Volunteers from the Concord Yacht Club arrived early at the 19th Annual Childrens’ Festival of Reading. Despite the threat of rain, the day turned out sunny and beautiful. Hundreds of children enjoyed “sailing” Opti, the dinghy on display. The kids dreamed of sailing the seas with our very own Lindsay, the pirate, and Scallywag, her trusted sidekick. The children jumped into the dinghy sheeted in the mainsail and called for their siblings and new friends to hop aboard. We lifted and moved the blue tarp serving as our water, creating turbulent seas. We told the kids to hold on. They smiled and screamed with joy as they looked at their parents, capturing the moment with their phones. Our booth featured coloring sheets, temporary tattoos, pirate eye patches, and a display on tying essential knots.
The festival entrances were inviting, and my favorite was the hot-air balloon and clouds made from balloons. I walked around the festival with my camera, capturing the kids’ excitement.
I admired the hot-air balloon setup, which made me think about the destinations you learn about and characters you meet in books. I compared sailing and exploration to the personal journeys that unfold when you immerse yourself in a good book. Sailing and reading both spark curiosity, adventure, and a lifelong love for discovery. We encouraged the kids to dream about all the places they could visit on a sailboat. Overall, it was a great day spent with kind people from our club, and I hope we inspired someone to learn how to sail and the lifelong joy that comes from being a sailor.