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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!

Holiday Stroll this Thursday in Franklin, MA

Warren Reynolds — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:35:56 +0000

The annual Franklin, MA Holiday Stroll will take place this Thursday, December 1, 2011 in the Downtown area. Festivities start at 4 PM and run through 7 PM.

Tree lighting

The tree lighting will begin at 4 PM on the Dean College campus.

Refreshments and entertainment will be provided courtesy Dean College.

Meet Santa

The little ones can meet Santa from 5 PM – 7 PM at Simon’s Furniture.

Mrs. Claus too

You can visit the Franklin Historical Museum to see Mrs. Claus and . . .

. . . shop for Holiday gifts at the crafts sale held in the Museum.

Donate to Food Pantry

Please donate a canned food item at Franklin Food Pantry.

Franklin Food Pantry
43 West Central Street
Franklin, MA 02038
Franklin Food Pantry

Full description of activities

Here’s a listing of all scheduled activities:

Have Fun!

Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club marks 40 years of service

Warren Reynolds — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:10:44 +0000

Not just for newcomers! That’s the message being stressed this month by the Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club. The Club is celebrating 40 years of service in Franklin and offers everyone an opportunity to get involved, share some interests, develop some new friends and make a difference in the Franklin community.

Get involved!

You have an opportunity to get acquainted with this fun group Wednesday, October 12 at the upcoming meeting of the Club. The gathering will be held at 7:30 PM at the popular 3 Restaurant, 461 West Central Street, Franklin, MA.

Talk by Franklin Town Administrator

Jeff Nutting, Franklin, MA’s Town Administrator, will make a presentation on the planned construction of the new Franklin High School and other current events in town. There will be free hors d’oeuvres and non-alcoholic drinks. A cash bar also will be available.

Service to the community

The Franklin Newcomers and Friends Club is a social organization that supports the Franklin community through fundraisers and charitable activities. It welcomes new arrivals in Franklin as well as all long-term residents. The Club affords members opportunities to socialize, share interests and help others.

Take advantage of this opportunity and go to the meeting October 12, 2011 – get involved!

Why the July 4 Celebration in Franklin, MA is something special

admin — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:16:50 +0000

The annual Franklin, MA Fourth of July Celebration is much more than a one day event – it’s something really special! Because July Fourth fell on a Monday this year, the 2011 Celebration was a five day extravaganza beginning June 30 and running through July 4. Events were held on the Franklin Town Common and throughout the Franklin, Massachusetts Downtown area.

15,000 visitors enjoy the fun

Up to 15,000 were expected to be on hand at the Celebration this year. There was lots of family fun for kids and plenty to do for teens and adults too!

Here’s a video of the July 4 Celebration at the Franklin, MA Town Common this year:

Variety of fun things to do for all ages

There was a lot of things to see and do at the 2011 July 4 Celebration.

Holiday-goers could enjoy:

carnival rides

games

live entertainment

talent contests

an elaborate fireworks display and

and a super parade.

Video of Franklin July 4 Parade

Here’s a video of the 2011 July 4th Parade in Franklin, MA:

The Fourth of July Celebration in Franklin, Massachusetts is just one reason why Family Circle Magazine named Franklin one of the Top Ten Towns in the entire U.S. in which to raise a family!

Memorial Day 2011 in Franklin, MA

admin — Tue, 31 May 2011 10:27:39 +0000

Franklin, MA honored its active U.S. military personnel and veterans on Memorial Day with ceremonies and a parade yesterday.

Good attendance despite weather

Turnout was strong, despite heavy clouds and some light rain in Franklin, Massachusetts.

A wreath was laid at the WWI Memorial at the Dean College campus.

More commemorations were held at the War Memorial at the Franklin Town Common.

Video of Memorial Day 2011 in Franklin, MA

Here’s a short video of Memorial Day 2011 in Franklin, MA:

Youth groups and veterans

Boy and Girl Scout troops of all ages joined veterans in the parade through Franklin’s downtown.

Franklin High School and Middle School marching bands sounded great.

It was fun for the kids while the grownups could reflect on the meaning of the day.

Touch a Truck family fun for kids in Franklin, MA

admin — Fri, 27 May 2011 20:21:09 +0000

Franklin, MA opened its Public Works facility to the public May 21, 2011 for a Touch a Truck event for children. It was a great opportunity for family fun and to let the kids get hands-on experience with trucks of all description.

Impressive facility

The event was held at the Franklin DPW operations center located on Public Works Way (off Hayward Street in Franklin, Massachusetts).

It’s a clean, modern facility that speaks well for the town.

Held in conjunction with Franklin Library book sale

The Touch a Truck was held the same day as the bi-annual book sale benefitting the Franklin Public Library. The book sale also was conducted at the DPW site. That was smart scheduling designed to increase attendance at both events.

Video of the event

Here’s a short video of the day:

Lots of trucks and a hayride, too!

You could get up close to some specialized equipment.

And also explore dump trucks, backhoes, loaders, rollers and excavators.

Hayride good fun for the kids

A hayride put on by the Franklin DPW was another highlight.

The hayride drove behind Beaver Pond on an access road servicing Franklin’s Well No. 1.

It was interesting seeing this little-known part of Franklin, MA.

