"the town is officially in holiday mode"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Holiday cheer arrived Thursday night as hundreds showed up for the town’s 9th annual Holiday Stroll. 

Dozens of businesses in the downtown area set up for the event with snacks, hot chocolate, dance lessons, singing, Santa, and more. 

Milford radio station MyFM 101.3 blared holiday classics, while families went station to station under the downtown holiday light display.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171207/franklin-kicks-off-holiday-season

Dean College carolers warmed up the crowd with holiday songs before and after the tree lighting

Boomer lit the tree

the Pied Piper of Franklin, Jamie Barrett, entertains the crowd at Jane's Frames

hat's off to give thanks to the Downtown Partnership and all who coordinated to make the Holiday Stroll a success

Holiday Stroll - today - 4 PM to 7 PM

Catch the tree lighting at Dean College at 4:00
Mrs Claus is at the Historical Museum
Santa is at Simon's Furniture
Decorate gingerbread men at Dean Bank

Music will be out and about the downtown businesses!

Holiday Stroll - today - 4 PM to 7 PM

This was shared from the Downtown Partnership webpage
http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2017/11/our-2017-holiday-stroll-poster.html

"It’s a wonderful local night out.”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"This year’s Franklin Holiday Stroll is set to be the biggest yet, with dozens of businesses to visit and spread that holiday cheer that’s been pent up all year. 

The ninth annual Holiday Stroll starts on Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. with carolers and hot chocolate on the Dean College campus, before the tree lighting at 4:30, as the sun sets. 

Until 7 p.m., more than 30 participating businesses will have their doors open for tempting treats, special offers and holiday-themed entertainment. A complete list of each business’s activity or offering will be available at the tree lighting ceremony and at participating locations. 

“We’re hearty New Englanders so we’ll put on our hats and coats and stroll through town, visiting our downtown stores and shopping at the outdoor booths,” said Holiday Stroll co-chairman, Roberta Trahan."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20171117/franklin-holiday-stroll-set-for-dec-7

Franklin Holiday Stroll to be Thursday, Dec. 7

Friendly reminder to catch the new Franklin Almanac

Friendly reminder to catch the new Franklin Almanac on Franklin TV. I caught the broadcast at noon on Wednesday. I knew there was a segment about Franklin Matters but I had not known that the #shopFranklin Small Business Showcase was also featured. The Holiday Stroll and the plastic bag ban discussion also get covered in this format. Very well done!

Franklin TV journalist Polikseni Manxhari

"There’s a new program in town. In fact, it’s all about the town. At Franklin TV we’ve launched our very own news-magazine program, Franklin Almanac. Like an actual almanac of information, it’s a compendium– of life in Franklin, produced and hosted (and written and edited) by our TV journalist Polikseni Manxhari.


See Almanac this week on All-Access TV.  Almanac also has an introductory run weekdays at noon on our TownHall TV channel, Comcast11/Verizon29."


You can read the full article posted on Sunday
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/12/franklin-almanac-arrives-at-franklin-tv.html

Franklin's Festive Holiday Stroll

tree decorated at Dean College

Hundreds of families enjoyed the Franklin Downtown Partnership's annual Holiday Stroll Thursday evening. Thank you for supporting this great community event! The weather was seasonably chilly and many storefronts were decorated beautifully for the season. 

Many thanks to Roberta Trahan and Jennifer Hurst, the Holiday Stroll co-chairs, for organizing the stroll!

Our sponsors helped make the night festive and fun!

Gold Sponsors for this event were Dean College and Dean Bank.

Silver Sponsors were DCU, D.G. Ranieri Real Estate, Franklin Ford, Middlesex Savings Bank and Rescom Exteriors.

Bronze Sponsors were Beaux Regards Photographic Art by Marjorie Sardella, BMW Gallery of Norwood, Boston Solar, Flynn/Wirkus/Young Attorneys at Law, Franklin Central Pizza, Franklin Driving School, Franklin Girl Scouts, Simon’s Furniture, Tom Fricker Heating and A/C.

Thank you to the Franklin DPW and the Franklin Police Department for your help, too!  

We have many more photographs. Check them out in our Google Album or on the Downtown Partnership Facebook page! 


Note: this was shared from the Franklin Downtown Partnership page
http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2016/12/franklins-festive-holiday-stroll_2.html

Holiday Stroll - Updated Program

Note: there may still be some changes to this but as of Thursday morning, this is the plan

Dean College:

Tree Lighting with refreshments

Dean Bank:

OUTDOORS

Gingerbread Man activity

Music Street Realty

Relay for Life/sponsored by Dean Bank

Rockland Trust:

OUTDOORS

Shaws Market Wreaths

INDOORS

Franklin Girl Scouts

Franklin Distinguished Young Woman/sponsored by Rockland Trust

Corner near Teddy Gallaghers:

OUTDOORS

Envoy Mortgage

Depot Plaza:

INDOORS

Enchanted Memories (stand alone business front, downstairs)

