While the weather was neither warm nor sunny (hey, at least it didn’t rain!), plenty of people turned out to experience Saturday Fusion on April 26. The event showcased many of the non-credit classes offered through Northampton Community College’s community education program, as well as academic and student clubs.

Yoga, dance, and cardio kickboxing instructors were on hand to give fair-goers a quick lesson. Arts and crafts displays included quilting, knitting, oil and acrylic painting, watercolor, calligraphy, glass fusing, beadwork, and hammered jewelry. There was also a demonstration of the Japanese art of temari by instructor Sandy Sodke. Temari is a centuries-old decorative art in which bits of fabric are wrapped with yarns and threads to create intricate spherical ornaments (above.)

Academic and student clubs included athletics, automotive, nursing (left), radiography, cycling, culinary arts, technology, business & marketing, psychology, and veterinary tech.

There was plenty for kids to do at Saturday Fusion, including playdough making, shuttle balloon races, and face painting (below.)

Music was provided almost continuously at two separate locations. Shake, Rattle & Soul (below left)performed favorite hits and oldies, while the Billy Bauer Band (below right) played more contemporary selections.

And the food! Hungry fair-goers could choose from Sodexho food services’ grilled chicken Caesar salads, rolled-to-order sushi, freshly prepared pasta with a selection of three different sauces, or that good ol’ fair standby, hot dogs. A dessert and coffee station offered sugared tortilla cups filled with a choice of white chocolate mousse, vanilla custard, fresh strawberries, chocolate sauce or bananas Foster.

Demonstrations included athletics, fine arts, and culinary arts. NCC instructors Duncan Howden and Susan Roth demonstrated hors d’oeuvres and fruit and vegetable carving. Twelve different Corvette clubs, one from as far away as Delaware, displayed over 185 new and classic Corvettes in the grass behind Penn Hall.

“We were very pleased with the turnout, especially since this is our first year,” said Thea Lind, Saturday Fusion committee member and NCC’s director of special events and donor relations. “We couldn’t have done it without our volunteers -- they really worked hard to make the event a success.”

To see more photos of the fun, check out the gallery.