WILBRAHAM – In Wilbraham, June means it’s time for delicious food, carnival games, crafts, and community. It’s time to “Practice What You Peach” at the third annual Wilbraham Peach Blossom Festival. The festival is a week-long celebration of community that raises funds for several local causes and culminates with a full day of events on June 15.

The events begin with a Pre–Game Kickoff Party on June 7 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the SPEC Recreational Complex Pavilion. This year the Pre-Game event will benefit the Wilbraham-Hampden Academic Trust. Music will be provided by Andy Cavanaugh and The Station. There will be a barbecue buffet by the Village Store, craft beer by Iron Duke Brewing and raffles to help raise funds for the Wilbraham–Hampden Academic Trust school grant program. The event is adults–only, tickets are $25.

The fifth annual Cup to Pint Fun Run will take place June 8 at 3 p.m. It is a 3.8(ish) mile run/walk that describes itself as “half road, half trail, half serious.” The race route is from the Village Store to the Spec Pond Pinney Pavillion, where there is a post-race party sponsored by the Daily Pint.

Advance registration is $30 for ages 21 and up, and $20 for those under 21. Day-of registration is at 2 p.m. and costs $5 more. People can register online at www.raceentry.com. The run proceeds help the Commission on Disability, which works with the town to ensure compliance with laws and regulations that help those with disabilities.

From 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on June 9, there will be a Pet Costume Parade sponsored by Springfield Animal Clinic and Margolis Orthodontics. The quarter-mile parade route starts and ends at the Wilbraham United Church, 500 Main St.

All well-behaved pets on a leash or in a pet carrier are welcome to dress up and walk in the sidewalk parade. Participants can even make a float for their pet. Adults and children are encouraged to participate in costume with their pets.

Minnechaug Canine Club students will be on hand with an obstacle course for pets to try out. Parking is available at the Wilbraham United Church.

Two days later, on the evening of June 11, there will be an outdoor movie and family picnic in the evening at Soule Road Elementary School. The movie, “James and the Giant Peach,” reflects the choice for this year’s One Book, One Community program to encourage summer reading among grades one through five.

The Floating Lantern Festival for Hope and Health on June 12 will raise funds for the Commission on Disability. Lanterns are available for purchase that night at the Wilbraham United Church and cost $10. The church will also offer parking for the event, with handicap parking at the pond. The lanterns will be lit from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Bruuer Pond on Main Street and participants are asked to sit quietly in the park and watch the lanterns float.

Also on June 12 is the Pancake Dinner from 5 to 7 p.m at Wilbraham United Church to support Catherine Martin's year of community action and service. Tickets are $10, $5 for kids 12 and under.

Finally, the main festivities will take place on June 15 and have moved to Wilbraham & Monson Academy, where the old Peach Festival that ended in 2009 was born. Another change this year comes with the addition of a new mascot, a pig named “Wilbur Ham.”

From 2 to 3 p.m. there will be an attempt to break the world record for the largest human image of a fruit, fittingly, a peach. Participants will gather on the WMA’s Sledding Hill and the first 400 people will receive a free t-shirt courtesy of LUSO Federal Credit Union.  Participation is free. An aerial photograph will be taken to document the attempt and copies of the photo will be sold by G&B Photography.

There will be a Craft Fair where over 75 local artists and crafters can sell their goods and people can find the perfect item or gift.

An exhibit of handcrafted, grown, and collected items will be shown in the Blue Ribbon Tent. Wilbraham Peach Blossom Festival Association Director Jennifer Powell said it’s “a chance to showcase what makes you an interesting person.” There will be first, second, and third place ribbons awarded in each adult categories and participation ribbons for the kids’ submission.

Those who would like to enter an item can submit it at the tent on June 15 from 9 to 11 a.m. The submission form is available at blueribbon@peachblossomfestival.org.

Categories are judged the morning the festival and ribbons will be awarded for first, second and third places.

There are many different types of submissions within the main categories of Baked Items, Canning, Brewing and Fermenting, Art and Photography, Handcrafts and Woodworking (think ceramic and metal), Handwork (including quilts and embroidery), Sewing, Horticulture, Agriculture and Inventions.

The children’s division is for kids 18 and under. The categories include decorated cakes 12” or smaller, other baked items, any plant grown by a child, fairy garden, hand sewn or machine sewn clothing, textile creation – yarn work, quilting, decorated hats, pottery, Lego creation, comic book creations, electronic invention, simple machine invention, pencil drawings, watercolors, acrylic/oil artwork, collage art, Cub Scout Pinewood Derby cars, poetry, original sheet music, and homemade musical instruments. Participation ribbons are handed out in the children's division.

The festival also includes entertainment and food from mobile trucks and local eateries.

Powell said that she and her fellow organizers begin planning the event in late January and they rely on volunteers. This year, Lisa Chapline is running the craft fair, Carly Ludbrook is spearheading the Blue Ribbon Tent, and Allisa Duffany is managing the homemade kid’s carnival, which will be manned by students from the Minnechaug junior varsity softball team and the student government.