Harvest Festival Press Release

Register Now for the Franklin Harvest Festival

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is busy planning for the Harvest Festival and currently is registering crafters, artists, vendors and community groups for this year’s event.

The festival will be held Sunday, October 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. The Harvest Festival is the Partnership’s largest event and more than 4,500 people are expected to attend this year.  Once again, Main Street will be closed to car traffic for the festival, which will span East and West Central Streets, Summer Street and Main Street. 

Space is limited. Anyone interested in participating should e-mail Harvest Festival Chairperson Angie Grant at agrant@middlesexbank.com for more details and a registration form. More information and the form also can be found on the Partnership’s website, www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/. The registration deadline is August 20th for discounted booth fees. Prior to August 20th, booths are $100. After the 20th deadline the fee is $150. 

The Partnership is also looking for sponsors to help offset the cost of the event. As a non-profit organization the Downtown Partnership depends on sponsors to fund the downtown festivals and events. For more information about sponsorship go to our website or contact the Executive Director at downtown.franklin@yahoo.com or (774)571-3109.  

Important Partnership Updates

Happy 1st Day of Summer!

Office Hours
The FDP office will be closed the week of June 27-July 5. 
Regular office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday  8 a.m. to 2 p.m.


Harvest Festival Details
Questions about the 2011 Harvest Festival should be e-mailed to Angie Grant, our new Festival Chair at agrant@middlesexbank.com. 
All downtown merchants need to fill out and mail the Harvest Festival Registration Form before August 20 or your space will not be reserved for your store. 


Harvest Festival Sponsors Needed
Please email us if you would like to sponsor this exciting event. More than 4,500 visitors are expected to attend this year!


Franklin Downtown PWED Improvement Project
If you would like to be on the town's e-mail list and receive timely updates on road construction please contact Maxine Kinhart at mkinhart@franklin.ma.us and she will put you on the town e-mail list. 


Website Link
If you are an FDP Business Member and have not contacted us yet to add your link to the Downtown Partners list (see the right of this screen) please send us an email at downtown.franklin@yahoo.com and we will get you on the site. Free advertising! Don't miss this opportunity!


Strawberry Stroll Success
The Strawberry Stroll was a huge success! We sold out of shortcakes! 
Special thanks to our Sponsors:  Dean College, Dean Bank, Middlesex Savings Bank, Garelick, Chestnut Dental, CVS, Hampton Inn, Keefe Insurance and nhs print. 
Thanks to our event chairs: Diane Glass and Nicole Fortier
And thanks to the Dean Bank team for serving the shortcakes and to Dean College for cutting up all those fabulous strawberries!


FDP General Meeting
Thursday, July 21, 8:30 a.m.
Dean College Campus Center
Note:  New location -- Room across from the Dining Hall
New Members -- if you wold like to introduce your business at this meeting please contact the FDP office.




We have more than 150 members and counting... thank you for your continued support!

Have a Happy and Safe Summer!

2011 Harvest Festival Registration On Now

2011 Harvest Festival Registration Form

Our Best Strawberry Stroll Yet!

Thursday's 9th Annual Strawberry Stroll was our most successful yet!


The downtown was packed with visitors enjoying the nice weather, checking out the shops, making crafts, listening to great music, and sampling all the delicious food and drink offerings. Our Famous Strawberry Shortcakes sold out!


The Stroll by the numbers:

• 33 Dean College volunteers cut
• 160 quarts of strawberries in
• 27 minutes
• 600 shortcakes made and sold
• 35 participating businesses

Thank you to all our visitors for making this our best Strawberry Stroll ever!


Thank you to our businesses for joining in the fun!


And thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible!


Gold Sponsor: Dean College
Silver Sponsors: Dean Bank, Middlesex Savings Bank and Garelick Farms
Bronze Sponsors: Chestnut Dental Associates, CVS/Pharmacy, Hampton Inn, Keefe Insurance and nhs print

Strawberry Stroll is Today!

Start your summer off right and join us downtown for our Strawberry Stroll today!

Downtown Franklin

4 to 7 p.m.

Find our Famous Strawberry Shortcakes in front of Dean Bank on Main Street.

Participating businesses will fill downtown sidewalks and stores with entertainment, food and special give aways and discounts. You'll find art and live music on the Cafe Dolce patio and at Jane's Frames, fun for the kids at the new Franklin Art Center, and much more!

For a full list of participating businesses and their offerings click here or pick up a flyer at any of our locations.

The Strawberry Stroll is generously sponsored by:

Gold Sponsor: Dean College

Silver Sponsors: Dean Bank, Middlesex Savings Bank and Garelick Farms

Bronze Sponsors: Chestnut Dental Associates, CVS/Pharmacy, Hampton Inn, Keefe Insurance and nhs print

Events and Activities Updates

Free Paw Sox tickets available to members!
June 13th, 7:05 p.m., vs. the Charlotte Knights
Courtesy of WMRC - First Class Radio.
Contact the FDP office at Downtown.Franklin@yahoo.com or (774) 571-3109 if you're interested. Limit 4 tickets per member. 


Thank You ... Thank You!
THANK YOU to all the volunteers who came out to plant more than 1,200 flowers last month on Beautification Day. 


A special THANK YOU to Eileen Mason, our Beautification chair, who makes it happen each year! 

A big THANK YOU to Michael Dailey for making the new flower window boxes on the bridge. Not only do they look great, he managed to make them in time for Beautification Day!


Sponsors are still needed to help cover the costs of this event.


Strawberry Stroll
Thursday, June 16
4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Come celebrate Summer!


Harvest Festival
Sunday, October 2.
Sponsors needed! 
Chairperson Angie Grant will be sending out applications next week. 
Contact Angie at agrant@middlesexbank.com.


Website Reminder
Remember to check back here for updates on the streetscape projects and events. Make sure your business link is on our site under Downtown Partners.


Volunteers Needed!
* Movers are needed to move a heavy desk upstairs to the FDP office. Please call the office if you can help.


* Strawberry Stroll set up and clean up. Contact Joel Carrara at jcarrara@printsmartoffice.com.


For Your Interest
* A Cut Above Hair and Nails will now be carrying hand-made "Jewelry by Lisa" made by the former owner of the Strawberry Patch. 


* Rental space is available on Cottage Street behind Franklin Pizza. If you know of anyone who is interested please contact Eileen Mason at emason11@verizon.net.