General Meeting April 4

Please join us for the next general meeting of the Franklin Downtown Partnership on Thursday, April 4 at 8:30 a.m. We'll meet in the Campanella Board Room of the Dean College Campus Center. Dean College Director of Career Planning and Internships Thea Cerio will give a brief presentation on the internship program at Dean College. 

Mural Artists Invited to Participate in Downtown Project

Artists are invited to showcase their work in downtown Franklin! Last year, the Franklin Downtown Partnership began offering opportunities to local artists to paint murals in the alleys throughout downtown Franklin. The Partnership is expanding those opportunities this year.

Artists who are interested in creating pro bono murals should email the Partnership office to request a submission packet. Artists will be asked to submit portfolios and ideas for murals once the committee decides on the theme for each alleyway. Submissions will be juried by the Artist Alley Committee.

Joining the trend toward public art, the Partnership’s goal is to turn the uninviting alleyways into alley galleries. Boarded up windows and rusted doors in those alleys create ideal canvases for painting.

Save the Date! Strawberry Stroll 2019

The FDP is currently organizing the 17th annual Strawberry Stroll, set for Friday, June 14, from 4 to 8 p.m. in downtown Franklin. The rain date will be Saturday, June 15. Scott Martin will be the new event chair for the Stroll this year.

Crafters, community groups, businesses and entertainers are all welcome to participate. Registration for participation will open in April. Watch the Partnership’s website or Facebook page for details.

During the Stroll, the FDP is partnering with Dean Bank who is hosting “Dancing on Dean” which will feature two local bands on a bandstand at the intersection of Main Street and Dean Avenue. Additionally, there will be more food options, a craft area, and the Franklin Art Association spring art show on Main Street.

For the first time last year, the Strawberry Stroll was held on a Friday night, rather than Thursday. 

“We are holding this year’s Stroll on Friday again and we expect to attract a large crowd like we had last year,” said FDP Executive Director Lisa Piana.

Dean Bank will serve up the event’s famous Strawberry Shortcakes. 

Sponsors are needed. See the sponsorship opportunities here. Then complete this form to register your sponsorship!

Health Connector for Small Business

The Franklin Downtown Partnership, the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce and the New England Business Association present "Health Connector for Small Business: An Informational Session" on Tues., March 5 from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Dean College Campus Center, Campanella Board Room.

The Massachusetts Health Connector has a new shopping platform for small business. This new platform brings state-of the-art tools to employers, brokers, and employees, making it easier than ever for small businesses to offer health insurance to their employees. Event participation is complimentary. Online pre-registration is required.