Fun and games, food and drink, clowns and a magician – and much more,
Think of “Sunday is Funday” as the poor man’s answer to the Mayor’s Ball, says former city councilor and event organizer Tony Popper.
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That’s what it’s all about – an inexpensive day of fun.”
The third annual “Funday” runs Sunday from noon to 4:30 p.m. at Loma Colorado Park, on Loma Colorado Blvd.
“We just give ‘em the space,” Popper said. “They need to bring tables and chairs, or blanket, and umbrella -- please don’t bring pets.”
“You know how the community that plays together stays together?” Heil said, anticipating a great four-plus hours of fun at Loma Colorado Park.
All they need is a nice day, which is plentiful in the Land of Enchantment … unless the monsoon season has some input.
“It’s all about having fun. We can make (entries) at the last moment. If somebody wants to play and compete, we’re not going to deny that,” says Connie Peterson of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. She’s taking care of trophies for the winning teams, she said, planning a permanent trophy for Mayor Tom Swisstack’s pentathlon challenge.
Swisstack was forming a team at press time to compete in “his event’s” five competitions: mud tug-of-war, wall climb, mud volleyball, water balloon toss and a “pent-headed” race.
The latter event consists of five team members, with their fete tied together – thus the “middle three” will have both legs affixed to a teammates’ while the outside runners will each have a free leg.
“It should be a lot of fun,” Peterson said. “It’s truly quadrupled in size, as far as vendors, participants -- we anticipate 3,000.”
Popper, a city councilor here from 1992-96, said he came up with the idea during his latter mayoral campaign.
“I thought of it when I ran for mayor against (Howard) Balmer and (Jim) Owen and Lonnie Clayton,” he said. “I think I brought it up in one of our discussion groups. I still feel there is nothing wrong with the Mayor’s Ball – it gives a lot of money to charities and necessities in the city.
“But I always felt it was a little elitist – the common people just couldn’t afford it,” Popper continued. “It’s very affordable and, for a family of four, would not exceed $25.
“This year we will continue with 50-cent hotdogs, 50-cent hamburgers and dollar corn (on the cob), even though corn is more expensive this year,” he said.
“We have eight or nine teams in the pentathlon – we have room for more if there is a group of five or more people that wants to be involved,” he said.
Popper said this year’s proceeds benefit youth programs in the city, such as providing scholarships for the Boys and Girls Club, the planned Rio Rancho YMCA and the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department.
“The first year, almost all money went to the Boys & Girls Club,” he recalled. “Last year most of money went to the Elks’ dictionary affair -- $1,000 for dictionaries for elementary school students.”
Peterson, Popper and Heil are anticipating a big turnout.
“We’ve had at least 3,000 people each time – and we expect more this time,” Popper said. “Along with the pentathlon, we’ll have three races (for kids): a spoon race, a three-legged race and a sack race.”
The pentathlon and races will start at about 12:30.
“The prizes will be free food. We don’t want any kids not to get a hamburger or a hotdog because their parents can’t afford it.” Pizza and ice cream also will be sold at the park.
The local band “Solar Street,” which begins cranking out tunes at noon, will entertain picnic-goers. There will also be performances by two dance groups, he said. Also on hand for fun will be the “Clowns of Enchantment” from the Shriners Lodge 76 of Sandoval County, magician “The Amazing Bodini,” mascots Orbit and Stanley the Scorpion, plus some Wildcats and Scorpions players to sign autographs, as well as fun jumps for the kids, and a dunk tank, “which the mayor has committed a little time to spend time in,” Popper said.
“And there will be a whole lot of different booths,” he said, many featuring vendors, politicians, civic groups, churches and charities, including Storehouse West, which will gladly accept donations of canned goods.
Watermelon Mountain Ranch will also have a display and hope to have some of its animals adopted.
Parking will be available at Rio Rancho High School, and Funday goers should be aware there will be a $2 per car/van parking fee.
More information may be found at the city’s Web site, www.ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/mayorswisstack. Feel free to call Heil (228-7189) or Popper (892-0325) for more info.
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