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More than 100 Frederick residents filtered in and out of the William R. Talley Recreation Center for the first candidate forum of the political season, allowing residents one-on-one conversations with almost every candidate running for city office this fall.

Bags of candy ripped open, colorful signs began to pop up from every corner of the room and literature stacked across decorated tables as candidates prepared to answer questions and distribute handouts to residents that outlined specific neighborhood issues that can often fall through the cracks of the campaign trail.

The Aug. 19 open house, sponsored by the Neighborhood Advisory Council, was deemed one of the most successful campaign events of the year, candidates said. "I haven't stopped talking for two hours," Democratic aldermanic candidate Carol Krimm said. "This was hands down one of the best campaign opportunities I've ever had," echoed fellow democratic candidate Josh Bokee.

That was the point, organizers said, to have uninhibited face time with the 26 candidates vying for residents' votes this year.

"It's more than I thought it would be," said Stephanie Davis Ambush, community outreach coordinator for the city, who oversees the city's 12 neighborhood councils, and facilitated the planning of the event. "People are telling me that they're very comfortable with this format."

Residents made their rounds to candidates, offering complaints, suggestions and ideas for how the city can have better leadership and how local government can work better for them.

"I love local politics because you have more of a say than you would at a national level," city resident Francesca Contento said.

For others, it showed the beauty of civic engagement in the city.

"This event is one of the features of Frederick as a city," resident Hillal Albertson said. "It goes along with ‘In the Streets,' the Fourth of July celebration. … This is the heart of what our city is."

Email Erica L. Green at egreen@gazette.net.