A Wing and a Fair

College Park Day Festival at Aviation Museum Soars

By Maryland Today Staff Oct 08, 2018

Photos by Lindsey Collins

Members of the Wild Anacostias, a brass band, pose with Miss College Park Daja Benton and her Miss College Park Junior Princess mentee at College Park Day. The band led a New Orleans-style parade through the event.

An estimated 6,000 people joined in Saturday’s all-day community celebration known as College Park Day.

The event, hosted by the city at the College Park Aviation Museum, included a kids’ fun zone, live bands and performers, lots of exhibitors and vendors, and food and craft beer from local restaurants.

Terps were easy to find: More than 20 UMD departments, clubs and performing groups participated, students volunteered at many of the booths, and the rest were just enjoying themselves.

1 of 6

University of Maryland freshman Deanna Yi helps kids paint pumpkins. Other Terps on hand included the Gymkana gymnastics troupe, DaCadence a cappella group, University Libraries, Office of Community Engagement, UMD Police Department and Testudo, of course.

The College Park Arts Exchange helped guests make fun buttons and hats among lots of other kid-friendly events, such as face painting, hat making and an obstacle course and climbing wall.

People wait to get a closer look at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center helicopter during College Park Day. Another aircraft highlight was a visit from the Curtiss Jenny, a historic wood and fabric airplane associated with the first U.S. airmail flights. The event included free admission to the museum, where visitors could learn about the history of aviation.

Topics:

Campus & Community