What's happening in Franklin, MA: Sunday, December 7, 2025 ???

Sunday, December 7

10:00am Girl Scout Cookie Sale (Shaw's)

1:00pm Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

1:00pm Franklin in Miniature/Train Town exhibit (Franklin Historical Museum)

1:00pm Musical Bingo (Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub)

2:00pm The Nutcracker (Franklin High School)

** NO Town Meetings today   **

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Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Saturday, December 6, 2025 ???

Saturday, December 6

8:30am Girl Scout Cookie Sale (United States Postal Service)

9:00am Christmas Fair & more (St John's Episcopal Church)

9:00am Thrifty Threads (Franklin Federated Church)

9:00am Fallen Hero: Harry R. Bean (Veteran Walkway, Franklin Town Common)

9:30am Wreath and Holiday Arrangement Sale (Daddario’s Hardware Store) 

10:00am Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

10:00am Train Town Franklin #3 - opens (Franklin Historical Museum)

10:30am Mike Bent's Ho Ho Hocus Pocus Magic Show! (Franklin Public Library)

3:00pm Maker Moment Silk Scarf Painting (Franklin Public Library)

7:30pm Ellis Paul, Alice Peacock opening (ticketed concert) (Circle of Friends Coffeehouse)

7:30pm Faculty Dance Works  (ticketed event) (Dean College Main Stage Theater)

7:30pm The Nutcracker (ticketed event)(FPAC, Franklin High School)

8:00pm Karaoke at The Raillery (Raillery Public House)

** NO Town Meetings today   **

------------

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

Viral TikTok Ballet Dancer to Star in The Nutcracker with FPAC Holiday Productions

FPAC Holiday Productions will kick off December with the holiday classic: The Nutcracker, presented December 6 and 7 at the Franklin High School Auditorium.

Experience all the festive magic and colorful splendor of The Nutcracker as FPAC stages its cherished annual production of the holiday classic with live orchestra conducted by Steven Lipsitt, special guest artists and more than 100 area dancers. The Nutcracker remains a highly anticipated and treasured part of the FPAC season - a popular holiday tradition for more than 20 years. The world-famous ballet, set to Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, delights the imaginations of audiences young and old with a professional production at a reasonable price. 

Ballet Dancer Louis DeFelice

Ballet Dancer Louis DeFelice, who has gained notoriety for his viral dance-themed TikToks will dance the role of The Cavalier. DeFlice studied under Stanislav Issaev and graduated from the Kirov Academy in Washington, DC. He was most recently a company member with New Jersey Ballet, performing as a principal in Robbins’ Fancy Free, a soloist in Balanchine’s Rubies, and originating a part in the premier of Lauren Lovette’s Jewel Box. He also tours in Europe and the US as a guest artist in shows including The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. He is from Columbia, South Carolina and is the co-founder of the dance wear company Barre Trash.

Joining him as The Sugar Plum Fairy is Mari Takayama. Originally from Japan, Takayama currently resides in NYC where she has performed principal and soloist roles with the Eglevsky Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, City Dance NY, Neville Dance Theatre, and was a trainee with the American Repertory Ballet dancing the lead role of Clara in “The Nutcracker”. Prior to moving to the US, she graduated from the ballet course at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Japan with two scholarships. During her college years, she organized and choreographed ballet, musical, and contemporary performances. Mari has participated in various intensive programs, including those at American Ballet Theatre, Miami City Ballet, American Academy of Ballet in New York, Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C., and Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Her repertoire includes roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy, Clara, and Dew Drop Fairy in ‘The Nutcracker,’ as well as roles in ‘Flames of Paris,’ ‘Dracula,’ ‘Paquita,’ ‘Don Quixote,’ and ‘Giselle.’

FPAC Holiday Productions are presented at the Franklin High School Auditorium. For tickets and more information, visit www.FPAConline.com or call the box office at 508-528-3370. 

Franklin Performing Arts Company announces their next season

ANNIE | OCT. 17-26 | 

Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has become a worldwide phenomenon. Directed by FPAC Artistic Director @rayelynnmercer with choreography by Broadway’s @clayricethomson (Moulin Rouge, Matilda, Newsies, King Kong), & Music Direction by @halliejw . Featuring “Sandy” the dog from Berloni Theatrical Animals!

Franklin Performing Arts Company
announces their next season

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER | NOV. 21-23 | 

Directed by @alifunk , the play upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (aka Peter Pan). Featuring 12 actors portraying over 100 characters, Peter and the Starcatcher uses ingenious stagecraft & the limitless possibilities of imagination to bring the story to life.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS | JAN. 23-25 | 

Before the iconic 1989 film broke box office records nationwide, Louisiana salon owner Truvy first set up shop on the stage. Directed by Robbie Rescigno, through laughter, tears, & a thick fog of hairspray, the colorful cast of regulars and employees that frequent Truvy’s establishment face trials & triumphs armed with their greatest strength: each other.

