545 Stratfield Rd.
Fairfield
CT
FAIRFIELD—The whir of thrilling rides. The resonance of children squealing in delight. The din of families and friends sharing laughter and conversation. Whiffs of fried dough intermixing with porchetta and meatballs. A cacophony of sounds and the scents will once again fill the air at Our Lady of the Assumption Church during their annual SeptemberFest taking place Friday, September 13 through Sunday, September 15. This is but a small, perhaps dizzying array of the wondrous sights, sounds, scents and tastes that SeptemberFest’s festive, family-friendly and fun fairground has in store for everyone who attends.
What began as a small parish festival 26 years ago has grown into one of the most sought after ‘end of summer’ community traditions in Fairfield, when Fairfielders and the surrounding towns enjoy SeptemberFest on the church grounds located at 545 Stratfield Road. The ‘fest kicks off on Friday, September 13 at 6 p.m. and ends on Sunday, September 15 at 6 pm. Everyone around knows the summer is not complete without this family and community event.
“With a handful of SeptemberFests under my belt, I am still in awe at how quickly the entire parish and community comes together (in force) over the course of three days,” states Father Peter Cipriani, pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Church. “With an incredible spirit of collective volunteerism and fellowship, everyone who supports and participates in SeptemberFest (our dedicated chairpeople, hundreds of volunteers, and the thousands of attendees alike) can testify to the power of a community rich in love. Oh, and I should add, attest to our renowned, super-tasty house-made ‘Fest food!”
SeptemberFest is the parish’s largest annual fundraiser and boasts thousands of attendees who enjoy the vast variety of activities for all ages from toddlers to centenarians. With both gentle and exhilarating amusement rides, a multitude of games and prizes, a huge white-elephant sale (tag sale), 50/50 raffles, a $25,000 tuition raffle (good for tuition for any k-8, high school or accredited college/university, or to pay back college loans), bingo, and amazing house-made ‘fest fare (including: pizza fritta, pizza, ziti, grinders, sausage and peppers, hot dogs, hamburgers, kielbasa, roast beef, porchetta, beverages, ice cream and much more), the ‘Fest provides fun for the entire community.
While admission to SeptemberFest is free, tickets must be purchased to go on the amusement rides. Wristband ride specials (purchase required) will be available for unlimited rides on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1 to 6 p.m. Hours of operation (weather dependent) are Friday from 6 pm to 10:30 pm, Saturday from 1 pm to 10:30 pm, and Sunday from 1 pm to 6 pm.
(For additional information, contact the parish office at 203.333.9065 or go to the parish website at www.assumptionfairfield.org.)
Our Lady of the Assumption was established in 1922 as a mission from St. Thomas Church of Fairfield. One year after its establishment, Our Lady of the Assumption became a parish of its own. In 1938 parish membership was at 650. Today the parish boasts a membership of over 1,350 registered and several hundred unregistered families. It is under the guidance of its pastor, Father Peter Cipriani.