Life is Good festival celebrated on Boston Common

06/21/09

Life is good.That's the motto, and name, of the company that took over part of the Boston Common on Saturday for a festival celebrating life, and everything good about it. Not only were there fun, food, and games, but all the proceeds from the festival went to Project Joy, a charity foundation devoted to helping children stay children. "Project Joy is basically for kids who have gone through a traumatic experience, and it's to help them be kids again," Forrest Thompson, a volunteer from Salem, N.H., said.

The area was divided into sections such as Chillville, Jake Town, and Joy Zone, each with its own special games and activities, such as tug-of-war and volleyball with an oversized inflatable ball. Other children hula hooped, or kicked soccer balls into goals. There was even a focus on the environment with a "green game" that involved racing to put plastic bottles and cardboard into recycling bins. In the arts and crafts tent, children painted ceramic tiles which were then dropped into a metal frame to create a mural that overlooked the festival. A band played child-friendly tunes on a stage in one corner of the festival.

Clif Kid was on hand to pass out free samples of Clif bars, while Pepperidge Farm, Citizen's Bank, and Artisan Music Studios also had giveaways.

Nicholas Vitale, a four-and-a-half year old from Wyckoff, N.J, said his favorite part of the festival was playing baseball. Edie, a young girl from Lexington, said she liked the blue balloons the best. "We did the art mural, we did the face painting, we've gotten some of the giveaways, we've been enjoying the music," Malka Berndt, Edie's mom, said. "It's really wonderful."

The festival wouldn't be complete without booths selling the traditional Life is Good merchandise in all its pastel colors. T-shirts, stuffed dogs, embroidered bags, hats, and a book with simple sayings such as "The pursuit is the reward" were all up for sale.

"We've had a good turnout. People have been coming up and buying a lot," Jesse Bouchard, a volunteer from Hampstead, said. He is a big fan of the Life is Good company. "It's all I wear. Just t-shirts, I have over 30 of them. And I have their pants, their shorts, their socks," Bouchard said.

"[The festival] is a great idea. It's a great opportunity to get kids to do activities and get out and be active and have fun. It's great," Nathan Berndt, an attendee from Lexington, said.