You Didn't Just Say "Carnival"!?!

This week is Dutch Days in our little town of Richfield, PA. During the hours of 6 - 11 PM our population will go from 700 ? to thousands of people and I am not sure exactly why they all come. But I do know what it means to me. "Richfield Dutch Days" is our town's celebration of its founding - now ALMOST 200 years ago. There are rides, good food, exhibits, contests, entertainment and a bunch of people at Dutch Days. But it is so much more than that. As you can see, I haven't used the word carnival at all. Because we don't think it is a carnival. What most people who have grown up in Richfield remember as a carnival was a travelling group who would come for a period of time with peep shows and freak shows and their rigged games, etc. The word obviously has a very negative connotation. Most people look at our four days as a homecoming celebration. If you have lived in Richfield at all over the past 40 years and for some reason have moved away, the week of Dutch Days is generally when you plan to come home for a visit. It is during this week that you will see the most people. I have family members who are coming from as far away as North Carolina this week. And others will come from farther away. I will see people I have seen since last Dutch Days and/or many more years ago. I look forward to reminiscing with these people. Yes there are those who come to Dutch Days just to ride the rides, eat cheap (but very good) food, and listen to the entertainment. Most would go to any carnival that is around at the time. But if you are a native of Richfield, this week is so much more, and I can't wait!

By the way, the web site they have set up for Dutch Days does not do the event much justice. However, it does give all the necessary information for the week.