The Festival was how the story of Kerry-Anne Conklin began. Sort of ended, too, in a way.
The third weekend of the fifth month caused hope to spring eternal, and on Friday night dozens of the locals would gather in this park for an unofficial event tangentially linked to the Festival. Called the “Miss Ninth Avenue Crowning,” which began with a BYO pot-luck dinner (BYOB figured in the equation, too) and then after everyone was satiated, a pageant where girls representing their numbered street or avenue would compete for the title. Miss America scaled down to one neighborhood. The lucky winner would follow in the steps from the previous years’ winner by walking the length of the parade with her sash, crown and scepter, waving to the eager crowd. There was a cash prize donated by local busin
