After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Frog Frolic Festival is back. Sponsored by the Mark Twain Library, the free fun-filled family outdoor festival will feature old and new activities and a brand new ones to celebrate its silver anniversary year. The line up of entertainment for the festival includes Easton singer-songwriter Dan Tressler and demonstrations by the Redding-Easton Falcons Cheerleading squad.
Held in front of the Redding Community Center on 37 Lonetown Road on Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or a chair and stay all day as the entertainment is FREE and will be ongoing throughout the festival. In addition to listening to Tressler’s musical performance, families, friends (and frogs!) are invited to sit back and enjoy local teen rock band Project V and Smokey’s Round-up, a Western Swing style group hailing from Brooklyn. Band leader Smokey Hormel is known for playing with the likes of Beck, Nora Jones and Rufus Wainwright, as well as providing music for children’s cartoon series the Backyardigans. After checking out the demonstration by Redding-Easton Falcons Cheerleading squad, you can check out karate by Sensei June and stop by a booth featuring our friends from New Pond Farm.
Food will be available for purchase from a number of local food trucks selling both tacos and waffles. Redding neighbors and newcomers also returns to sell their delicious homemade cupcakes. The beer (available for purchase that day from 1 to 4 p.m. is being donated by Nod Hill, and the coffee has been donated by up-and-coming coffee roaster Quartertone Coffee Roasters, both based in Ridgefield.
There will be 50 unique offerings to bid on virtually in this year’s silent auction to double the fun to celebrate the 25th year of the event. There will also mainstay activities such as Touch-A-Truck, games, crafts and bounce houses as well as introduce new attractions from live music and a photo booth to beer and coffee tents for all ages. Parking is free and credit cards are accepted for all purchases.
Here’s a sneak peek at just a few: tickets to Sound on Sound, front row to Jay Leno at the Ridgefield Playhouse, and the chance to have a “Loose In The Library!” after hours ultimate hide and seek party!
The Frolic takes place outside amid Redding’s country roads and rolling hills. The event is free of charge to enter. Tickets are on sale on location to participate in the games and crafts. Food is for purchase. All proceeds benefit the Mark Twain Library, founded by Samuel Clemens – Mark Twain, himself – in 1908 shortly after he moved to Redding.
The spirit behind the Frog Frolic is the much-loved short story by Twain, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” which introduced the world to the witty voice of Mark Twain. The first Frog Frolic was hatched to raise a few dollars for art supplies for children’s story times and eventually grew to an event that adds considerable revenue to the Library’s bottom line. For the last quarter century, the Frog Frolic has provided Redding residents and surrounding towns a place for the whole family to relax, meet friends and enjoy a bit of spring fever.
The Frog Frolic relies on the dedication and hard work of many community volunteers as well as the generosity of financial sponsors each year, including Meadow Ridge Retirement Community. To learn about the various levels of sponsorship and/or sponsor the 2022 Frog Frolic Family Festival go to the Mark Twain Library’s website here: https://marktwainlibrary.org/fundraising/frog-frolic-2022-sponsorships/.