INTO THE WOODS | MAR. 13-22 | 

Directed by Raye Lynn Mercer, the story follows a baker & his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King’s Festival; & Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. Everyone’s wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results. 

ONCE | JUN. 5-7 | 

Directed by Raye Lynn Mercer, on the streets of Dublin, an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, an unexpected friendship & collaboration quickly evolves into a powerful but complicated love story, underscored by emotional music including the Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly.” 

FPAC Holiday Productions will mount our annual production of The Nutcracker DEC. 6-7 & Humbug! DEC. 20-21!

Tickets available soon online at https://theblackboxonline.com/

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DLH9TgTxe1S/

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Sunday, December 8, 2024 ???

Sunday, December 8

• Winter Coat Drive (4 drop off locations)
• Franklin Art Association, Art Show & Sale (Norfolk Public Library)

MBTA shuttle bus on Franklin Line

10:00am Breakfast Buffet with Santa Claus (Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub)

11:00am Winter Wreath Design Class (Fiori and Fern)

1:00pm Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

1:15pm Second Sunday Speaker Series: WCVB Chronicle's Ted Reinstein (Franklin Historical Museum)

2:00pm Franklin Performing Arts Company presents The Nutcracker (Franklin High School)

**   NO  Town Meetings today   **

What's happening today in Franklin? 

---------------

Why are there multiple calendars?

Respectfully, the Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/node/39/events/upcoming

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendars

MetOpera Ballet Dancer to Star in The Nutcracker with FPAC Holiday Productions

FPAC Holiday Productions will kick off December with the holiday classic: The Nutcracker, presented December 7 and 8 at the Franklin High School Auditorium. Experience all the festive magic and colorful splendor of The Nutcracker as FPAC stages its cherished annual production of the holiday classic with live orchestra conducted by Austin Davy, special guest artists and more than 100 area dancers. 

The Nutcracker remains a highly anticipated and treasured part of the FPAC season - a popular holiday tradition for more than 20 years. The world-famous ballet, set to Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, delights the imaginations of audiences young and old with a professional production at a reasonable price.  

Paula Alvarez

Metropolitan Opera Ballet Dancer Paula Alvarez will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Alvarez, from Mexico City, started training at the Academia de Ballet San Angel Inn where she completed the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD) syllabus with Distinction. Upon graduating high school, she moved to New York City to train at the Joffrey Ballet School under the direction of Era Jouravlev. 

There she had the opportunity to perform leading roles in classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote and The Nutcracker as well as Voices of Spring Pas de Deux by Fredrick Ashton. She started her career as a Soloist at Menlowe Ballet in California where she danced for 3 seasons. During quarantine, she got her CPYB teacher certification and has been working for Joffrey Ballet School as Master Faculty, choreographer and guest dancer, since September 2021. She danced for New York Theatre Ballet performing several soloist roles of The Nutcracker all over New York State. 

Paula’s story has been featured in major international newspapers. During the 2022-2023 season she joined the Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Center to be a part of the 2019 revival of La Traviata and she is excited to continue working with the MetOpera Ballet as part of their classical production of Turandot in 2024.

James Monroe Števko returns to FPAC Holiday Productions as The Cavalier, having previously danced the role in Franklin in 2021. He is a NYC-based dancer who started dancing at the late age of 18 and was dubbed a "Late Bloomer" by Dekalb's Daily Chronicle eventually leading to his principal acting debut in the award-winning Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish as Mendl. 

Previously, he has danced at: The Metropolitan Opera, seven seasons at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, The Met Gala with Katy Perry, Milwaukee Ballet and City Ballet of San Diego. He teaches regularly and is a mentor to new graduates hoping to move to NYC in a new program, Off the Lane. 

FPAC Holiday Productions are presented at the Franklin High School Auditorium. For tickets and more information, visit www.FPAConline.com or call the box office at 508-528-3370. 

The Nutcracker, a traditional & key FPAC Holiday Production, is scheduled for Dec 2, 3

FPAC Holiday Productions will present two shows as part of its annual holiday season. December kicks off with the holiday classic: The Nutcracker, presented December 2 and 3 at the Franklin High School Auditorium. Experience all the festive magic and colorful splendor of The Nutcracker as FPAC stages its cherished annual production of the holiday classic with live orchestra conducted by Austin Davy, special guest artists and more than 100 area dancers. 

The Nutcracker remains a highly anticipated and treasured part of the FPAC season - a popular holiday tradition for more than 20 years. The world-famous ballet, set to Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, delights the imaginations of audiences young and old with a professional production at a reasonable price. The production is staged by Cheryl Madeux of American Ballet Theatre, Hartford Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet. Madeux is currently director of BalletFranklin- the ballet conservatory at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts. 

