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Where to go for First Night fun west of Boston

Warren Reynolds — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:42:21 +0000

If you live in the suburbs west of Boston, MA and you’re looking for something to do this New Year’s weekend 2011 – 2012, here are some ideas. A few of these suggestions are well known in Massachusetts while others are a bit more obscure (and perhaps closer to home) and all are geared towards safe, family fun!

First Night Boston

Up to 1 million are expected to attend this year’s events in Boston. The fun begins at 1 PM on Saturday, December 31, 2011. There will be 250 exhibitors and performances, the Grand Procession, and the fireworks extravaganza.

First Night Worcester

Strictly a no-alcohol event that promotes the arts and fun for all. Things get underway at 10 AM December 31. Enjoy the parade and fireworks!

Bright Night Providence

Music, magic and merriment abound at Bright Night Providence.

New Year’s Eve in Needham

The focus this year is the renovated Powers Hall in Needham, MA. Highlights include a nationally-known comedian, a jazz band and the Charles River Ballet. There’s public transportation by trolley!

New Year’s Eve in Newton

Check out the skating exhibition at the grand opening of the Newton Centre Ice-Skating Rink and enjoy the fun at the City Hall.

First Night in Norton

Come to the Yelle Elementary School and the High School in Norton, Massachusetts for quite a number of family activities and events culminating with a fireworks display.

First Holiday Night in Uxbridge

Enjoy a town-wide slate of activities focused on the Town Common, municipal buildings, local businesses and the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage Park.

City Celebrates New Bedford

Head to the downtown Historic District in New Bedford for family-friendly fun and fireworks.

Take a hike January 1

If going out in the dark and cold New Year’s Eve isn’t your idea of fun, take a hike on New Year’s Day instead!

Happy New Year!

Whatever you do this New Year’s weekend, please be safe . . . and have fun!

Surprising exhibition opens Franklin Art Center this Friday

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 22:25:28 +0000

What does Franklin MA’s downtown shoe store have in common with fine art? You’ll be able to experience the surprising answer yourself this Friday evening 7 PM – 9 PM at the inaugural gallery exhibition by the new Franklin Art Center located at 5 Main Street in Franklin, Massachusetts.

Franklin resident’s hidden talent

The gallery will feature the remarkably accomplished artwork of Victor Pisini, owner of Pisini Shoes, long a fixture of the downtown’s retail scene.

When Mr. Pisini was not at the store over the years, he apparently was busy at the easel because he has produced quite a number of fine paintings.

Many of Mr. Pisini’s works will be on display this month at the gallery.

Saturday open house

The opening celebration continues at the Franklin Art Center this Saturday at a public open house from 10 AM to 2 PM. Families can view the gallery of Mr. Pisini’s work and also explore the art class curriculum on tap for youngsters at this brand new Franklin arts school.

Franklin resident and former elementary school teacher Linda Kabat founded the Franklin Art Center.

Linda Kabat, founder Franklin Art Center

Linda’s goal is to help young people nurture their curiosity and imagination while developing art skills and knowledge in a fun environment.

Classes are planned for children in grades K – 12. Adult classes (as well as individual instruction) are also available.

Visit Franklin Art Center’s website

Learn more about the full roster of art classes by visiting the Center’s website:

Franklin Art Center

Click the hotlink to learn more about the many cultural activities in Franklin, MA.

Franklin Art Center
5 Main Street
Franklin, MA 02038
508-887-2797

Patti Eisenhauer Dance Center celebrates 30 years

admin — Sun, 15 May 2011 21:06:13 +0000

An important member of the thriving performing arts community in Franklin, MA is celebrating 30 years of service this month. The Patti Eisenhauer Dance Center started back in 1981 out of one room in a home in Norfolk. It now has approximately 300 students enrolled in its spacious studios at 31 Hayward Street in Franklin, Massachusetts.

The Center offers both recreational instruction and competitive dance programs. Hip hop, ballet, tap and jazz dancing is taught. Instruction in tumbling is also available.

Rich theater and dance training in Franklin

Franklin is fortunate to be home to an impressive array of dance, theater and arts schools. There’s also the diverse curriculum leading to several academic degrees at Dean College’s School of Dance and School of the Arts.

Click the hot link to learn more about the surprising diversity of arts and culture in Franklin, Massachusetts.

