2014 Festival Volunteer of the Year Named

Nancy Goncalves of Fairfield was named the 2014 Barnum Festival Volunteer of the Year during the Festival’s annual Volunteer Picnic held recently at the home of Ringmaster Paul S. Timpanelli and his wife, Carol.

“From the Great Street Parade to the fireworks, from Champions on Parade to the Wing Ding, our dedicated volunteers work diligently to make the Festival run smoothly and successfully every step of the way,” said Timpanelli. “Our volunteers help make the Festival happen; we couldn’t do it without their efforts.”

Each year, the Festival names a Volunteer of the Year to recognize the efforts made to ensure the Festival is a successful community celebration. Mrs. Goncalves served as the chairperson for the Barnum Festival’s Greater Bridgeport Symphony Pops Concert at Seaside Park on June 27. The Pops Concert is a new addition to the Festival this year, and the first outing was a great success showcasing the Symphony’s new conductor, Eric Jacobsen.

“Nancy and her committee worked very hard to create a wonderful experience for everyone in Seaside Park — the first time the Greater Bridgeport Symphony has performed in the park in years. The concert — under the baton of its new maestro, Eric Jacobsen, was a resounding success, and we hope will become a new tradition in years to come with the Symphony and the Festival,” Elaine K. Ficarra, Festival Executive Director said.

“Nancy’s commitment and attention to detail in her role as chairperson for the Pops Concert, is an example of what our Festival volunteers are all about,” said Festival Executive Director Elaine K. Ficarra. “Our volunteers give hundreds of hours of their time each year to ensure that every event goes smoothly and is an enjoyable experience for our audiences.”

Nancy is the former Director of Fine & Performing Arts for the City of Bridgeport Board of Education where she supervised all aspects of the arts program, including music, dance, theatre arts and art instruction for the City’s 20,000 students. She currently is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Greater Bridgeport Symphony, and is a member of the Conductor Search Committee. Now retired, Nancy continues to be passionate about the arts, is an arts consultant and teaches dance classes.