Marshalltown parish’s Festival on First provides fun, food and fellowship

By Sharon Witty
Witness Correspondent

MARSHALLTOWN — Festival on First, a day of family fun, good food and fellowship, held at St. Mary Parish in Marshalltown on Sept. 16, provided something for everyone.

Latino women became even warmer in the heat as they cooked and served traditional foods, such as tacos, burritos and papusas. At the same time a couple of Anglo men sweated over a grill, grilling pork burgers and hot dogs. Festivalgoers enjoyed those foods and then cooled off with Dairy Queen blizzards, sodas or ice cream cones.

Little ones waited patiently to have their faces painted, while older siblings jumped up and down in two bouncy houses. Adults visited and gathered in a green space to enjoy live music from barbershop and organ music to lively Latino music. It was a day of St. Mary members working together toward a common goal: fundraising. It was a day of fellowship for all.

Witty is a member of St. Mary Parish in Marshalltown.

Members of St. Mary’s pose before eating a meal at the annual festival that draws a large crowd to fundraise for the parish. (Photo by Sharon Witty)