Life Is a Circus At Senior Spring Fling

Alfreda “Kitty” Champagne wears many hats.

At 87, she is a proud Red Hatter (a women’s philanthropic group famous for their elaborate hats), a volunteer usher at the Straz Center and a gardener.

But it was her china painting that brought her to the annual Hillsborough County Senior Spring Fling and Painting/Craft Festival, held Tuesday at the

Champagne's painted plates earned her third place -- and perhaps some bragging rights, too.

“I’ve been painting about 10 years,” she said. “I always said to myself that I wanted to paint after I retired. I thought ‘I’m gonna start China painting.’”

This year’s Spring Fling theme, “Life is a Circus,” was complete with volunteers donning clown outfits, a juggler balancing on a large rubber ball, a Charlie Chaplin imitator and a Dixieland band playing on stage.

“This is a 30-plus year event,” said Amy Carrier, project coordinator for the Hillsborough County Senior Citizen Nutrition & Activity Program. “It’s basically designed to highlight senior skills and talents. If you don’t use it, you lose it.”

The event featured crafts and paintings by artists ages 60 and older. The works were created in a variety of mediums and many were up for sale by the owners. The craft portion of the event is relatively new. 

“We have had crafts for two to three years; it used to be purely painting,” Carrier said. “We noticed a lot of seniors were involved in crafts that were very impressive, so we wanted to incorporate crafts as an option.”

Participants used to have to pay an entry fee to cover the awards, but this year Senior Connection and Mature Lifestyles Magazine sponsored the cash awards. This year also marked the first time that a people’s choice award was offered.

Minnie Sutton, 77, has been attending the Spring Flings for three years. 

“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “I enjoyed it because they played our music, from the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s.”

The event also featured games of chance and circus staples such as cotton candy and popcorn.