Special performance May 28

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the Patti Eisenhauer Dance Center is holding center stage with a special performance May 28, 2011 at the Thomas D. Mercer Auditorium in Franklin’s Horace Mann Middle School. Click the hotlink to read a Milford Daily News article more about the 30th anniversary of the Center.

Halloween fun things to do for kids in and around Franklin, MA

Warren Reynolds — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 19:44:56 +0000

Looking for fun things to do with the kids for Halloween 2010 in the Franklin, MA area? You’re in luck! We list here some fun events and activities for families in Franklin, Massachusetts and surrounding towns.

Halloween 2010 in Franklin, MA

October 28, 2010 – Franklin MA Public Library

Come enjoy a Haunted Halloween Party at the Franklin Massachusetts Public Library.

This event is for children aged 5 – 10 and will be held October 28, 2010 from 3:30 PM to 5 PM.

You are asked to register for this event at the desk in the Children’s Room or call 508-520-4940 X 2.

October 30, 2010 – Franklin MA Public Library

This Halloween celebration at the Franklin, MA Public Library is for the little ones aged 3 and up!

The Franklin, Massachusetts Public Library will host a fun-filled Halloween party and puppet show on October 30, 2010 at 1 PM.

Sparky’s Puppets will perform “A Halloween Harvest.” Just show up – no registration is required.

October 30, 2010 – Franklin Town Common

There will be a Halloween party on the Franklin, MA Town Common from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM Saturday, October 30.

Courtesy of the Franklin Dance Workshop, the festivities will be for children aged 2 to 10.

There will be games, refreshments, give-aways and a performance by Franklin Dance.

October 31, 2010 – Mitchell House, Dean College, Franklin MA

Dean College is hosting a ghoulish gathering for children aged 3 – 10 Sunday, Oct. 31 from 3 to 5 PM.

Festivities be held on the Dean campus at Mitchell House, 110 West Central Street, Franklin, MA.

There will be games, treats and crafts. The highlight will be the haunted house tour of the dormitory residence. Children are requested to wear costumes.

You can learn more about Franklin, MA here.

Halloween 2010 in Bellingham, MA

October 23, 2010 – Bellingham Town Common

The fifth annual Pumpkin Stroll in Bellingham, MA will be held at dusk on Saturday, October 23, 2010 at the Bellingham Town Common.

There will be candy and treats for the kids. Children are encouraged to wear costumes for the evening stroll.

Earlier in the day you can enter a pumpkin carving contest. If you want to show off your pumpkin carving skills, first get an application at the Municipal Center, 10 Mechanic St., or Brian’s Country Greenery, 121 Mechanic St. Then carve your pumpkin and bring it to the Town Common between Noon and 2 PM for judging.

Three age groups will compete for prizes. The age groups are 11 years old to 14 years old, 15 years old to 18 years old, and adults and children.
All entrants’ pumpkins will be put on display for the evening’s stroll.

Halloween 2010 in Medway, MA

October 29, 2010 – October 30, 2010 – Choate Park, Medway

There will be two events celebrating Halloween in Medway. Both will be at Choate Park off Route 109 (access parking via Cassidy Lane or Mechanic Street).

A Pumpkin Walk will be held on Friday, October 29, 2010 at 7 PM. You can contribute your jack-o-lantern to the evening walk by dropping off your carved pumpkin creation at the tennis courts by 5:00 pm. At 7 PM, you can walk around the pond looking at all the lit pumpkins.

A Touch-A-Truck and Halloween Parade will be held on Saturday, October 30, 2010. There will be lots of cars and trucks for kids to climb on and explore starting at 10 AM. The parade starts at Noon in front of the beach.

Halloween 2010 in Norfolk, MA

October 16, 2010 – Holmes Fields, Norfolk

The tenth annual Haunted Train Ride in Norfolk, MA will be held on Saturday, October 16th, from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m at Holmes Fields (off Myrtle Street).

Note that this event is currently sold out for 2010. No more tickets are available at this time.

This event is lot of fun for those lucky enough to have tickets! Kids wear costumes. Younger children are advised to come early as the ride gets scarier as it gets darker.

Halloween 2010 in Foxboro, MA

Through October 30 – Orpheum Theatre, Foxboro

There will be haunted house tours every weekend through October 30 at the Orpheum Theatre located at 1 School Street, Foxboro, MA.

There are two types of tours: scary (no one under age 10) and mild (for younger children).

Hours for the scary tours are 7 PM – 10:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is $12.