UPSTAIRS at Depot Plaza

Franklin-Bellingham Rail Trail

Drama Kids

FUSF

Beaux Regards

Flynn Wirkus Young

Salley’s Alley

Mary Rubino Hypnosis

DOWNSTAIRS at Depot Plaza

Franklin Driving School

Blessed Sacrament School

Family Legal Practice

Edward Jones

LuLaroe Willow and Daisy

Emma’s Quilt:

INDOORS

North Pole Postman

Kennedy-Donovan Center

America’s Best Defense

Touchstone Crystal

Norfolk Music Together

Refreshments

Franklin Historical Museum:

INDOORS

Mrs. Claus

Refreshments

Franklin Fire Department:

Touch a Truck

THE BLACK BOX:

Performance snippets of upcoming Holiday Shows!

Jane’s Frames:

Jamie Barrett (4:30 - 5:30) (music)

WMRC outdoors

Simon’s Furniture:

Outdoors

Erik the Wood Carver

Feet in Motion (dance)

Franklin Ford

Honda/BMW

DCU

Boston Solar

Rescom

Central pizza-coupons

Indoors:

SANTA CLAUS!!!

FHS Performers (music)

Elizabeth Randall Designs

Roaming Main Street:

Saint Mary Choir

Central Pizza offering coupons to strollers!

Holiday Stroll, Dec 1 - 4:00 to 7:00 PM

Franklin Downtown Partnership Hosts Holiday Stroll December 1

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is hosting its annual holiday party on Thursday, December 1, from 4:15 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Franklin’s newly revitalized downtown.

Main Street will be closed to vehicle traffic for this year’s Holiday Stroll, allowing easy walking between all the festivities on Main, West Central, East Central and Summer streets. Families will find decorated store fronts, entertainment and refreshments, visits with Santa, Mrs. Claus and Post Mark the North Pole Postman, crafts and gingerbread cookie decorating, and gift shopping.

“This event is always so much fun and really gets you in the mood for the holidays,” says Roberta Trahan, event co-organizer. “The Holiday Stroll showcases our businesses beautifully, and the downtown looks festive with the storefronts decorated. This year we have special guests and a new Holiday Stroll Passport that offers shoppers something extra.”

Holiday Stroll December 1

The Holiday Stroll begins at 4:15 p.m. with costumed carolers and refreshments on Dean College’s Dean Hall Common. The tree will be lit at sundown. Visitors don’t need to wait for the tree to be lit to begin their stroll through downtown; vendor booths and shops will be open for business by 4:30 p.m.

The Franklin Food Elves “12 Days of Donating” campaign benefiting the Food Pantry kicks off that day, and red donation bin will be placed at the tree lighting. Bins will also be set up participating downtown businesses.

An all-new Holiday Stroll Passport will help visitors check items off their holiday gift shopping lists. The free passport can be picked up at participating businesses. Visitors will get their passport stamped at each location listed. When the passport is full of stamps it will be entered into a grand prize drawing, which is one $25 gift card from each business listed. Check the FDP website, www.franklindowntownpartnership.org, and Facebook event page for a list of passport business locations.

Several special guests will make appearances at this year’s Holiday Stroll. At Emma’s Quilt Cupboard on Main Street, Post Mark the North Pole Postman will mail letters to Santa and read from a Christmas book he’s written from 4:30 to 7 p.m.

Families can follow Candy Cane Lane down East Central Street to Simon’s Furniture where Santa Claus and his elves will hear wish lists from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Mrs. Claus will arrive at the Franklin Historical Museum at 5 p.m. to treat kids to stories and snacks.

Great entertainers will put everyone into a jolly mood. Jamie Barrett will sing and play guitar at Jane’s Frames. The Saint Mary’s choir will perform holiday favorites on Main Street, and WMRC 1490-AM will broadcast live with giveaways and contests.

At Simon’s Furniture, talented Franklin High School musicians will perform inside while Feet In Motion Dance School students will put on holiday-themed dances and Eric the Wood Carver will create his artwork using a chainsaw and logs outside in the parking lot.

On West Central Street, performers at THE BLACK BOX will perform scenes from three FPAC December shows, including The Nutcracker, Humbug, and a holiday panto entitled A Glass Slipper Christmas.

Check the FDP website, www.franklindowntownpartnership.org, or Facebook event page for entertainment times and location updates.

Kids will enjoy the Touch-A-Truck event at the Franklin Fire Station, and the Historical Museum will have delicious treats when kids come to see Mrs. Claus.

Downtown businesses will open their doors and tempt visitors with refreshments and shopping deals on holiday gifts, services and gift cards. Sponsors and merchants will have booths inside the Depot Plaza building next to Acapulco’s on Main Street, and also at Dean Bank and Simon’s Furniture.

“We’re turning downtown Franklin into ‘Holiday Central’ during our Stroll. Everyone can visit Santa, Mrs. Claus and the Postman, sing Christmas carols, shop for gifts, and meet friends for dinner, all right here in the center of town,” says Jennifer Hurst, event co-chair.

