The 19th annual Best of Bethesda festival drew many people out of their homes and onto the streets Saturday afternoon.
Many families came for the free dance lessons, food samples and prizes, while others, like Skip Shorb, a vendor at the festival, came to make a difference. He, along with other vendors, paid a $1500 sponsorship fee for a booth at the event.
“We spend a lot of our time supporting numerous cancer type situations,” he says.
The festival benefits the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health, a place for sick children to stay with their families while receiving treatment.
Eric Esarte, 25, is a patient at the NIH. Doctors diagnosed him with cancer more than two years ago.
“I was in Canada doing my treatment. And when I finished all my options in Canada for treatment, one of my doctors referred me down here.”
Two stem-cell transplants later, Eric is almost fully recovered. He left the Saturday’s event with great news: he gets to return home to Canada next week.
“It’s been a great experience. It felt like home as much as home can feel like for having to be down here for so long and for the reasons we’re down here.”
The Children’s Inn booth was busy all day with festival patrons. It also drew crowds from the Taste of Bethesda festival, which was taking place right across the street.