The mild tours for the little ones are Saturdays in October 1 PM – 3 PM. Admission is $5.

Halloween 2010 in Mansfield, MA

Fridays and Saturdays for the rest of October – 401 Oakland Street, Mansfield

Take a guided tour through the forbidding “Haunted Hallows” at 401 Oakland Street, Mansfield, MA.

This is not for the squeamish or very young; an intense experience is promised!

Hours are 7 PM – 10 PM Friday, October 15 and Saturday 16; Friday, October 22 and Saturday, October 23; Friday, October 29 and Saturday, October 30.

Wear sturdy shoes as you will be outside walking on a dark, sometimes uneven path in a field. No children under 10 years, please. Admission is $10. Ample parking is available. This is an event sponsored by the Town of Mansfield and proceeds benefit local charities.

Halloween 2010 in Walpole, MA

October 22 & 23 and October 29 & 30 - Norfolk County Agricultural High School, Walpole

Enjoy a 35 minute Haunted Hayride on the grounds of the Norfolk County Agricultural High School located at 400 Main Street in Walpole, MA.

This event will be held October 22 & 23 and October 29 & 30 from 7 PM to 11 PM.

There will be drinks and food. $5 for children and $10 for adults.

More Halloween fun!

If you want to drive a bit father to get more elaborate Halloween fun, here are quick links to just a small sample of the many Halloween events in Massachusetts and Rhode Island:

Roger Williams Park Zoo, Providence, RI

Please have a safe and enjoyable Halloween – and if you know of anyone thinking of buying or selling real estate anywhere in the US or overseas, please contact Warren Reynolds – he has ready access to top-rated global relocation resources that can help just about anyone!

Franklin MA Historical Museum opens in new Downtown location

Warren Reynolds — Sun, 16 May 2010 23:16:41 +0000

The Franklin, MA Historical Museum officially opened last Friday at its new location at 80 West Central Street in Downtown Franklin. The former site of the Senior Center, the previously neglected but now beautifully refurbished antique building provides another boost to on-going efforts to revitalize Franklin’s Downtown area.

An impressive new Museum

It’s fantastic that a town with about 31,000 residents out in the suburban I-495 loop like Franklin, MA can have such a nice facility devoted to showcasing the community’s past.

Friday evening’s opening ceremonies provided town residents with a special first look at the sparkling new interior and all the historical artifacts and memorabilia from Franklin’s past now displayed there.

Here’s a video of the evening’s events with an overview of just some of what you’ll find at the Museum:

Hours of operation

The Museum is free to the public and open throughout the year on the following schedule:

Thursdays, 5PM to 8PM (closed on days schools close due to snow)
Saturdays, 10AM to 1PM
Sundays, 1PM to 4PM

Another enhancement to Downtown Franklin, Massachusetts

The new Downtown location for the Historical Museum is just one of many recent upgrades to the Downtown area.

Franklin’s Downtown has recently benefited from the major new construction projects, including a new $9.3 million fire station headquarters and $30 million mixed-use Franklin Center Commons.

The area also received streetscape facelifts funded by separate $5 million Federal and $1 million State grants.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership strives hard to help support downtown business and keep the Downtown area on the upswing.

Interesting exhibits

The Museum’s interior is brand new, with finish work contributed by the students at the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical School in Franklin, MA. All the display cases and bookshelves were built by Vo Tech students.

Displays include Native American arrowheads and stone implements discovered at archeological sites in Franklin, antique tools from Franklin’s rich industrial-age past and an extensive collection of Civil War artifacts. There are also many photos and documents detailing everyday life in the Town of Franklin from the 1920s through the 1950s.

The Historical Museum in Franklin, Massachusetts is well worth a visit!

Holiday fun for all the family

Warren Reynolds — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:49:21 +0000

One of the many nice things about living in Franklin, MA is its strategic location on Route 495 south of the Mass Pike and north of Route 95. That puts Franklin in the heart of a culturally thriving and highly diverse population hub: the community is roughly equidistant to the cities of Boston (26 miles), Worcester (28 miles) and Providence, RI (26 miles).

It’s easy for Franklin residents to enjoy all the flourishing cultural and entertainment resources available in the region. And during the Holidays, that’s a real benefit for families with children of all ages!

Holiday Fun video

Here’s a video of a visit my family made to Edaville USA in Carver, MA; we went to see the Edaville’s annual Holiday Festival of Lights:

Edaville is about 40 miles from Franklin; we made the drive in about 40 minutes.

