The annual Whitpain Community Festival entertained more than 3,000 visitors on Saturday, Sept. 30, and has become a fall community tradition for many families.

With sunny, crisp weather prevailing, the festival started at noon with children’s games, face painting, a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, pony rides, hayrides, inflatables, climbing rock wall and a craft and vendor fair. As the afternoon got underway, a steady crowd grew, filling the grounds of Montgomery County Community College’s Blue Bell Campus.

As part of the festival, MCCC students hosted a health expo featuring exhibits of health care and wellness information and related games and activities for children. Dental hygiene students showed young children how to care for their teeth, while massage therapy students helped to ease the stress for busy parents with some soothing back massages. Engineering students shared their most recent work on INNOVA, a hydrogen-cell fuel powered concept vehicle. Students in Montco Radio played tunes during the festivities.

In addition to the health expo, students helped to register visitors for the National Bone Marrow Registry. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 60 was eligible to submit a cheek swab and complete the required paperwork to be added to the life-saving registry.

MCCC’s employees were on hand with resources about the College’s admission process, Dual Enrollment, University Center, Discovery Programs, Veterans Resources, YMCA Early Learning Center at Montco Blue Bell and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion programs. MCCC’s Alumni Association hosted a table to meet alumni and share news and information about benefits and upcoming events.

Visitors had the opportunity to see MCCC’s newly renovated theater while watching dancers from The Institute of Dance Artistry, The Blue Bell School of Dance and Bowman Dance Company & School. MCCC’s theater is the centerpiece of its Montco Cultural Center platform that includes all of the College’s arts and culture programming, art galleries and Black Box Theater. With the renovation, the theater boasts 563 seats, including a new balcony, and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and technology.

Throughout the afternoon and evening, several food trucks supplied a wide variety of favorite foods, and local breweries were busy serving special brews in the beer garden. MCCC’s municipal police cadets helped to monitor the entrance for patrons 21 and older.

The musical performances started at 2:30 p.m. with the popular favorite,  Fort Washington School of Rock, followed by MCCC student band at 3:30 p.m.

At 5 p.m., the popular band, the Won Ton Soups took the stage to entertain the crowd that congregated in the parking lot near the mainstage. Following their performance, the popular Sofa Kings took the stage as the main act of the evening. Their lively rendition of classic rock songs kept the audience dancing, jumping and moving.

At 8:15 p.m., the crowd migrated to the field at College Hall for a fantastic fireworks finale.

MCCC and Whitpain Township thank the many volunteers who made these events possible and this year’s sponsors, including presenting sponsors Whitpain Township Parks and Recreation Department, Baird Foley Hillsley Group, Montgomery County Community College, and MCCC’s Lively Arts Series and; gold sponsors Chambers Associates, Genisys Credit Union, Mid Atlantic Sports Construction, Sesame/Rockwood Day Camp, Janney Montgomery Scott – Patitucci Wealth Management, McCaffrey’s Food Markets, Rotary Club of Blue Bell, State Farm and Kaplin, Stewart, Meloff, Reiter & Stein; silver sponsors Whitpain Police Association, TransNet and Professional Data Solutions; bronze sponsor State Representative Matt Bradford.

Unfortunately, the Big Rig Roundup scheduled for Friday evening, Sept. 29, was cancelled this year due to inclement weather, but it will return next year.