This year’s Willowtown Fair, part of a growing tradition, will celebrate the lives of two women who made great contributions to the life of that community, and will feature a wine tasting, foood from Iris Cafe, bluegrass music, and fun for kids. Ben Bankson, President of the Willowtown Association, gives us the following:
The dedication of trees in memory of two longtime neighborhood residents and a wine tasting are among the features of the Willowtown Association’s annual Spring Fair to take place this Saturday, May 19, from noon to 5 p.m. the full length of Willow Place.
The trees memorialize Caroline Palestino, who died last June at age 92, and Mary Merz, who died last September at age 85. The dedication is set for 3 o’clock. Caroline lived her entire life in Willowtown. Her tree is in front of 10 Columbia Place, part of the Riverside apartment complex, where she was born. A native of Ohio, Mary was an architect who with her surviving husband Joe designed three of the contemporary houses on Willow Place. She was active in the Willowtown Association and largely responsible for its work in the greening of Columbia Place. Her tree is on State Street by the Palmetto Playground developed largely to her and Joe’s design.
The wine tasting is by Waterfront Wines & Spirits, a new shop at Joralemon and Furman streets. It will take place throughout the afternoon in the Alfred T. White Community Center at 26 Willow Place.
Other features of the fair include live blue-grass music by a group called the Five Deadly Venons, who also played at last year’s fair; food by Willowtown’s own Iris Café; races for both kids and adults; a Jumpy Castle; and a visit by a fire truck from Engine Co. 224.
Photo: Planners of the 2012 Willowtown Spring Fair are, from left, front row, Elise Pettus, Bill Newbury, Clare Brew, Linda De Rosa and Libby Cooper; and back row, Jeffery Streem and Ben Bankson.
