Hastings School Festival Will be Sweet

An announcement at Saturday's 6th Annual Hastings Elementary School Winter Festival will leave one family feeling sweet.

The school's first Cupcake War winner will be crowned during the fundraiser, which runs from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., says Vanessa Aires, who is co-chairing the festival with Shannon Vallee. Admission is $5, with a $20 family cap, for the event, which is sponsored by the Hastings Parent Group.

The festival previously had a cake walk, Aires said today.

"The walk has turned into a war," with about 20 families offering cupcakes decorated with snowmen and other creations, she said.

Judging occurred today at Hastings, Aires said.

The baked goods will be available for tasting at the festival.

"Some people are going to end up trying 20 cupcakes," Aires said.

Organizers raised about $10,000 at last year's festival, and hope to exceed that on Saturday, she said.

The festival also will have a new magician this year.

Magician Matias will perform, Aires said. Jim Munsey had performed at the festival the past three years.

A photo booth is new this year as well, Aires said.

And a silent auction will feature such items as a week in a Maine chalet, donated by a family, and a landscaping consultation donated by a local landscape designer, she said.

The festival will happen at the same time as Westborough's annual town meeting. The February blizzard postponed the festival from Feb. 9.

Organizers hope to stream the town meeting in the school library so that parents may leave "if they feel there's something they need vote on," Aires said.