2010 Strawberry Festival a Huge Success!

Hundreds of local residents enjoyed the 8th Annual Strawberry Festival in downtown Franklin on Thursday, June 17. Despite overcast skies, the crowds enjoyed the Partnership's famous strawberry shortcakes, along with live music, museum tours, games and face painting, a sidewalk sale and food specials throughout the downtown.

Many thanks to our generous sponsors, participating merchants and tireless volunteers for making this Strawberry Festival our largest to date!

Third Thursday - Strawberry Festival - June 17th

Franklin Strawberry Festival to be Thursday, June 17

The Franklin Downtown Partnership’s eighth annual Strawberry Festival will be held on Thursday, June 17, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. For the first time the Partnership is combining this popular event with its Third Thursday line-up, and the group’s famous strawberry shortcakes won’t be the only draw this year.

Live music at five locations, games and balloons for kids, a sidewalk sale, museum tours and face painting are just some of the activities designed to give families plenty to do throughout the downtown.

“We want this festival to be all about families,” says Lisa Piana, executive director of the Partnership. “This is our big kick-off to summer and our Third Thursday events. We have more businesses participating this year than ever before, offering something for everyone.”

Some of those offerings include a fitness demonstration by Team Fitness, chocolate covered strawberries and a “strawberry pedicure” at Salon Sorella, and food specials at various restaurants. Emma’s Quilt Shop invites everyone to stop in and participate in the 1 Million Pillowcase charity sewing event.

The Historical Museum will offer tours and old-fashioned lemonade on the porch with entertainment by Jack Murray from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Rick’s Restaurant will sponsor a classic car “Cruise Night” and feature a live R & B band. An artist’s reception at Jane’s Frames will highlight the Franklin High School 2011 AP Portfolio Class and entertainer Jamie Barrett.

John Kinney will perform at the festival municipal parking lot on West Central Street from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Jamie Barrett will play from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Dave Navikas will entertain patrons on the Café Dolce Patio from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Parking is available in the municipal lots downtown. In addition, the “Strawberry Express” GATRA bus will ferry visitors from the town common on High Street to various event locations downtown.

The festival is made possible through generous donations by Silver sponsors NHS Print, Garelick, Dean Bank, Dean College, Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation and Middlesex Savings Bank, as well as Bronze sponsors Ever So Humble, CVS Pharmacy, ReMax/Eileen Mason and Doherty, Ciechanowski, Dugan & Cannon, P.C.

If you would like to volunteer or want more information about the Strawberry Festival, contact Chairperson Nicole Fortier at nicolefortier@deanbank.com. For more information about the Franklin Downtown Partnership please contact Executive Director Lisa Piana at downtown.franklin@yahoo.com or call (774) 571-3109.

Thanks for Beautification Day

Thank you for a wonderful day of planting on Saturday. Special thanks to Eileen Mason our Beautification Chair and to the Garden Club. Please remember that the flowers on the bridge and the downtown islands are paid for by donations. We ask that businesses consider sponsoring the flowers this year. We really need your help to continue funding the Beautification projects. Bronze Sponsor is $150 and Silver Sponsor is $250. Attached are the details of the sponsorship levels. Thanks for your continued support on making our downtown Beautiful! Please call or e-mail the FDP office if you would like to contribute. (774)571-3109 or e-mail Eileen Mason at emason11@verizon.net

Water the flowers!

Remember to water your flowers that were just planted. They will die quickly in this type of hot weather without water!

Anyone who is interested in volunteering to water the flowers on the bridge or islands please contact Eileen Mason at emason11@verizon.net

Strawberry Festival - Third Thursday - 6/17/10

The Strawberry Festival and Third Thursday is June 17th. Deadline for sponsors and participant information is Monday, May 24th. Don't miss out!

Please read important information below:

- If you would like to participate please contact one of our Strawberry Festival Chairs: Nicole Fortier or Ann Marie Van De Giesen by Monday, May 24th.

- We are looking for businesses that would like to offer family activities such as face painting, sport demonstrations, balloons or other types of entertainment.

- Please contact Joel Carrara if you would like to help with set-up or clean up the day of the event.

- If you would like to participate in the Third Thursday event the same day please contact Jane Curran.

- If you would like to sponsor either of these events, please contact Lisa Piana. Remember for $300 you will be listed on all flyers, posters, on the website, and in two newspapers.

This is a great opportunity for local businesses to advertise and support the Franklin Downtown Partnership!

May 20, 2010, meeting minutes

Franklin Downtown Partnership General Meeting

May 20, 2010

Minutes

Attendance: 24 people were in attendance.

The meeting was opened at 8:39 am by President Nicole Fortier.

