BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

WARFIELD — The annual A Day at the Park has come and gone, and festival officials say this year’s event was the best ever as hundreds of people converged on Warfield Park.

And just like that, the festival brought a community together. Warfield Park was transformed from lonely to full under perfect, sunny skies both Friday and Saturday.

“It was amazing,” festival organizer Denise Chaffin said of the two-day festival that welcomed folks from all over the Tug Valley. “The excitement, not just from the kids but the adults, absolutely makes all the hard work worth it all. They’re constantly thanking us for all we’re doing at the park to give them fun things to do. That just makes me so happy.”

The festival included a car & bike show, food, vendor fair, live outdoor music, inflatables, hayrides, a dunking booth, a waterslide, the festival’s first-ever petting zoo, pony rides, Batman and more. Cornhole, 3-on-3 basketball and horseshoes tournaments were also popular.

“Our memorial wall was the most important thing to me, honoring the ones that made their vision a reality by getting the park started and the ones that have kept that vision going,” said Chaffin. “That’s what our vision is — to continue what they started and honor them by doing our best.”

Chaffin says organizers are grateful for the opportunity.

“I was thinking about it all this morning and thanking God for helping us make this possible, and all those who helped us in any way and who donated to help us,” she said.

Organizers plan to review the success of the festival as they look forward to the next event.

“Our goal is to continue to do different events and bigger and better next year if it’s God’s will,” said Chaffin. “We love our park and our county. If we all work together, we can make big things happen again.”