The Holiday Stroll is made possible by the generous sponsorship of local businesses. Dean Bank and Dean College are Gold sponsors of this event. Silver sponsors are DCU, D.G. Ranieri Real Estate, Franklin Ford, Middlesex Savings Bank and Rescom Exteriors.

Bronze sponsors are Beaux Regards Photographic Art by Marjorie Sardella, BMW Gallery of Norwood, Boston Solar, Flynn/Wirkus/Young Attorneys at Law, Franklin Central Pizza, Franklin Driving School, Franklin Girl Scouts, Simon’s Furniture and Tom Fricker Heating & A/C.

For more information about the Holiday Stroll contact event organizers Roberta Trahan, trahanroberta@gmail.com, and Jennifer Hurst, jhurst@deanbank.com.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is celebrating its 15th year as a 501©3 organization made up of business owners, community leaders and residents working to revitalize downtown Franklin. For more information about the FDP, please visit www.franklindowntownpartnership.org, or contact Executive Director Lisa Piana at downtown.franklin@yahoo.com.

In the News: Holiday Stroll set for Thursday; Food Elves kick off new drive

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"With Thanksgiving over, the Franklin Downtown Partnership is preparing to kick off the holiday season with its much-anticipated Holiday Stroll next week. 

The event, set for Thursday, Dec. 1, 4:15-7 p.m., will include a tree lighting, carols and other holiday festivities. 

The first celebration of the season will take place in the town's newly upgraded downtown business district, with Main Street closed to traffic for the duration to give revelers a chance for a leisurely stroll among the attractions on Main, West Central, East Central and Summer streets."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161127/franklin-downtown-partnership-planning-holiday-stroll/1

new seasonal banners up on the street lights in downtown Franklin

"After their "12 Days of Donating" drive last year garnered more than four tons of food, the Franklin "Food Elves" are gearing up for another run this December. 

Though the group hopes to once again near or beat that total, it's monetary donations that will be the focus of this year's effort. 

The drive, now in its 11th year, is run by local students - the "Food Elves" - to benefit the Franklin Food Pantry."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161127/franklin-12-days-of-donating-drive-to-start-dec-1

Harvest Stroll - photo essay

early in the morning, before most were up and about, the streets were cleaned

early in the evening, right around supper time, Main St closed

Town Council Chair Matt Kelly served as master of ceremonies

Congressman Joe Kennedy represented the Federal side of the collaboration to pull the improvement plan together

Representative Jeff Roy

Senators Karen Spilka and Richard Ross

and what we were waiting for, the ribbon did get cut!

Main St was full of folks all evening

not the best spot for a string instrument performance but the FHS students did well for an appreciative crowd

even as the sun was setting, Main St was full

"It will morph into the annual Harvest Stroll"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The town has set aside a day to celebrate the completion of a downtown roadwork project that rebuilt roads, changed the traffic pattern and altered the look of the area. 

Deputy Town Administrator Jamie Hellen said the event - a ribbon-cutting ceremony - is set to take place on Oct. 6 at 4 p.m. The town will set up a stage on Main Street and invite the public. 

Hellen said letters and invitations will be sent out to elected officials and stakeholders involved in the project."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160925/downtown-franklin-ribbon-cutting-slated-for-oct-6

mew banners are being placed on the light poles as part of the improvement project

Franklin Downtown Partnership Holiday Stroll: Thank You and Photos to Share

Franklin Downtown Partnership  9 E. Central Street, Franklin, MA  02038 (774) 571-3109   downtown.franklin@yahoo.com A Frosty and Fun Time at the Holiday Stroll Thursday's Holiday Stroll was seasonably chilly and bright as Franklin kicked off this festive time of year with a tree lighting ceremony on Dean College's campus common. Strollers were treated to entertainment by Franklin musicians, crafts, shopping options from local businesses, sweets and warm beverages, and appearances by Santa, Mrs. Claus, Post Mark the North Pole Postman, Snow White and the Seven Elves, and Boomer. Thanks to the crowds who came out to enjoy the evening. Thank you DPW and Franklin Police Department for their hard work. Thank you, too, to Dean College for organizing hot chocolate, the carolers and the tree lighting! Thank you to our sponsors for helping make this event a success. And, last but not least, thank you to event organizers Roberta Trahan and Gregg Chalk.  Gold Sponsors DCU, Dean Bank and Dean College Silver Sponsors Franklin Ford, Keefe Insurance and Franklin Local Town Pages Bronze Sponsors Beaux Regards Photographic Arts by Marjorie Sardella, Franklin Health & Rehabilitation Center, Jane's Frames, NEWPRO and Next Step Living. Check out more photos in the slideshow at the top right side of the website and on our Facebook page! Franklin Downtown Partnership | downtown.franklin@yahoo.com | 774-571-3109 | franklindowntownpartnership.org Connect with us:

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