Another Successful Fall Fest - even with rain
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
Another Successful Fall Fest - even with rain
MT 43 News Staff
Weather in Montana is no indicator of how successful Fall Fest will be in Townsend. People came by the hundreds to see, drink, eat, buy gifts and visit friends at the 24th annual blowout. The wind blew, the rain pelted the tents and still people stayed to dance to eleven bands like Ten Years Gone \, The Unpredictables and Voodoo Alley beginning Friday night.
Townsend Rotary members outdid themselves by lining up sponsors for what they tout as a family fun event. The Jumbotron (big screen) featured the 122 sponsors in huge letters, while weekend Master of Ceremonies Doug Sitton announced their names between band sets.
Three of the bands are a family affair. Sam Paulsen leads Voodoo Alley. His sister, Broadwater County Clerk and Recorder Angie Paulsen does vocals with the band. She also sings with Dusty Tones, her own band. Their mother Pat Bowser is part of the Usual Suspects band. They all performed this weekend.
In an interview, Sam, who has played 16 years with the band. They headline themselves as a party band that plays different genres of music for special events and festivals like Townsend Fall Fest. Other members of the band are Kat Wolski, Dave Pettey, Tim Sedgwick and Tim Makeeff. Sam related making music comes from both sides of his family.
His grandfather was popular vocalist Harold Paulsen of Helena who played piano, sang and played the harmonica. He sang at many funerals of well-known people in Helena. The Paulsens’ father Jim is a musician as well. Sam’s mother Pat Bowser plays keys with a band and tours in Minneapolis, Denver and Seattle.
Angie Paulsen‘s band Dusty Tones, began earlier this year. The members had worked together in the 1990s. Angie sings along with Ole Olson, Matt Cochenour, Paul Marshall and Emil Glatz. The band specializes in popular rock favorites from Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton and Credence Clearwater.
The festival also included 135 creative arts, food wagons and nonprofit organization vendors according to vendor chairperson Laura Obert. The booth spaces were sold out. Vendors will begin signing up for 2024 next March. One interesting vendor was First Glass Recycled run by Carrie Kouba and Michele Pomeroy of Helena. The two designed shadow boxes from recycled porcelain and crystal vases and cups. The unique design is functional as well as attractive framed wall hangings. “We call them upcycled functional art. The purchaser can fill the cups with fresh herbs or propagate plants in them,” Carrie explained.
The two began First Glass Recycled designing mosaic art, then moved to framed glass art. Carrie works for the Office of Public Instruction and Michele is a phlebotomist at St. Peters Hospital. The creative art is a sideline they have enjoyed for eight years at Montana festivals and farmers’ markets.
Hot chocolate and coffee were critical food vendor offerings. Many of the vendors switched from cold drinks to hot ones. Beer and brat sandwiches remained king of food at the festival, followed by a piece of pie or a chocolate-dipped ice cream cone. Shanna Schaible’s cotton candy booth was popular with the kids.
This year, children of all ages enjoyed “their section” of the festival with a bungee-jumping ride, the blue foam blocks called Imagination playground, a Lego-based activity from Snapology of Helena and the forever popular sand pile filled with quarters for kids to dig out.
Townsend Rotary members spent most of the year organizing this special event. The money raised during the event funds the various community activities and events Rotary sponsors throughout the year.
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PhotoCredit: Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 1 Caption: Fall Fest crowds enjoying brats and sunshine on Saturday.
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 2 Caption: A must- have at Fall Fest is cotton candy from Shanna Schaible’s booth.
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 3 Caption: Creative Glass recyclers Carrie Kouba and Michele Pomeroy
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 4 Caption: Recycled Glass Art
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
