It Was Oceans Of Fun In Derby Saturday

The fun came down like the rain in a typhoon Saturday during the annual Oceans of Fun Fair” at the Bradley School in Derby.

Kindergarten student Michael Slack took a break from making a sand art octopus to open the prize he won and discovered it was a fortune teller” — a plastic fish that wiggled or curled depending on what the fortune.

The fake fish curled, which meant little Mikey was in love, his father, Michael pointed out.

Nostradamus it wasn’t.

It must mean he is in love with the sand art, because he has no girlfriend,” noted young Michael’s dad.

Around the school’s all-purpose room were all sorts of games and craft activities, including face painting, temporary tattoos, a penny toss game along with sand art, spin art and construction paper fish art.

In the center were tables laden with gift baskets stuffed with raffle gift items donated by local businesses, such as sports equipment, gourmet coffee beans, Bridgeport Bluefish hockey tickets and coupons for karate lessons.

Bradley School parent Chantal Gerckens noted that the crowd attending the fair always increases around lunchtime when the raffles and other popular games and activities begin.

And BB, the Bluefish team mascot, was scheduled to visit at 1 p.m.

Proceeds go to fun PTA programs and field trips for Bradley School students. We pay for some cultural events. We have authors come to the school,” Coleen Fitch said.

For instance, she said it allowed the PTA to schedule a visit by children’s author Suzy Kline, whose Horrible Harry” books are very popular with the K to three set.”

Helping out in the kitchen were firefighters from Hotchkiss Hose, which is across the street from the school. Pretzels and popcorn were among the snacks offered in the cafeteria.

Derby High School ninth-grader Jack Peccerillo was running the penny toss game. He had gone to Bradley School as a younger child and volunteered Saturday because his kid sister still goes to school there. But his sister had left to go to a dance recital and was nowhere to be seen.

It’s nice to bring back the alumni,” Gerckens observed after greeting Jack.

The cake walk” was among the popular activities. 

Children paraded in a circle on the stage in the all-purpose room with jaunty 1980s music, such as Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina & the Waves and Love Shack” by the B‑52s.

When the music stopped, the kids stood on a number on the stage and won cakes if their number was drawn.

It’s one of our most popular activities,” Fitch said.

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