Free refreshments included

The clincher for me were the complimentary hots dogs, popcorn and cold milk – what a nice extra for the children!

The Touch a Truck event is just more proof of why Franklin, Massachusetts is such a wonderful place to live . . .

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Single stream recycling success in Franklin, MA

admin — Mon, 23 May 2011 17:53:34 +0000

Franklin, MA is reaping the rewards of the single stream recycling program it implemented last year. Not only is the system extremely easy for town residents to use, it’s saving Franklin lots of money as well. Compared to more onerous recycling programs used by some other towns in Massachusetts, Franklin’s single stream recycling is a clear winner!

Saving money, reducing waste by making recycling easy

In its first year of operation, Franklin, MA’s single stream recycling program reduced the amount of trash sent by Franklin to regional landfills by 18 percent. This reduction is saving Franklin taxpayers $100,000 per year in trash disposal costs. And because the Massachusetts community’s recycling rate has also increased 15%, Franklin is earning $20,000 annually selling all that extra recyclable material.

Franklin’s award-winning program

It’s rare that a government program works so well and saves money too. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is so pleased with Franklin’s outstanding recycling results that it recently awarded $86,500 to the town to help defray the recycling program’s initial start-up costs.

The key to success and user satisfaction with municipal recycling programs appears to be ease of use. And nothing could be easier than the single stream system adopted by Franklin, MA in 2010.

Franklin residents no longer need to separate glass and cans from paper. Everything goes into one large, sturdy recycling container that has wheels and a cover.

The accent is on large – these containers hold a lot of stuff!

A big truck comes and uses a mechanical arm to grapple, lift and return the bin. It’s very easy and efficient . . .

Much easier than old dual stream system

The old dual stream recycling system used by Franklin was simply not user friendly and was not conducive to extensive recycling.

The hallmark of that system was those annoyingly small, lightweight recycling bins so common with dual stream recycling systems.

Paper went in one bin, plastic and aluminum cans in the other.

The main problem was that these bins didn’t hold very much and had no covers.

Lightweight paper and plastic items frequently overflowed and ended up blowing into neighbors’ yards on collection days. Newspaper and cardboard got wet and soggy when it rained.

On very windy days the empty bins themselves would often migrate down the street and had to be retrieved by harried homeowners.

Easy recycling and trash disposal enhances quality of life

Our modern lifestyle is full of minor nuisances and inconveniences.

It makes no sense to make recycling just another annoyance to be put up with (or even worse to minimize).

The advantage of Franklin, MA’s trash and recycling system is the large, wheeled bins; the trash bin is identical to the recycling bin, just with a different colored lid.

The two sturdy, large, wheeled bins combined make it extremely easy for Franklin, MA residents to increase recycling and still dispose of trash in an efficient, convenient manner. The system enhances the quality of life in Franklin. It works effectively – just look at Franklin’s recent record of recycling success.

Buy a home where trash and recycling is easy?

People considering buying a home in Massachusetts may want to investigate the types of recycling and trash disposal used in the municipalities in which they are considering living. Franklin’s easy, highly successful trash disposal and single stream recycling system is just one more reason to buy a home in Franklin!

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.

Franklin MA grows 7% in decade

Warren Reynolds — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:24:23 +0000

The Town of Franklin, MA enjoyed moderate population growth of just over 7% in the first decade of the 21^st century, according to figures published last week by the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This marks a decided slowdown in the rate of growth for Franklin, compared to what the community had been experiencing during last two decades of the 20th century.

Growth rate compares well to other towns in local area

Drawing on newly released 2010 Census data, the Secretary’s office reported that Franklin grew by 2,075 people (to 31,635 from 29,560) during the last decade.

This 7.02% growth rate places Franklin, on a percentage basis, ahead of such other prime communities in the central/south I-495 region as Medway, Mansfield, Wrentham and Foxboro.

But population growth in Franklin was decisively out-paced over the last 10 years by such high-growth towns as Upton, Uxbridge and Grafton, which are more rural and lie to the west of the I-495 high tech corridor.

However, even more developed towns to the east of I-495 such as Hopkinton and Ashland grew more quickly than Franklin over the past 10 years.

Markedly slower growth than in previous decades

Population in Franklin, MA had been increasing at a torrid pace in the 1980s (+ 28.3%) and 1990s (+33.8%). Franklin ranked as one of the top growth towns in all of Massachusetts during the 1990s.

But a building moratorium imposed by Franklin in the early years of the new millennium drastically slowed residential construction in town. This stemmed any further sharp rise in population for the decade just ended.

By the mid-2000s however, the moratorium was lifted and construction in Franklin resumed, including many high-end condominium projects for active adults.

Population outlook for 2011-2020

An article that appears today in the Boston Globe and on Boston.com casts a basically upbeat light on current population trends in the greater Boston area and for Massachusetts as a whole.

Demographers quoted by the Globe in that article said that Massachusetts’ growth rate has been buoyed recently by an influx of minorities and young, highly skilled workers. These groups were attracted to MA by lower home prices and the high quality life offered by the Bay State.

The relatively strong Massachusets economy should help us continue to grow moderately as we progress further into the second decade of the 21^st century.