Wednesday, August 14, 2024


 THIS FRIDAY, Registration for the 2024 Harvest Festival will be open.  Please follow the REGISTRATION link on the website, which will take you to our registration google form.  Registration is open to PAID members only.  On Aug 20th, any remaining booths will be open to non-members for registration.  This event WILL SELL OUT and booth spaces are limited so please do not delay with registering.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Strawberry Stroll 2024 Success



 The Franklin Downtown Partnership would like to thank all of our sponsors, volunteers, and residents who made our 2024 Strawberry Stroll a success.  We had a record number of attendees, sold out booths, and sold out strawberry shortcake!  We are looking forward to our next flagship event, our Annual Harvest Festival, coming September 28th from 12pm to 5 pm (rain date Sept. 29).  Be on the lookout for registration to this well attended event coming this August.  Dues must be paid to reserve a booth.  If you are interested in sponsoring the Harvest Festival, please fill out a sponsorship form HERE

Monday, May 13, 2024


 

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Franklin to Celebrate 2nd Annual Ladybug Trail Spring Walk April 20th


 

                                                                  


          

Franklin to Celebrate 2nd Annual Ladybug Trail Spring Walk April 20th

 

 

Come to Downtown Franklin on Saturday, April 20th when the town kicks off its  2nd Annual Ladybug Trail Spring Walk. The town will also celebrate 50 years of the ladybug as the State’s official insect.

 

Walk the Ladybug Cultural and Historical Trail any time throughout the day and explore downtown Franklin. Rain date is Sun. April 21st. Best place to start: 9 a.m. at Franklin Historical Museum at 80 West Central Street (Route 140) to get your free trail map. While you’re at the museum, and before you walk, stay for the ladybug presentation and activities.

 

At 11 a.m. State Rep. Jeff Roy will speak about ladybugs and lawmaking. From 11:30 to 1 a reunion of the 1974 “Ladybug Kids,” the second-graders who went to Boston and successfully lobbied the legislature.

Ladybug keychains and bookmarks will be sold at the museum. Other activities include a short slide show detailing the ladybug story, and live native ladybugs will be released around 3 p.m. in the garden of the Methodist Church, next door.

 

Why celebrate the 7-spotted ladybug?

 

This year marks the 50th anniversary since the ladybug was adopted as the official insect of Massachusetts. And, the town of Franklin is where it started.

 

How did this happen? In 1974, a group of second-grade students and their teacher, Palma Johnson, at Franklin’s Kennedy School, petitioned a bill to name the ladybug the state’s official insect. The students learned about the law-making process in class and at the State House. In April 1974 then-governor Francis Sargent signed the bill making the ladybug the official state insect of Mass.

 

The town celebrated this special designation with its Ladybug project on the 40th anniversary of the accomplishment. The Franklin Cultural Council and the Rotary Club initiated the public art project to honor Mrs. Johnson, her students, and the ladybug. The project invited artists and businesses to create and paint 2-foot tall fiberglass ladybugs.

 

By 2022 the ladybug sculptures were installed throughout downtown Franklin’s Cultural District – when it officially became known as the Ladybug Cultural and Historical Trail.

 

The trail uses the ladybug sculptures to tie together approximately 25 historical, cultural and business sites in downtown. Plus the walk is an opportunity to view more than 10 art murals painted by members of the Franklin Art Association located in the alleys and the daffodils that pop up along the trail in spring. 

 

"The fact that this year is the 50th anniversary of a Franklin educator and her students making history with their ladybug legislation makes this year's walk extra special. We are happy to be the starting point for the walk, and for families picking up a map," said Alan Earls, chair of the Franklin Historical Commission. "We are keeping longer hours, too, from 9 to 3, and hope families and individuals will stop in," he added. For more details, visit the Historical Museum website at https://www.franklinmuseum1778.com

 

 

Enjoy the shops along the trail

 

People can walk the Ladybug Trail any time during the day. “The Ladybug Trail Spring Walk is the chance to celebrate spring and walk around downtown Franklin in search of the ladybugs tucked among the storefronts. We invite walkers and visitors to stop at one of the many restaurants along the trail for lunch or dinner,” said Lisa Piana, Franklin Downtown Partnership’s Executive Director.

 

The free trail map is also available at Escape Into Fiction where kids can get a ladybug surprise. Escape Into Fiction is an independent bookstore at 12 Main Street. They are open Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 12 to 4 p.m. The regular hours include Tuesdays through Fridays 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Historical Museum regular hours are Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

 

The Ladybug Cultural and Historical Trail committee includes: Pandora Carlucci, Jane Curran, Claire Griffin, Melanie Hamblen, Eileen Mason, Mary Olsson, Lisa Piana, Beth Simon, and Roberta Trahan.

 

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a non-profit 501c3 organization made up of more than 350 business owners, residents, and community leaders working to revitalize downtown Franklin. Residents can join the Downtown Partnership for only $25. The Partnership manages events like the Strawberry Stroll, the Harvest Festival, the Ladybug Historical & Cultural Trail, and initiatives such as beautification, streetscape design, greenspace, alley murals, and sculpture projects. For more information go to www.franklindowntownpartnership.org. 

Monday, April 8, 2024

Sponsors Needed for Beautification and Strawberry Stroll


 The Downtown Partnership is seeking Sponsors for Downtown Beautification Day and The Strawberry Stroll.  Interested businesses should fill out a sponsorship form and email it downtown.franklin@yahoo.comSPONSORSHIP FORM

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

2024 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES





2024 SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES


Attention members! We are accepting event sponsorship applications for the 2024 Strawberry Stroll, Harvest Festival and Beautification Days. These are wonderful opportunities to showcase your business and get widespread exposure!


Please take a look at the sponsor opportunities and let us know what events and projects you would like to support.


The earlier you can let us know, the sooner we can get you listed on

our website and on social media.


Thanks for your 2024 support!

More info here: info here

Registration here: Registration form


 

Tuesday, January 16, 2024