had an infectious laugh and enthusiasm for life that lifted spirits. For years he powered through illness with grace and service to community as the one and only three-time Barnum Festival ringmaster. Frank, long-time executive at D’Addario Industries, passed away, according to the Barnum Festival Facebook page:
Today we say so long for now to an irreplaceable pillar of the Barnum Festival Community.
Ringmaster Frank T. Gennarini was a force to be reckoned with- leading the festival gracefully through a Global Pandemic, spreading joy wherever he went, and always able to make us laugh.
We will forever miss his sense of humor and the guidance he has given this community over the years.
We know he will be looking down on the festival with a smile, and we will try to be like Ringmaster Frank in all that we do.
For more than 20 years as a volunteer he served as great street parade grand marshal, chairman of the car show, organizer of the fireworks, a judge for many events. In 2020 Gennarini donned red socks, red shoes and the signature red blazer for his ringmaster announcement, the annual salute to showman and philanthropist P.T. Barnum whose contributions to Bridgeport include Seaside Park, public library system, Bridgeport Hospital, housing stock.
“This is a tremendous honor,” Gennarini said that day. “The festival has always played a special part in my life. Living on Charles Street in Bridgeport as a child, I remember watching the Goodyear blimp promoting the events of the festival. I plan to continue this great tradition that has brought so much fun and good will to the greater Bridgeport region.
““I was bitten by the ‘Barnum bug’ a long time ago because I’ve seen the fun and community spirit it creates. We’re going to build on that in 2020.”
Months after the announcement, the health pandemic sidelined the festival as it did so many other institutional events, extending Frank’s tenure three years running, the only ringmaster in history to serve that long, his wife Cynthia so often a part of the festivities.
A tip of the top hat to Frank.