The opportunity to create some wonderful childhood memories during an easy day trip to Edaville is just one of many benefits of living in eastern Massachusetts and the Town of Franklin!

New Video: Franklin (MA) Massachusetts Harvest Festival 2009

Warren Reynolds — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:13:14 +0000

The 6th annual Franklin MA Harvest Festival was held yesterday in downtown Franklin under gloriously blue skies. The weather was perfect – warm and sunny. People seemed to really enjoy themselves!

Main Street turned into pedestrian mall

Main Street was closed to traffic for the first time this year to accommodate all the additional merchants and food vendors who set up shop in display booths throughout the downtown area. The lack of traffic made the event much more laid-back than previous years.

Live music

There was plenty of live music at at the event, centered at three different locations. Local bands Random Play, Nothing to No One, and Knuf Said showed legitimate talent with their polished, professional performances.

Games for the kids

An extensive area for childrens’ games was set up in the municipal parking lot. Mostly for the younger set, these games are very low-key fun where every participant wins a prize! Proceeds benefited the Parent Communications Council at the Davis Thayer Eelmentary School.

Antique car show

A new feature this year was an antique car show. This provided some historical interest and and an area of (relative) calm from the busy booths and games. My children were amazed at how primitive the interiors were in some of the entrants (“no seat belts”). I got to see a rumble seat for the first time. And the trunk for one beautiful vintage vehicle was . . . a trunk strapped above the rear bumper!

Franklin MA at its best

The Harvest Festival showcases Franklin at its best: family fun with no problems and an exceedingly normal, welcoming and inclusionary feel.

Attendance seemed strong (organizers had projected attendance to exceed 3,000).

The Harvest Festival supports the Franklin Downtown Partnership which has the continued revitalization of Franklin’s downtown as its core mission.

Concerts on the Common, Franklin, MA

Warren Reynolds — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:47:55 +0000

What better evokes the ideal of summer living in a traditional New England town than a concert on the Town Common?

Franklin, MA continues that tradition with a series of free music and children’s’ shows each summer. Held on the historic Franklin Town Common at the quaint gazebo, these are relaxing opportunities to sit on a blanket on the grass, let the kids have fun and listen to some good music.

Franklin School for the Performing Arts, Franklin, MA

Warren Reynolds — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:40:34 +0000

A very special asset for the Franklin, MA community, the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPS) and its associated Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) is a prestigious non-profit performing arts organization. The FSPS and FPAC together serve approximately 1000 artists and students from more 45 communities in the Franklin region and are well-known throughout New England up and down eastern seaboard of the US.

The FSPS was founded in 1985 by Raye Lynn Mercer. The FPAC was created in 1991. The combined organization has music, dance and drama departments as well as a touring performance troupe. The FPAC promotes the performing arts and nurtures and develops young talent through private lessons and by a classroom curriculum. The organization serves to develop talent of all levels, offering courses in music, drama and dance.

Many local performances currently are held at the Thomas Mercer Auditorium at the Horace Mann Middle School, 224 Oak Street, Franklin, MA. Classes are conducted at the 38 Main Street location. The 38 Main Street location has become too small for the school.

The FPAC is planning to build a new arts center to be called the New England Center for the Performing Arts.

The New England Center for the Performing Arts will triple the space currently available at the Main Street location. The new facility will feature studios and class room, a recital hall for solo or small-group performances, a “black box” theater (typically used for teaching and small experimental shows) and a large proscenium theater for elaborate events. Center will be situated on 13 acres in Franklin on the west side of Route 495 near the Forge park commuter rail station.

Electric Youth, Franklin Performing Arts Company, Franklin, MA

Warren Reynolds — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:07:22 +0000

Electric Youth is just one example of the impressive talent nurtured and showcased by the Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) in Franklin, MA. Electric Youth is a traveling ensemble of 14 to 18 years-old members of the FPAC.

Electric Youth maintains a broad and deep repertoire; including rock, Broadway hits, and American pop music. Members of Electric Youth perform locally in Franklin, MA and other Massachusetts venues. They also travel abroad, having recently finished their seventh European tour. The 2008 tour included performances in a variety of indoor and outdoor venues in Italy, Austria, and Slovenia. The 2008 tour concluded in July 2008 at an outdoor performance at Italy’s Lake Como.

Bravo, Electric Youth!