LAKEVILLE — Lakeville families enjoyed food, listened to music and connected with community members during the Lakeville Lions Club 7th annual Fall Family Festival on Sunday, Sept. 17.

“It’s nice to see all the families,” said Dick Nichols, a member of the Lakeville Lions.

Local farmers and artisans set up tents to sell local products, and the Lakeville police and fire departments also had tents to meet residents and answer questions.

“It’s nice to meet people and shake hands and get to know people,” said Adam Swift, a Lakeville police officer.

Olivia Thomes, a Lakeville farmer at Hare’s Paw farm, came to the festival to sell jams, baked goods and produce. Thomes said that events like the festival are great because they “bring a lot of people in and they create returning customers.”

Childrens’ activities at the festival included a bouncy castle, a dunk tank, hay rides, face painting, and a petting zoo. 

At the dunk tank, Paul Kelliher said that he felt “a little chilly” after being dropped repeatedly into the water. “It’s a lot of fun,” Kelliher said. “It’s my first time so I’m getting used to it.”

Lakeville art teacher Anne Tavares-Buker painted children’s faces at the festival, and David Rose, a Lakeville Lions Club member of 35 years, provided hay rides on his tractor and his trailer. 

At the petting zoo, Estella Branco said that her favorite animals were “red pandas and llamas.”

Hot dogs, hamburgers, and pulled pork were served at the festival by Lakeville Lions members. Lakeville musician Rich O’Reilly also played live music at the festival.

One of the goals of the festival was to bring people together, Lions member Mark Dube explained. “We started doing this to bring the town of Lakeville and the surrounding towns together.”

The Lakeville Lions club began in 1959 and raises money for local scholarships and the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund. “Our motto is ‘we serve,’” said Dube.