Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Avon Day

In 1982, Michael Jackson released his “Thriller” album, Sony introduced to world’s first CD player, Times named “The Computer” the “Machine of the Year,” Disney’s EPCOT opened, actor John Belushi died, actress Anne Hathaway was born and Ronald Reagan was president.

Much more happened that year and 1982 marked a major historical moment locally – the first Avon Day.

The day started small and was first held in May 1982 on the town green. There were only a few non-profit and corporate tents. The gazebo was the main stage for entertainment. In 1997, the Avon chapter of UNICO National became the event's major sponsor and that was when the Avon UNICO Citizen of the Year award was founded.

Now Avon Day is a fall event and it has grown into Avon's biggest community event that 5,000 to 10,000 typically attend, depending on the weather.

“They wanted to have some type of venue to promote community and show people what the town has,” Laurie Carlson, event organizer, said of the founding of Avon Day. Carlson is also administrative coordinator for the Avon Public Works Department.

Avon Day, which is primarily sponsored by Avon UNICO will go from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. outside of Thompson Brook School. The event is endorsed by the Avon Town Council and Recreation and Parks, Public Works, Avon Public Schools, and police and fire departments support it, as well.

Many Avon businesses are involved this year, as well as local companies and non-profits.

Food from Papacelle, Max a Mia, Carvel, Avon Country Deli, The Meat House, New England Pasta Company and Big Y will be featured in the Taste of Avon component of Avon Day. The Avon Volunteer Fire Department, Avon Police Association and Avon/Canton Rotary Club will also be there cooking food.

The big 3-0 is a special year and an anniversary that the Avon Day committee wanted to recognize.

“We’ve added some extra celebratory activities [for the 30th anniversary],” Carlson said.

An anniversary cake will be cut at the opening ceremony at 2 p.m. Avon's 2011 UNICO Citizen of the Year is Bob Breckinridge, who will be recognized at the ceremony.

REMAX will be there late afternoon offering hot air balloon rides and Suffield’s Roaming Railroad will be running Thomas the Tank Engine rides all day.

Avon volunteer firefighters will do a fire extinguisher demonstration at noon, Avon Kempo & Alkido willl show off some karate skills at 12:30 p.m. and there will also be a Jazzercize demo at 1 p.m. Ski Sundown representatives will be there running activities starting at 1:30 p.m. Finals are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. The Avon High School robotics team has a demonstration planned at 2:30 p.m.

The main stage will become a platform for high school and middle school student bands. Paul Howard’s Valley Music School rock camp band, Dingo and the Tree Meisters is performing at 3 p.m., followed by middle school rock bands The Nameless and The Direction.

“We feel that by bringing in local people, it will drive local people into Avon day,” Carlson said.  That point in the day “drives a lot of kids around the stage."

If you still have a sweet tooth and somehow hunger after “Taste of Avon,” 30 individuals will be able to bury their faces in blueberry during a pie eating contest at 5 p.m. Big Y is providing the blueberry pies. Typically, five compete at a time and the five winners have a final pie-off.  

“The pie eating contest is very popular,” Carlson said.

Finalists win a pie plate that says “Pie Eating Contest Winner, Avon Day 2011.” Every participant gets an extra large pie eating contest t-shirt, naturally.

“The pie eating contest is very popular,” Carlson said, adding that the contenders are usually kids.

Rain may be in the forecast for Saturday morning, so Carlson said that the Avon Day Committee will make a decision Friday morning about whether to push it to its raindate, Sunday, Sept. 25. If it is moved to Sunday, it will still go from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

While the food costs money, admission to Avon Day is free. Attendees will need to buy tokens ($1 each) for certain events, such as inflatables (two tokens) and The Gamers' Box (two tokens), the train ride (three tokens).The REMAX hot air balloon ride also costs three tokens and all proceeds fro that will go to the Avon Special Needs Fund.

Word on the street is that Avon Day will be a real “thriller.”

Editor's Note: Avon Patch will be tabling a booth at Avon Day, so please come say hello.