Patient First in the Community

One of the most visually dazzling events of this region's event season returned over the weekend in the form of the Lancaster Hot Air Balloon Festival. Held on an expansive field in Bird-In Hand, PA, this 4-day event typically draws crowds by the busloads from as far north as Wisconsin, to as far south as Alabama.

As a long-time sponsor of this event, our Patient First tent was placed in a prime position-- right at the edge of the vendor fair, as crowds exited and entered the field to witness the nightly balloon glow event, and scheduled balloon ascensions. We also sponsored the festival's corn maze, as well as one of the balloons launched daily. Sadly, the evening winds were just a tad too strong to allow for an evening ascension, but the morning ascensions did go off as planned.

In addition to a wide variety of food, games, live entertainment that included bands, magicians, and character shows, this year's festival offered a new feature-- helicopter rides! It proved to serve as an unintended consolation prize, in light of the lack of evening balloon rides.

Despite this festival's broad appeal to people from states who had never heard of Patient First, almost every one of the people who came to visit us from the states that we do serve said they had used our services on multiple occasions. Many also took advantage of the free blood pressure checks we offered on site.

This event has long been one of our most anticipated parts of our event season, and we look to continue our partnership with it in the years to come! 

For our second year, Patient First returned to the Timonium Fairgrounds to help take part in the long-standing rite of summer send off, the Maryland State Fair. And just like last year, the excitement and enthusiasm was as high as the temperatures!

As a sponsor of this 142 year institution celebrating all things Maryland, our Patient First tent was placed smack dab in front of patrons as they came through the front gate. There, we greeted everyone as they came by to say glowing things about our service, our staff, and the cleanliness of our centers. In addition to the prime booth location, our logo was showcased all around the fairgrounds, not just as a fair sponsor, but on every hand washing station, demonstrating proper hand washing techniques. We were also featured on a large backlit sign facing the primary exit of the 4H Exhibition Hall, one of the complex's most traveled (and well air conditioned) buildings. The folks at the state fair are happy to have us as a sponsor, and they made sure all of our staff were well taken care of!

From a wide variety of food, live music, rides, and games on the midway, to the livestock, equestrian, and home craft exhibitions on the perimeter, the MD State Fair has something for everyone! So many of those people came by our tent to collect our promotional items and extol the virtues of our mission to provide the highest level of urgent and primary care to our patients. Many people credited our staff with literally saving their lives. Not a bad way to spend two days outside!

We certainly look forward to returning to this cornerstone event in our calendar next year!  

The 2023 Maryland Seafood Festival came a little earlier this year than in years past, and at a different location. What remained the same though, was the fun, the food, and the festive atmosphere that have kept crowds coming for 57 years!

This year, the festival moved from its traditional location, and came to City Dock in Annapolis, just a stone's throw from the Naval Academy and the State House. Crowds were literally lining up at the gate, which was directly in front of the Patient First tent bringing each and every one of the thousands of ticket holders past our booth. We had scores of great conversations with people from all over the Delmarva region, who thanked us for the service we provided them, and loved how clean and organized the centers were. We also had quite a few people from western Maryland, the eastern shore, North Carolina and New York, who while unfamiliar with what we do, were very interested in having us expand into their hometowns.

In addition to over a dozen seafood trucks, vendors, and craft beer tents, there were also a number of fantastic live bands performing, a crab soup competition, an oyster shucking contest, and an inflatable playground for the kids. Add to all that the fact that the weather was picture perfect, and you have the makings of a great summer festival weekend-- one we can't wait to come back to next year, as well!

Thousands of people were looking to the skies in the fields of Delta, Pennsylvania this weekend. It wasn't because of some crop circle phenomena, but because of the Chesapeake Bay Hot Air Balloon Festival.

Typically held on Maryland's eastern shore, this year the event was scheduled to be held in Bel Air, Maryland. Just 11 days before the event however, that location was no longer deemed viable by the Harford County Government. So, like any baloon pilot knows, an alternate landing site had to be found, and found fast. Fortunately, the Mason-Dixon Fairgrounds just a dozen miles to the north provided a safe haven for this year's event.

Despite the sudden change of venue, tens of thousands turned out for this weekend long event. The vendor fair played host to our table and tent, where people from both PA and MD came by to collect our giveaway items, and tells us how much the appreciated the work our staff does, and the professionalism with which they do it.

In addition to the awe-inspiring sights of the balloon ascension and tethered rides, there was also live music featured throughout the afternoon, an inflatable playground for the kids, truck racing on a huge dirt track, and a whole host of vendors and food trucks to satisfy patrons of every taste.

Balloon festivals are always very vulnerable to changing weather conditions, and this one was particularly so. The threat of a severe storm, coupled with high winds forced the cancellation of Friday evening's balloon glow. All of Saturday's balloon related events, fortunately, went off without a hitch.

It will be interesting to see if next year's festival will return to it's eastern shore roots, or if it will find another location in 2024. Watch this space....

The address for Candyland this past weekend was Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, as the Harrisburg Dessert Festival returned to the Pennsylvania Farm Show & Expo Center on June 22nd.

