Community Candyland event coming to Rochester: Free fun for families

ROCHESTER — Three local businesses plan to bring the famous board game Candy Land to life as they offer a free fun-filled day for the community.

Community Candyland will be held at 55 Nadeau Drive on Sunday, April 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a rain date of Sunday, May 7. Parking is available at Jaeger USA and The Rubber Group.

Laurie Cohen of Spaulding Composites said the three companies, all located on Nadeau Road have been working to connect with their communities. Last year, they held their first event, a Trunk or Treat for Halloween.

Partners in Candyland Day in Rochester are organizers Sarah Barnett (Jaeger USA), Tammy Thibault (The Rubber Group), Laurie Cohen (Spaulding Composites, Inc.)
Partners in Candyland Day in Rochester are organizers Sarah Barnett (Jaeger USA), Tammy Thibault (The Rubber Group), Laurie Cohen (Spaulding Composites, Inc.)

"It was really well received," said Cohen. "We started talking about doing something like a barbecue for our own employees and then said, 'Why not for the community again?' Candyland was born from there."

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Cohen said they are located in a unique area, where they can easily close off a good-sized section of the road for the event.

"It's free to come," she said. "People will get a card and one raffle ticket. As they walk along a Candy Land-type path, they can visit booths and take part in activities, at locations like Gumdrop Mountain and Lollipop Lane, and they will get other stamps for raffle tickets. At the end of the day prizes will be raffled."

Food trucks, a fire truck and a bubble dance area with a DJ are also planned, along with a "fluffy farm" with giant stuffed animals for families to play and take pictures. There will be a couple of baby goats, and games like mini golf, cornhole, spinning wheel, pie throw, ice cream, cotton candy and sack races and a planting station for kids to plant a flower for Mother's Day.

"Since it is the day before May 1, Mayday, we will decorate a pole on the property as a Maypole," said Cohen. "This is the kind of stuff I thrive on. We all want to be a part of our community."

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Candyland event coming to Rochester: Free fun for families