Lucy Stewart

Lucy Stewart of Complexions Contemporary Ballet will appear as The Sugar Plum Fairy. Stewart grew up in a suburb of Denver, Colorado, where she spent her early years dancing at a small studio in the mountains and then at Colorado Ballet. Originally training in all forms of dance, her primary areas of study included ballet, contemporary and jazz. She spent her summers training with American Ballet Theatre, The Joffrey Ballet, COMPLEXIONS, and Colorado Ballet. Lucy has studied the last two years at The Juilliard School in the dance division where she had the opportunity to study with various leading artists in the dance world, including Ohad Naharin, Tiler Peck, Rena Butler, and James Whiteside, as well as the opportunity to perform Set and Reset by Trisha Brown. For the last several years, Lucy studied regularly with John Gardner and Amanda McKerrow from ABT. 

Jacopo Calvo, also of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, will join Stewart as her Cavalier. Calvo was born in Asti, Italy. He began his dance training at the age of 11 at his hometown school, Ritmo Danza. At 18, he moved to NYC where he attended The Ailey School on scholarship. He has worked with choreographers such as Marcus Jarrell Willis, Brice Mousset, Ray Mercer, Earl Mosley, Francesca Harper, and artist Nick Cave in The Let Go at the Park Avenue Armory. He has attended summer intensives with American Ballet Theater and Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and RESET 2021 with Studio Wayne McGregor. Jacopo has performed with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for their 60th Anniversary Season in Memoria at New York City Center and for the Ailey Spirit Gala. This is his 2nd season with Complexions.

FPAC Holiday Productions are presented at the Franklin High School Auditorium. For tickets and more information, visit www.FPAConline.com or call the box office at 508-528-3370. 

Franklin's Event Outlook: Dec 2, 2022 to Dec 8, 2022

You can dance, or watch dancers, or ballet, or enjoy a beverage and some music, or visit the farmers market, or the Christmas Fair, or the local artesian market, or one of the other options... there is so much to do. Very grateful for the #artshappeninghere in Franklin!

Friday, December 2

5:00pm - Cousins Maine Lobster (food Truck) (La Cantina Winery)

5:30pm - Joshua David (live music) (67 Degrees Brewing)

7:30pm - New Dancer Showcase (ticketed event) (Dean College)

Saturday, December 3

9:00am - Christmas Fair (St John’s Episcopal Church)

10:00am - Winter Farmers Market (Fairmount Fruit Market)

10:00am - Decorated Holiday Wreaths and Arrangements (Franklin Garden Club at Daddario Hardware Store)

10:00am - AcuPUNKture's Local Artisan Holiday Market (AcuPUNKture)

10:00am - Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

11:00am - Bollywood Dancing (Franklin Public Library)

2:00pm - The Nutcracker (ticketed event) (FPAC Holiday Productions at Franklin High School)

2:00pm - New Dancer Showcase (ticketed event) (Dean College)

3:00pm - Orchard Sl"Hay" Rides (rescheduled -see description 4 details) (Fairmount Fruit Farm)

7:00pm - The Nutcracker (ticketed event) (FPAC Holiday Productions at Franklin High School)

7:30pm - New Thespian Showcase (ticketed event) (Dean College)

Sunday, December 4

7:00am - “Finding the Light” (free art scavenger hunt, find clues on Facebook @PaintingVenus)

1:00pm - Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

2:00pm - The Nutcracker (ticketed event) (FPAC Holiday Productions at Franklin High School)

Tuesday, December 6

6:30pm - Popcorn & Pride (LGBTQ Pride event at 99 Restaurant)

7:00pm - Christmas Trivia Night (St Mary’s Parish)

7:00pm - FHS Chorus and Orchestra Concert (Franklin High School) 

Wednesday, December 7 6:00pm - HMMS Concert (Horace Mann Middle School) 7:00pm - Franklin Art Association (Franklin Senior Center)

Thursday, December 8 7:00pm - An Evening with Mystery Writers: Sulari Gentill, Hank Phillippi Ryan, and Eva Jurczyk (virtual discussion) Franklin Public Library

7:00pm - Pour Richard's Wine and Chocolate Pairing (Pour Richard's Wine & Spirits)

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The Franklin Art Association Art Gallery remains open during business hours at Escape into Fiction (Main St, Franklin)

Find the full Community event calendar  https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

The Cultural calendar displays only the cultural events      https://www.franklinculture.org/things-do/pages/calendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar
The School district calendar is found  https://www.franklinps.net/calendar-by-event-type/26 

Community Calendar

Franklin Cultural District: The Nutcracker, holiday fairs, winter farmers market and more

Christmas classics like The Nutcracker and holiday fairs open this weekend along with the Farmers Market and Dean student showcases for acting and dancing. Yes, #artshappenhere in Franklin!