Over 1,300 people brought their sweet tooth with them to sample the offerings of over three dozen vendors from the central Pennsylvania region. Cakes, cookies, ice cream, cupcakes, dessert scented bath bombs, pastries, and a host of other goodies were available to satisfy the cravings of everyone who came out. The event also featured attractions that included a cake decorating demonstration, a cookie decorating art station, a balloon maze, and balloon animals for the kids. There was even an appearance by Miss Pennsylvania 2023, Miranda Moore, a Harrisburg native! The day culminated in a cake decorating contest, showcasing the talents of bakers of all skill levels.

This was the second year for this event, and Patient First's second year of sponsorship as well. While our table didn't feature any goodies of the caloric variety, we did include a recipe for some heart-healthy blueberry muffins, which was quite well received, along with our usual assortment of yo-yo's, magnetic clips, and hot/cold packs.

Time and again we were told by those who came by our table what a wonderful job Patient First did in taking care of them and their loved ones. It was our pleasure to be there, and we look forward to coming back to see what they cook up in 2024!

It was a pageant of patriotism on display in Towson, as a tradition that's played out for over 120 years continued in Tuesday's Towson 4th of July Parade!

Put on every year by the Towson Chamber of Commerce, Patient First has long been a proud sponsor of the event. Last year, we had seven staffers march along the parade route winding through the streets of downtown Towson, past the courthouse and two reviewing stands. This year, that number more than doubled with 15 staffers coming out to celebrate the holiday with us!

Just as it happened last year, before we knew it, we'd marched past the thousands who'd lined the streets of the route, and our smiling and waving amidst the shouts of "We love Patient First," and "Thank you, Patient First," came to an end. Everyone who came out to help represent us said they'd love to come back next year, and many want to bring their kids out to help along with us!

On Thursday, June 15th, the Mechanicsburg Chamber of Commerce held its 93rd annual Jubilee Day. Billed as the largest one-day street festival on the east coast, it encompasses four square blocks of downtown Mechanicsburg, which were lined with vendors, food trucks, political organizations, and non-profits of every stripe.

Once again, our table was positioned near the live bandstand, which was a prime location to welcome the thousands of people who stopped by our tent to talk with us and take home our promotional items. Every one of those people who met with us during this 12-hour-long event had nothing but positive things to say about their experiences with our centers, the closest of which was just two miles away on Sporting Hill Road.

This is one of the biggest events of the year in central Pennsylvania, and Patient First is happy to continue our participation in this long standing Mechanicsburg tradition!

It may have been over 46 years since Star Wars hit the silver screen, but the cultural impact of that sci-fi blockbuster saga is clearly alive and well generations later, as the Bowie Baysox held its annual Star Wars Night Saturday, June 3rd, at Prince George's Stadium.

As part of our partnership with the Orioles' AA affiliate, our Patient First table was set up right outside the First Aid station during this, one of the team's most well-attended games of the year, as the Baysox took on the Harrisburg Senators.

There were professional cosplayers on hand for photos with the fans, many of whom came in costumes of their own. In addition, there were Star Wars themed events in between innings featuring music and video presentations, and light saber duels.

Our table was well-received by the fans, who told us wonderful things about our centers, our services, and our staff. The patients we spoke to came from as far north as Aberdeen and as far south as Waldorf.

Unfortunately, the Force was not with the Baysox that night, as the team lost 13-4. But the score was quickly forgotten, as kids were allowed to run the bases after the game, and the night culminated in a spectacular fireworks show set to John Williams' iconic themes.

We still have a few games left to attend in this year's partnership with the Baysox, but this is by far one of the most fun to attend, and we look forward to our next outing with the club!

The energy and excitement of the promise of spring was felt in the heart of Towson this past weekend, as tens of thousands of people turned out for the annual rite that is the Towson Spring Fest! 

Every year, this event draws throngs of people who take part in the sights, sounds, smells, and taste experiences that make up this two-day event. Once again, Patient First was proud to participate in the fun, and our tent was visited by a vast number of people (and their pets) who told us wonderful stories of their experiences at our centers, and walked away with our treasure trove of promotional items. One of the most frequent refrains heard from those who came by was, "Your table gives away the best stuff!" 

In addition to the over 100 vendors that lined the streets of this six-block block party, there were musical acts and dance troop performances showcased on two stages, a petting zoo, carnival rides, and a wide variety of foods spanning the culinary culture of the globe. Mercifully, unlike past years, the weather for this year's festival could not have been nicer. The Spring Fest is one of the largest events that Patient First participates in in the Baltimore area, and it is also one of the most fun! We always look forward to being a part of it, and we certainly look forward to the fun in 2024!

Thank you to our amazing event staff!

As our event calendar returns to its familiar busy pace, and in recognition of Event Staff Appreciation Week, the Community Relations Department would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to all our center staff, who've taken the time to help support our efforts!

We want you to know how much we value your contributions to making these events the successes that they are. By seeing and talking to everyone who stops by our tables, we hope you see the benefits of what you do long after they leave our care as patients, and recognize how appreciative they are of your work.

It takes special people to give of themselves to help others, and each and every one of you who've given up your time to help staff our participation at the dozens of festivals, family health nights, fun runs, and other events are very special to us. Thank you for your enthusiasm, and for being such great ambassadors for Patient First!