The Franklin Downtown Partnership announces
its 2017 dates for the Strawberry Stroll, a Saturday Harvest Festival, Holiday
Stroll, Spring and Winter Beautification days, and two Progressive Dinners. The
Partnership also announces its General Meeting dates and Spring Networking
Luncheons, all of which are open to the public.
Downtown Beautification Day will be
Saturday, May 20, 8:00 a.m. – 1 p.m. The Partnership, the Franklin Garden Club
and volunteers will install hundreds of flowers and greens throughout downtown
and on the Common. Community service hours will be available to students.
Contact Eileen Mason, emason4234@gmail.com, for
more information about the event, volunteer and sponsorship opportunities. Winter
Beautification Day will be Sunday, November 19.
The third Downtown Franklin Progressive
Dinner will be Sunday, May 21, beginning at 5 p.m. Groups of diners will
celebrate Franklin’s food and entertainment options by enjoying appetizers,
soup or salad, dinner and dessert at three different downtown restaurants.
Guests will wrap up their dining tour with local entertainment and a silent
auction. Menus and ticket information will be available on the FDP website and
social media closer to the event date. To learn more or be involved in the
event please contact Jane Curren at janeframe@verizon.net.
Another progressive dinner will be scheduled for September.
The 14th annual Strawberry
Stroll will happen Thursday, June 8, from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Join your neighbors
and friends as we welcome warmer weather with the Downtown Partnership’s mouth-watering
Strawberry Shortcakes, enjoy live entertainment and shop a sidewalk sale. If
you would like to sponsor this event please contact event Co-chair Nicole
Fortier, nfortier@deanbank.com.
Now that the Streetscape Project is
completed, the Downtown Partnership is happy to announce the weekend-day Harvest
Festival is back for this year. The festival is scheduled for Saturday, October
14, from 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. In case of rain, the Harvest Festival will be held
Sunday, October 15. Business and community group booths, games, a YMCA children’s
area, delicious food, fall crafts, and live local entertainment will draw thousands
of people downtown for a great afternoon with their neighbors. Beth Simon and
Scott Martin will co-chair this festival.
The family favorite Holiday Stroll will
be Thursday, December 7, from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. The FDP’s holiday celebration
will include a tree lighting ceremony, visits from Santa, his elves and Mrs.
Claus, gift shopping, holiday crafts for kids, live entertainment, and food and
drink specials. Roberta Trahan will chair this event.
All FDP events and beautification
efforts are possible thanks to business and resident memberships, donations and
sponsorships. Franklin residents can join the Partnership for $25, and business
memberships start as low as $100. Membership dues and donations are tax
deductible. Check the FDP website, www.franklindowntownpartnership.org,
for an application.
The FDP General Meetings will be
February 2, April 6, June 1 and September 7. The Thursday meetings will be held
at 8:30 a.m., with the exception of September’s meeting, which will be in the
evening; all meetings are held at the Dean College Campus Center. The
Partnership invites business owners, organization leaders and all interested
residents to come learn more about issues affecting downtown Franklin.
The FDP Networking Luncheons are an
inexpensive and delicious venue to make connections, share business ideas and
develop partnerships with other Franklin area business people. This spring’s
events are scheduled for February 14, March 14, April 11 and May 2; all
luncheons take place on Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. in the Smith Dining Center at
Dean College. Matt Lechter, mlechter@dean.edu,
and Gary Donelan, gary.donelan@middlesexbank.com, co-chair
the networking efforts.
More information about each event,
meeting, sponsorship, membership and volunteer opportunities can be found at www.franklindowntownpartnership.org,
on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FranklinDowntownPartnership.org
or on Twitter at @FranklinDowntwn.
The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a
nonprofit, 501©3 organization made up of business owners, community leaders and
residents working to stimulate economic development downtown and create a
positive impact throughout the area. The FDP currently has more than 200
members and welcomes all businesses and residents. For more information, please
contact Executive Director Lisa Piana at downtown.franklin@yahoo.com.
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