By Mike Stucka
Staff writer
March 28, 2008 05:45 am TOPSFIELD — Girl Scout cookies, the Jaws of Life, preteen musicians and town government agencies haven't had much in common, but they'll be brought together tomorrow for Topsfield Expo 2008. The event, which will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Proctor School gym and outside, merges a short tradition of having town expos with a public safety day and adds to it more business information. The new family-oriented program may draw interest from 250 people, expo Chairwoman Paula Burke said. "It's going to be the event in Topsfield for the year," she said. To broaden the interest, the Fire Department's Jen Collins-Brown arranged for a visit from Smokey Bear, a smokehouse, a police officer on a motorcycle, McGruff the Crime Dog and even a planned visit from a helicopter ambulance at 11:30 a.m. Gretchen Rehak, a board member with expo sponsor Topsfield Main Street Foundation, said kids loved getting a bag at the entrance and collecting all sorts of handouts during the last expo in 2006. She said they exclaimed, "This is like trick-or-treating!" This year's handouts will also include donated food for "A Taste of Topsfield." A Topsfield Shoppe will sell products from nonprofit organizations, including Girl Scout cookies, rail-trail T-shirts and Historical Society books. Since the last expo, more has been added for adults. Even the town government side of the expo has changed, with the creation of a five-selectmen board and the hiring of Town Administrator Virginia Wilder. A new business table will offer brochures and samples from area businesses. Performances will include the Proctor Jazz Band at 1 p.m. and Topsfield's own Michael and Marisa, a 10- and 11-year-old pair of sibling musicians, at 11 a.m. For a schedule of events and other information, visit www.topsfieldmainstreet.org.
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