Fairfield Hy-Vee to host Block Party Saturday

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield Hy-Vee is hosting its Sixth Annual Block Party on Saturday, Sept. 24, and the public is invited.

The free event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include a disc jockey and dance party, grilling, a bounce house, cotton candy, snow cones, kids’ contests, booths about local civic organizations, vendors and special deals inside the store, including samples.

Rosemarie Sleaford, Fairfield Hy-Vee’s event coordinator, said the Fairfield Fire Department will bring fire trucks for kids to explore, and the National Guard will bring Humvees. A few racecar drivers will be showing off their cars, too. The Fairfield Elks and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office will have their drug awareness trailer on site.

Sleaford said she was inspired to start the event years ago because she often received questions about who was in charge of clubs such as the Lions Club or Kiwanis, or questions about who sold Tupperware in town. She thought the town needed an event to introduce all those people to the public. She pitched the idea to her director at the time, and the block party was born.

“I’ve had a lot of great directors who have let me keep going with it,” Sleaford said. “We weren’t able to do it during the pandemic, but in February I asked our store director Willy Amos if we could do this again, and he said yes.”

Sleaford said she charges vendors $20 who are selling items, but does not charge the civic organizations. The money raised from these fees will go to a local charity, she said.

“Hy-Vee will not keep any of it,” she said. “My whole purpose is to bring the community together, so people can meet each other if they want to join a club. This takes a while to put together, but it’s one of my favorite events.”

After the Block Party, Sleaford will plan an event once a month through the end of the year. Hy-Vee will host a Halloween Party on Oct. 29, honor veterans with a Veterans Day breakfast on Nov. 11, and host Santa and Mrs. Claus on Dec. 10.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com