Cultural joys found at Bagelfest
The smell of pork ribs and funnel cakes filled the air.
Vendor booths paved the way toward the carnival rides.
Displays of glittery bouncy balls and inflatable characters hung on the booths and carnival games.
These are only some of the many things residents of Mattoon and surrounding areas embraced during Bagelfest over the weekend.
William Belleau, a member of the Central Illinois Motorcycle Club, was one of the vendors at Bagelfest. He siad the motorcycle club works with Camp New Hope by giving campers motorcycle rides and temporary tattoos.
Belleau said the organization collaborates with Camp New Hope, located on 1364 County Road in Neoga.
Camp New Hope is an organization that takes care of mentally and physically challenged individuals.
The motorcycle club is sponsoring the 7th Annual Benefit for Camp New Hope August 14, which will include a motorcycle run.
The festival also included a collaboration of entertainment, food, rides, vendors and other various displays.
Saturday’s festivities included an afternoon parade that went along Broadway Avenue, south of Peterson Park.
The parade had a display of police cars, firefighter engines and ambulance trucks with flashing lights and honked horns for spectators.
The emergency response vehicles came from areas like Mattoon, Neoga, Winsor and Humboldt.
Following the vehicles were the pageant winners and runners-up, who rode on the backs of convertibles.
The pageant members, dressed in their evening wear, waved at the crowd and threw candy for children to grab off the street.
Other parade displays included a performance by the Mattoon Middle School band, political candidates, the American Red Cross, and church floats.
Since it was Bagelfest, some of the trucks carried people who tossed out free bagels to the crowd.
Dana Schaubert, of Salem, said she went to Bagelfest for the first time Saturday night.
Schaubert said she came to Mattoon to see
her daughters play in the Bagelfest Softball Tournament. Her daughters are members of the Centralia SuperSonics.
She said her visit to Mattoon was satisfying.
Schaubert said she came to Bagelfest in
Peterson Park for the food, and her daughters enjoyed the rides of the festival
“The hotels are wonderful, the softball fields are wonderful. I have no complaints,” she said.
Anyone interested can contact Barbie Peters at barbiepete@live.com or visit http://centralillinoismotorcycleclub.org/.
Alesha Bailey can be reached at 581-7942
or at ambailey2@eiu.edu