Wednesday, November 30

Escape Into Fiction

6:00pm - Poetry for the People (Escape Into Fiction)

6:30pm - Pointy Strip Star (quilt $kit & class) (Emma’s Quilt & Cupboard)

Thursday, December 1

4:00pm - Tree Lighting (Dean College)

4:00pm - Lego Masters Club (4 weeks $) (Creative Corner Art Studio)

5:30pm - Ken Barney (live music) (La Cantina Winery)

6:30pm - Franklin LGBTQ Alliance (monthly meeting) (Franklin TV Studio)

7:30pm - New Thespian Showcase (ticketed event) (Dean College)

Dean College

Friday, December 2

5:00pm - Cousins Maine Lobster (food Truck) (La Cantina Winery)

5:30pm - Joshua David (live music) (67 Degrees Brewing)

7:30pm - New Dancer Showcase (ticketed event) (Dean College)

Saturday, December 3

9:00am - Christmas Fair (St John’s Episcopal Church)

10:00am - Winter Farmers Market (Fairmount Fruit Market)

10:00am - AcuPUNKture's Local Artisan Holiday Market (AcuPUNKture)

10:00am - Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

11:00am - Bollywood Dancing (Franklin Public Library)

2:00pm - The Nutcracker (ticketed event) (FPAC Holiday Productions at Franklin High School)

2:00pm - New Dancer Showcase (ticketed event) (Dean College)

FPAC Holiday Productions

7:00pm - The Nutcracker (ticketed event) (FPAC Holiday Productions at Franklin High School)

7:30pm - New Thespian Showcase (ticketed event) (Dean College)

Sunday, December 4

7:00am - “Finding the Light” (free art scavenger hunt, find clues on Facebook @PaintingVenus)

1:00pm - Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

2:00pm - The Nutcracker (ticketed event) (FPAC Holiday Productions at Franklin High School)

Tuesday, December 6

6:30pm - Popcorn & Pride (LGBTQ Pride event at 99 Restaurant)

7:00pm - Christmas Trivia Night (St Mary’s Parish) 

-------------------

The Franklin Art Association Art Gallery remains open during business hours at Escape into Fiction (Main St, Franklin)

Visit the Cultural District page ->  https://www.franklinculture.org/

Find the full Community event calendar  https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar
The School district calendar is found  https://www.franklinps.net/calendar-by-event-type/26 

Franklin Cultural District: Arts are happening here!

FPAC announces guest artists for The Nutcracker performances Dec 3-4

Melissa Chapski

Melissa Chapski (Sugar Plum) was born in Medfield, Massachusetts. She trained at BalletFranklin under the instruction of Cheryl Madeux from the age of 11. She danced in FPAC Holiday Productions’ Nutcracker for 6 years, featured in roles from Marzipan to Party Girls and Cousins, Snow, Flowers, Arabian, and Clara. In 2015, she graduated from the Ellison Ballet Professional Training Program in New York City.
 
Melissa danced with the Dutch National Ballet for five years and now dances in Munich, Germany with the Bayerisches Staatsballett (Bavarian State Ballet). Most recently, Melissa performed ‘Embers’ in the Opening Gala at Beijing International Ballet Competition in China. 
 
She was also featured as ‘Emma’ in the movie High Strung: Free Dance and has done ad campaigns for Huawei Mobile, Nikon Europe, TCL Electronics, Discount Dance Supply, Capezio, Body Wrappers, and Russian Pointe. She is currently working towards an undergraduate degree in social sciences at Harvard University's Extension school. 

Sava Milojević

Sava Milojević (Cavalier) was born in Kragujevac, Serbia where he began his ballet training at age 11. He trained from age 14 in Belgrade at Ballet School Lujo Davičo for two years. He soon moved to John Cranko Ballet Academy in Stuttgart, Germany where he was taken into the main company as an apprentice after only two years. After one season with the Stuttgart Ballet, he joined the Bavarian State Ballet’s junior company where he spent two seasons. In 2018, he was promoted to the main company under direction of Igor Zelensky where he is employed presently. Sava has also been awarded numerous medals at Serbian national ballet competitions. In 2018, Sava debuted multiple roles in John Neumeier’s Der Nussknacker with the Bavarian State Ballet. 

 
Some of his most notable performances include tours to Japan and South Korea with the Stuttgart Ballet in productions of both Onegin and Romeo and Juliet. He also danced in Romeo and Juliet at the famous Salzburg Festspiel. Later on Sava toured to Hong Kong with the Bavarian State Ballet dancing in La Bayadere.

Purchase tickets online -> https://www.fpaconline.com/events.php?id=1598&month=12&year=2022

FPAC announces guest artists for The Nutcracker performances Dec 3-4