Fall Festival at Broward Elementary set for Oct. 28

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in Seminole Heights is partnering with Broward Elementary for the third consecutive year to put on the Fall Festival. A joint effort between the church and the school’s PTA, the free event is open to the general public. This year’s event is Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. on the campus of , 400 W. Osborne Ave.

This year’s Fall Festival will feature inflatable games, bounce houses, face painting, free raffle prizes, crafts, a hayride, pumpkin coloring, carnival games, bean bag toss, family portraits, a costume parade, music, and food. The food is being sold as a fundraiser for the Broward Elementary PTA.

The event is being presented by Common Ground and Broward’s PTA, but local businesses and institutions have partnered together to help support the event.

The South Seminole Heights Civic Association has donated passes to Busch Gardens to be raffled off to lucky attendees of the event. The SSHCA has also given financially to the event.

Local businesses and restaurants have donated gift certificates to be raffled off as well. Some of the contributing businesses are , Mama’s Southern Soul Food, Aubrianna’s Barber Shop & Salon, Jalapeno Mexican Grill, , , and many more. Donations were solicited by volunteers from Common Ground and Broward.

Rent King and a parent of a Broward student are donating most of the food for the Broward PTA to sell for their fundraiser. Rent King is also providing additional promotion and marketing for the event, and they will be making a donation to the school for any new accounts opened at the event.

Tampa Police Explorers will be on hand to provide parking and security assistance, and they will be offering their Ident-A-Kid program free of charge to families in attendance.

Brad Barmore, Common Ground’s Director of Community Impact, is helping to coordinate this year’s Fall Festival.

“Fall Festival is a fun event for the entire neighborhood. By holding the event on Broward’s campus and partnering with local businesses and restaurants, we are able to bring together different community members to put on an event unlike anything else around town,” Barmore said.

“We love Broward here at Common Ground, and we love this neighborhood. Fall Festival is a true partnership because each organization brings something unique to the whole event. And on the night of Fall Festival, the beneficiaries of all this community partnership are the kids and families. We want them to know that they are loved by God and loved by us, and they see that very clearly.”

Fall Festival has become such a strong event over the last three years because so many community organizations and businesses are invested in it, Barmore said.

“The concessions sold through Broward's PTA at the Fall Festival are our biggest fundraiser for the year,” said Michelle Sadaphal, president of the Broward Elementary PTA. “This is the event that gets the biggest turnout every year. It is so wonderful that Common Ground has been willing to partner with Broward for this event and hold it on our campus- the students and families love it!”

The public is encouraged to attend the event. There are activities for all ages. Candy will be given out, and children are encouraged to dress in Halloween costumes and take part in the costume parade. All activities are free of charge, including the raffle to win the donated gift certificates to local businesses and restaurants.

For more information, contact Barmore at bradb@commongroundtampa.com or 813-232-1400. Information can also be found online at commongroundtampa.com.