Bucks County Peace Fair Brings Out The Crowds At Buckingham Friends

BUCKINGHAM, PA — Beautiful weather greeted this year's Bucks County Peace Fair on Saturday at the Buckingham Friends Meeting in Lahaska.

Hundreds of people enjoyed a peaceful stroll through the grounds of the historic meeting site while browsing past information booths, enjoying delicious food and live entertainment.

Nelson Camp from the Wrightstown Meeting greeted visitors at the entrance to the fair. He was portraying the famous Bucks County Quaker artist, Edward Hicks, who was born in Langhorne and later moved to Newtown. He is known best for his paintings of "The Peaceable Kingdom."

Nearby, Holly's Helpers from the Middletown Friends Meeting First Day School were selling pet-friendly items in honor of Holly DiMicco Olson and to support her two favorite organizations, the QVC Angel Fund and the K911 Lost Dog Search. Manning the table were Pat, Lance and Miguel Mervine.

Not far away, EcoMan, Richard McLaughlin, was entertaining adults and kids alike with his catchy tunes and meaningful words about the environment.

Later, the Prena School of Dance from Yardley took center stage entertaining with traditional and contemporary Indian dance. This was their first time performing at the fair and they drew quite a crowd.

Across from the Peace Fair Grill, Linda Freed and Elyse Fox were sharing the history of the Plumstead Friends Meeting with Peace Fair visitors. They were offering several books, including the "Hicksite History of the Plumstead Meeting" and "Reindeer Herders in My Heart."

Wendy Kane, the coordinator of the Bucks Quarterly Meeting, was thrilled by the turn out of people. "It's been a steady flow," she said. "Everyone just seems really happy. Everyone is in a good mood. Whether it's the nice weather or the peaceful atmosphere, everyone is getting along. There's a real atmosphere of peace here."

Among the highlights of the fair was the UN Heritage Tent, which spotlighted cultures from around the world, including Ethiopia, Pakistan, Ireland, the Philippines, Ecuador and Mexico.

"I love it. It's my favorite part of the fair," said Rocio Suayfeta of Newtown, the vice president of the United Nations Association of Bucks County and who represented Mexico at the tent. "We share our culture, our food and discover how rich in culture and diversity our world really is."

The fair, which is all about promoting harmony in the home, community, environment and the world, also featured peaceful fun and games for the kids, poetry readings, a used book sale and a peace mural.