Adoption of Agenda
Motion: Roberta Trahan moved and Del Arnold seconded: To adopt the agenda.
Vote: Unanimously approved.

Introductions: All those in attendance introduced themselves.

Beautification:
Eileen Mason reported that we have 1200 plants to plant this Saturday, from 8-12noon. Volunteers are still needed. She is also looking for people/businesses to take a week of watering/weeding for the summer so we can keep the flowers looking great all summer long.

Executive Director’s Report:
Executive Director Lisa Piana reported the following:

1. Membership is up.  We have 124 members to date.
2. Sponsorship is down a bit. Sponsorship levels for Strawberry Festival, Third Thursday, Harvest Festival and Beautification were discussed.
3. A special thank you to Steve Sherlock for all his work on the website. Hope to launch in June and all members will have links on the site.
4. Thank you to Diane & Michael Glass for the office space and new lights. Thank you to Dean College for the space and refreshments.

Strawberry Festival/Third Thursday:
Nicole Fortier announced the Strawberry Festival will be held June 17th from 4-8 pm. There will be a planning meeting on May 25th at 8:30am.

Town Update:
Bryan Taberner reported:

1. A special election for the town override will be held on June 8th.
2. Still reviewing underground utilities for small piece of East Central Street.
3. Water main construction will be occurring in June or early July.
4. Town Web-site will continue to have updates on the Downtown Improvement project. Public input is desired on the project and it is easy to do on the web.
5. The town is doing some marketing about doing business in Franklin. They have put together a series of PDF brochures that are on the website.

Museum:
Del Arnold, Historical Commission reported:
The museum is now open. The Ribbon Cutting was held on May 22.  Hours will be Thursday evenings from 5-8pm, Saturday 10am -1pm and Sunday afternoons 1-5pm.

Business/Organization Updates:
Those in attendance shared what was happening in their businesses/organizations.

Meeting adjourned at 9:25 am.


Respectfully submitted,



Cindy T. Kozil
Secretary

Franklin Downtown Partnership - General Meeting - Agenda

Franklin Downtown Partnership General Meeting Agenda
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Dean College Golder Room - 8:30 am


I.    Open Meeting

II.   Adoption of Agenda                          

III.  Beautification: Eileen Mason, Chair                          

IV.   Report from Executive Director

a.    Membership
b.    Sponsorship
c.    Website

V.    Strawberry Festival/Third Thursday: Nicole Fortier and Jane Curran

VI.   Town Update: Bryan Taberner                          

VII.  Museum: Del Arnold, Historical Commission

VIII. New Business

IX.   Other Business

X.    Adjourn

Beautification Day - May 22

All residents are welcome to pull on their gardening gloves and bring their tools to help plant more than 1,200 plants during Franklin’s seventh annual Beautification Day on Saturday, May 22, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. The event will take place rain or shine.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership, together with the Franklin Garden Club and Wadsworth Farm, is again organizing the plantings for the bridge and the islands downtown. Volunteers are asked to meet at 9:00 a.m. on the center island in downtown. High school students who need community service hours are welcome to participate.

“This is our seventh year beautifying the downtown and it’s become a passion for all involved,” says Eileen Mason, Beautification Day chairperson.  “We want to make a strong, positive impression on all those who visit Franklin in hopes that they may someday come back to shop, eat and relax in our wonderfully revitalized downtown community.

“We also do this to soften and minimize the ‘concrete look’ in the center of town,” adds Mason.  “All this is accomplished solely through sponsorships, donations and 100 percent volunteer hours. We need everyone’s participation.”

The color scheme for this year’s plantings is pinks and blues, including Rose and Purple Wave Petunias, Blue Annabelle Lobelia, Persian Shield, Diamond Frost, and blue, white and pink Salvia.

According to Mason, the downtown beautification effort follows a year-long cycle. This spring’s plants were chosen last November, and then planted in the Wadsworth Farm greenhouses in March in order to be ready for planting this May. In October, beautification volunteers remove the plants and prepare for winter, placing evergreen decorations in containers the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

“Although we plant in May, this is a year-round project. Sponsorships and donations are what keep this effort going,” says Mason.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Gold and platinum-level sponsors will have their names prominently displayed on a sign in the center island for the 2010 season. Silver sponsors will have their name displayed on a group sign in the center island for the remainder of the year.

Interested sponsors and volunteers should contact Eileen Mason at 508-330-4234 for more details. 

All contributions to the Franklin Downtown Partnership, a non-profit organization, are tax deductible. Please make checks payable to:  Franklin Downtown Partnership, P.O. Box 413, Franklin, MA, 02038.  For more information about the Partnership and becoming a member, contact Executive Director Lisa Piana at (774) 571-3109 or downtown.franklin@yahoo.com.