Today I am pleased to step aside for a guest blogger, Justin Karnisky. Justin is a Boy Scout with Troop 110, and submitted this excellent follow-up article about an event that took place over the weekend.
Marshmallow Masterpieces on Display in Webster
by Justin Karnisky
The Webster Public Library’s annual Book Sale… in Peeps. (J. Karnisky)
The Greater Rochester [Marshmallow] Peep® Show took place March 17-18 at the Webster Recreation Center on Chiyoda Drive and was a big hit. More than 1,600 people attended the event across the two days that it was held.
The cleverly named Peep Show consists of diorama-like displays of Marshmallow Peeps ® in various settings. Favorites included the Webster Public Library, a one-room schoolhouse full of Peeps sitting at desks made out of graham crackers, a Peep hair salon, a display from Lollypop Farm, local favorites such as Wickham Farms, and several displays of Peeps participating in events from the Winter Olympics. Free admission allowed families to attend and enjoy the displays at no cost, with an optional charity donation.
Several Girl Scout troops submitted displays for the event. Even some local news networks had displays of their newsrooms. Other displays included the Peep Eiffel Tower, Heritage Christian Stables, Peepble Beach putting green, Cherry Ridge playground, and even the brand-new Filling Station. For the older crowd, there was a Lawrence Welk Peep display, with a marshmallow Mr. Welk in front with his baton. Also new this year was a spring bonnet parade, with hats decorated with marshmallow creations. Many of the displays were quite detailed, in particular the Lollypeep Farm display, which included pigs, pine trees, ducks in a pond, sheep, and miniature animals inside pens. Genesee Valley Physical Therapy’s display featured Peeps doing various exercises, as did a Jazzercise display, which included free weights made out of toothpicks and mini marshmallows. For fans of the Netflix series Stranger Things, there was even a Stranger Peeps display. A local favorite, and winner of the Webster Dental Group award for Best Eatery Peep, was the Filling Station Pub and Grill display, which included Peeps on bar stools and at graham crackers booths, and even hamburgers and sodas.
The Peep Show is sponsored by the Webster Community Chest. Michael Granier, a member of the board of directors of the Community Chest and nicknamed “Head Peep” for the event, said the show “is funded by sponsors, donations from attendees, and merchandise sales.” Granier, a former member of Boy Scout Troop 110 himself, enthusiastically described the planning, setup, volunteer coordination, and community participation for the event. Volunteers range from students from both Webster High Schools to members of the Community Chest. “This exists as a fundraiser event for the Community Chest and for the charities involved, because all expenses go to the charities,” Granier said.
There are three levels of sponsorship for the Peep Show. At the Sponsor level, the company gets a banner displayed at the event, a prize sponsorship, and a table. At the Support level, the company gets a prize and table sponsorship. Finally, at the Friend level, a company gets to sponsor a prize.
Angie Fish, Alicia Solis, Edwin and Abby Fish (J. Karnisky)
Several families were in attendance throughout the event. The Fish family, originally from Massachussetts, was seeing the show for the first time. Abby, Edwin, and Angie Fish, together with their mother and their friend Alicia Solis, really enjoyed the displays. “It’s like they took our world and turned it into candy,” Abby Fish said. Her favorite was the Webster Public Library display. Angie Fish said the show was “very creative,” and their younger brother Edwin said he liked that “all the stuff was made out of Peeps.”
Now in its third year, the Peep show has gained publicity through posters, social media, news articles, and sites such as Kids Out and About. For more information on how to create a display for next year, see http://www.rochesterpeepshow.com/.
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Note: Justin Karnisky is a Star Scout in Boy Scout Troop 110 from St. Martin’s Church in Webster. He is 14 years old, and a 9th grader at McQuaid Jesuit High School. .Justin is working on the communications merit badge one of the required badges for Eagle Scout.
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Lots of events coming up around town in the next several weeks. Let’s get right into them:
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There are still a few weeks to go before the Webster Thomas Players present this year’s spring musical, Pippin. But tickets are on sale now, and want to encourage you to get them now, while the best ones are still available. This production is going to be something special.
Boy Scout Troop 110 will host a spaghetti dinner on Friday March 2 at 7 p.m. at the Webster Masonic Lodge, 30 Orchard Street.
“Seedy Saturday”
Pippin is the story of a young prince, told by a traveling troupe of actors led by the cunning and charming Leading Player. The prince is heir to the throne, searching for his own “corner of the sky.” Pippin returns from university certain that he will find a fulfilling purpose in life. As encouraged by the Leading Player, Pippin dabbles in bloody battle, temptations of the flesh, and savvy political maneuvers, only to discover that true happiness is more complicated than he thought.
