A forest of pinwheels, spinning in the spring air, sprang up along the Quinnipiac River on Saturday morning to guide hundreds of children, families, and friends on a 1.5-mile stroll around the Quinnipiac’s bridges.

With Mayor Toni Harp in the vanguard, the marchers were lending their support to high-quality early childhood education, as part of the ninth annual Fair Haven Family Stroll and Festival.

Created by a partnership between the Friends Center for Children, led by Executive Director Allyx Schiavone, and the Elm City Montessori School, led by Principal Julia Webb and Executive Director Eliza Halsey, the festival has grown every year since its inception.

This year, 1,366 people filled Quinnipiac River Park to play, dance, hang out, and learn. For the kids, there were activities like face painting, bubbles, parachute play, arts and crafts, and more.

For their parents and other adults from the community, there were resources offered by over three dozen community organizations in attendance, including Fair Haven Community Health Center, New Haven Public Library, Neighborhood Music School, Read to Grow, the Peabody Museum, and ConnCAT.

This mix of pleasure and purpose was the idea behind the festival from the start. It’s grown into a big three-hour neighborhood party, where kids and their families can patronize food trucks and enjoy loads of live entertainment. This year’s acts included Magic with Amazing Andy, Zumba Kids with Rosemary, VIVACE- a teen string musical group, Drumming with Gammy, a children’s dance troupe called S.W.A.G., and the Blue Steel Drumline from Southern Connecticut State University.