Free, family-friendly Recovery Fest celebrates National Recovery Month

In his years of service, Melbourne Police Department Sergeant Daniel Desormier has witnessed plenty of festivals at Wickham Park, but none like Recovery Fest.

“I have never seen one that did not serve beer, and I had no idea we had this many resources to help others in our county,” he said. “It was amazing.”

Now, don’t let your eyes start glazing at the thought of educational information minus beer. Brevard Recovery Fest may be seriously sober about pulling people away from addictive behavior, but it does so with a carnival vibe that offers plenty of fun for all ages, and every bit it of it is free.

There’s free food, drink and giveaways, including t-shirts and musical performances. There will also be a family Fun Zone that includes inflatables, games, face painting, the K-9 heroes of the Sheriff’s Office, flight simulators courtesy of Wings of Grace, a Touch-a-Firetruck opportunity from Melbourne Fire Department Tower #71 and even the Teen Driving Simulator, also from the Sheriff’s Department.

For the weighty part of the festival, more than 100 community partners will distribute educational material, provide HIV/HEPC testing and distribute free Naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.

“It brings together community members to really educate on substance use disorders,” said Maria Bledsoe, CEO of Central Florida Cares Health System. “We don't want people to suffer alone especially when there are resources available in the community"

The unique event, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 14, at Wickham Park Regional Pavilion, was created in 2021 to celebrate National Recovery Month while arming the community with resources that save lives.

Recovery Fest founder Laura McCarthy, a member of the recovery community, has walked the walk since 1984 when, facing a year in jail, she was guided towards hope and recovery, thanks to a local police officer.

McCarthy underscores that addiction is a disease, not a choice, that insidiously highjacks parts of the brain critical for our survival.

“Thirty-nine years into my recovery journey, I am forever grateful to those who saved my life and pointed me to a new way of living,” she noted.

According to the American Addiction Centers, more than 10 percent of Americans 12 and older have battled a substance abuse disorder in the past year, yet despite this alarming statistic, the stigma of substance abuse continues to exist.

Addiction is treatable, but recovery requires support for ultimate success. Recovery Fest aims to raise awareness of the network of support available in our backyard.

EMS community paramedic Jonathan Weiss attended Recovery Fest last year. What he saw made him smile.

"I saw many patients that I have personally escorted to the ER having overdosed or been poisoned by Fentanyl here smiling, happy and clear-eyed,” he said. “They really do recover."

Brevard Recovery Fest

Where: Wickham Park, 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne

When: Saturday, Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cost: Free

Website: brevardrecoveryfest.org

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Recovery Fest in Wickham Park offers free family fun