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FM #1762 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1762 in the series.
The Economic Development Subcommittee met on Thursday, June 4, 2026 as scheduled. Committee Vice-Chair Morrongiello, Griffith & Malloy were present for this session, Chair LeBlanc was away.
Quick recap:
Cory Shea to talk about the events,
Restaurant Week underway, good social interactions, PorchFest on Saturday June 6, about 50 performers and 30+porches; after the music you can also visit a restaurant as the week ends on Saturday.
Tricky trying to put the pieces together from a regional aspect for an international event, lots of connections made, lessons learned
Main St will be closed between St Mary's and the Franklin Federated Church. The jumbotron will be at Hayward Manor; Live performances scheduled; Info on schedule details, parking etc will be posted on June 22
After the watch parties, Pride on June 27, then into the 4th of July Celebration… Farmers Market and Concerts on the Common during the summer, then Harvest Festival in Sept and wreath of Franklin date TBD Nov, Dec
MetroWest guide for the watch parties coming out , Town has an ad placed in it as it will be spreading quite a bit.
Discussion on goals vs work plan, should it be 2 or one.
Why is there a distinction?
Solid waste master plan required for the town dump, consent order from DEP so it is already being worked
The meeting runs about 71 minutes.
Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1762-economic-development-subcmte-mtg-06-04-26/—-----------
The agenda here -
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042026-2343
My full set of notes taken during the meeting -
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WMctKdP3zMR8fJSIsIDFplpBCbQdfBhd/view?usp=drive_link
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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.
This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.
How can you help?
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For additional information, please visit www.franklin.news/ or www.Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com
The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.
I hope you enjoy!
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The MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau is a non-profit organization focused on promoting travel and tourism throughout the 19 towns of the MetroWest region: Ashland, Bellingham, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Medway, Milford, Millis, Natick, Northborough, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, and Westborough. For more information, please visit the MBVB website at www.metrowestvisitors.org.
PDF version - https://drive.google.com/file/d/11YbZ2ILB7Ufc-SrMO31uxvr8w66sp0QI/view?usp=drive_link
• Thursday, June 11th: 1pm - 6pm, showing Mexico vs. South Africa at 3pm, New England Revolution Meet & Greet throughout the day• Friday, June 12th: 5pm - 11pm, showing USA vs. Paraguay at 9pm• Saturday, June 13th: 5pm - 11pm, showing Brazil vs. Morocco at 6pm and Haiti vs. Scotland at 9pm
• Sartorius Soccer Fever• Southwick’s Zoo Basketball Shootout• Shaw’s “Take Your Shot” Photobooth• Quest Diagnostics Soccer Kick Wall• Alltown Fresh Axe Throwing• MWRTA Soccer Darts
• Wednesday, June 24th: 2pm – 9pm event time, showing Switzerland vs Canada at 3pm and Scotland vs Brazil at 6pm• Thursday, June 25th: 3pm – 9pm event time, showing Ecuador vs. Germany at 4pm and Tunisia vs Netherlands at 7pm, New England Revolution Meet & Greet throughout the day
• Southwick’s Zoo Giant Tic-Tac-Toe• Franklin Youth Soccer Soccer Darts• Franklin Youth Soccer Soccer Shootout• New England Revolution Accuracy Kick• “Take Your Shot” Photobooth• Lawn games and additional family activities
The MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau is a non-profit organization focused on promoting travel and tourism throughout the 19 towns of the MetroWest region: Ashland, Bellingham, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Medway, Milford, Millis, Natick, Northborough, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, and Westborough. For more information, please visit the MBVB website at www.metrowestvisitors.org.
The MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau, in partnership with the City of Marlborough and the Town of Franklin, today announced plans for a coordinated MetroWest Regional Fan Zone initiative at two locations to celebrate the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ and bring a major tournament viewing event to the region.
Each Fan Zone will feature live match broadcasts on a jumbotron, surrounded by an outdoor festival with a beer garden, food trucks, arts & crafts and other vendors, and family-friendly activities. Organizers expect the events to draw thousands of attendees daily across the two locations. Together, the sites will serve as a regional gathering place for spectators, offering one of the state’s most significant organized opportunities to experience the excitement of the FIFA World Cup™ close to home.
Located just minutes from matches being played in Foxborough, the Fan Zones will provide an accessible and welcoming option for those looking to take part in the tournament atmosphere, whether attending a match at the stadium or not.
Marlborough’s Fan Zone will take place June 11–13 at Kelleher Field, with livestreams of:
• Mexico vs. South Africa (June 11)
• USA vs. Paraguay (June 12)
• Brazil vs. Morocco and Haiti vs. Scotland (June 13)
“Marlborough is proud to host a Fan Zone that reflects the diversity and international spirit of our community,” said Mayor J. Christian Dumais of Marlborough. “The World Cup brings together fans from all backgrounds, and our match lineup and festival atmosphere are designed to celebrate that energy—creating a space where people can share their passion for the game and experience the excitement in a way that feels both global and local.”
Meredith Harris, Executive Director for the Marlborough Economic Development Corporation that is partnering on the event shared, "We are excited to welcome local, regional and even international visitors to our community to support our small and local businesses while enjoying the festivities surrounding the World Cup. When presented with the opportunity to host a fan zone, we wanted to be at the forefront of encouraging increased foot traffic for our retailers, restaurants and hotels while also providing a safe and fun way for people to gather and watch the game with their family, friends & neighbors."
Franklin will host the second Fan Zone on June 24–25 at the Franklin Town Common and adjacent Hayward Manor, featuring:
• Switzerland vs Canada and Scotland vs. Brazil (June 24)
• Ecuador vs. Germany and Tunisia vs. Netherlands (June 25)
“As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, Franklin is proud to ‘Welcome the World’ to our Town Common, which has long been a place where our community comes together,” said Cory Shea, Director of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy for the Town of Franklin. “This Fan Zone blends the excitement of a global event with the warmth and tradition of a New England town, offering a family-friendly gathering place where residents and visitors alike can share in a truly special experience.”
Match selections across both locations were curated to reflect the diverse and passionate soccer communities throughout MetroWest and the Greater Boston area, highlighting teams with strong local followings and broad international appeal.
Additional details, including other watch parties and soccer-related programming throughout the region, will be available in the official Fan Zone Guide, to be released in the coming weeks at www.metrowestvisitors.org/world-cup. The guide will be available in English, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.
Local retailers, arts and crafts vendors, and nonprofit organizations are invited to participate. Vendor applications are available at www.metrowestvisitors.org/fan-vendors. Businesses may also host interactive activity or brand activation booths; more information is available at www.metrowestvisitors.org/fan-activations. MetroWest businesses holding smaller watch parties and soccer-related events are encouraged to email their event details to info@metrowestvisitors.org for free inclusion in the Fan Zone Guide.
The MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau is a non-profit organization focused on promoting travel and tourism throughout the 19 towns of the MetroWest region: Ashland, Bellingham, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Medway, Milford, Millis, Natick, Northborough, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, and Westborough. For more information, please visit the MBVB website at www.metrowestvisitors.org.
