston and its partners decided to have a street festival in Midtown so that people could come out and connect with service providers like the Institute for Family Health and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, or meet with city staff to learn about activities that are going on right in their own backyards.

“Instead of having to go and find us, we’re coming to everybody here right in the heart of Midtown,” Noble said.

Along the street were several agencies offering information and giveaways to attendees, including Ulster BOCES, which had a table full of free books for children, and the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, which was showing children how to plant seeds to grow their own sunflowers or vegetables.

Alderwoman Rita Worthington, D-Ward 4, said this year’s event seemed to have more vendors and resources available. She said she was happy to see the different groups and all the Midtown residents in attendance.

“I hope everyone is taking advantage of it,” Worthington added of the available resources.

The children at the festival were taking advantage of the day, making spin art and other crafts. They also were quick to swarm a freshly broken piñata that spilled candy in the street.

Noble added that the city had boards up at the festival letting people know about plans to revitalize Franklin Street over the next few years.

TANIA BARRICKLO — DAILY FREEMAN Shurute el Payaso of Kingston, left, was on site at the 13th Annual Midtown Make A Difference Day on Franklin Street in Kingston, N.Y. Saturday to take requests from passing children for balloon shapes.

TANIA BARRICKLO — DAILY FREEMAN Six-year-old Adal Velasco, son of Veronica Martinez Velasco and Jose Velasco of Kingston, takes a swing at a pinata while eager children waited for the final swing that would make candy fly everywhere. The pinata was hung by the Ilesia Amigos Church for the 13th Annual Midtown Make a Difference Day on Saturday on Franklin Street.