B-Fest began about two years ago with Friday night grandchildren sleepovers and pancakes in the mornings.
My roommate and I live minutes away from our two daughters and their families. Our grandchildren are close in age and are more like siblings than friends. We are lucky to be close to our families and able to participate in each other’s lives daily, and we love Friday night sleepovers.
We started cooking Saturday breakfasts together and welcoming others to join us. Over time, B-Fest has organically evolved into a pulsating and spontaneous community of family, friends, friends of friends, old neighbors, and new neighbors who come together for food, conversation, play, and comfort. We appreciate what we have created together. Not a B-Fest goes by without at least one person commenting about how valuable our gathering is and how fortunate all of us are to experience this safe community.
Love and appreciation for family, friends, and community is palpable at B-Fest. We all benefit, we always express gratitude, and every week we are reminded of our responsibility to each other. Children wake on Saturdays excited for B-Fest. Parents appreciate the leisurely pace of the morning. Neighbors find solace in being welcomed by a new community. My roommate and I are honored to serve as surrogate mothers and grandmothers when we are needed. B-Fest is a magical example of the importance of community.
We love watching B-Fest evolve organically while we cook, eat, listen, learn, and enjoy each other’s company. We love the synchronicity of it all and the fact that for everyone, B-Fest fulfills a need.
Laurie Schaffler 