Price increase from $15 to $20.
Wednesday, July 1, 2026
“I Make a Good Living...” Tom Hanks 2023 Commencement Address to Harvard
"Tom Hanks had Harvard graduates laughing out loud during his 2023 commencement address with a brutally funny self-roast. The Oscar-winning actor joked that he had never attended Harvard, never taken a class, and never even stepped inside the library, yet makes a great living playing people who did.
Reflecting on his own unconventional educational journey through community college, California State University, and the “School of Hard Knocks,” Hanks delivered a heartfelt and humorous message about life, learning, and success. His candid remarks struck a chord with graduates and quickly became one of the ceremony’s most memorable moments."
Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVga4CX6kXA
Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm Schedule for Wednesday, July 1, 2026
Yes, Franklin has it's own radio station -> wfpr.fm. Franklin Public Radio introduced a brand new schedule early in 2025 for the locally produced shows that fill our air waves.
It is available anywhere, anytime at wfpr.fm or in the local Franklin, MA area at 102.9 on the FM dial.
Tune in to listen to the following:
8:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock
Franklin and its local government, services and events (repeats Saturday at 2 PM)
9:00 AM, 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM The Wonderful World of Wine – Mark Lenzi, Kim Simone All about wine, its culture, lore and finer points. (repeats Saturday at 1 PM)
Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf
Franklin TV schedule for Wednesday, July 1, 2026 (Your local Public, Education & Government "PEG" station)
- Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = WEDNESDAY
- Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = WEDNESDAY
- Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) = WEDNESDAY
Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Prospect St Culvert Repair ~ Road Closed effective June 30, 2026
June 29, 2026 Prospect St Culvert Repair ~ Road Closed
Detours will be in place. Please avoid the area if possible.
Thank you for your patience!
View it on website |
What's happening in Franklin, MA: Tuesday, June 30, 2026 ???
Tuesday, June 30
9:30—10:15 AM Cool Cruisers! (Franklin Public Library)
10:30—11:00 AM Pre-K Pals! (Franklin Public Library)
12:00pm Community Closet (Franklin United Methodist Church)
4:00—5:00 PM Summer Growth (Franklin Public Library)
4:00—4:30 PM Wiggle Worms! (Franklin Public Library)
5:00pm Tuesday Night Cruise (Kings Brick Oven Pizza & Pub)
6:30—7:30 PM English Conversation Group (Franklin Public Library)
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| For additional details on Senior Center events -> |
*** 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
Franklin 4th of July Coalition: Music Schedule
Wednesday, July 1
6:00 - Ricky Brennan Jr.
As one of the founding members of Wheat, Ricky recorded three internationally released albums, toured the US & Europe numerous times, and performed on national TV shows such as NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Last Call with Carson Daly.
8:00 - GQ & The Lady
GQ and the Lady is an experienced, musically diverse dance band, featuring one of the areas most versatile and dynamic lead female vocalists
Thursday, July 2
6:00 - Garden of Hedon
Garden of Hedon is a 70s-influenced psychedelic blues-rock band. Known for high-energy live sets, the band blends classic rock swagger with punk attitude.
7:15 - Ozzie Tribute Band
Local musicians pay tribute to the Prince of Darkness.
8:30 - The Zajac Brothers
The Zajac Brothers Band features songwriter Tyler Zajac along with his brother Matthew Zajac on drums. They've assembled a versatile group of musicians to achieve.
Friday, July 3
12:00 - Two Guys Who Like Sharks
Acoustic rock with driving bass lines for music from the 80s through today
1:30 - Midnight Ride
Midnight Ride delivers high-energy music from rock’s golden age, spanning the ’60s to the ’90s. With a setlist full of classic American rock, British Invasion hits, and smooth yacht rock
3:00 - George Cross Project
With the fierce guitar work of George Cross, and untamed vocals of Andrew Coyle, The George Cross Project has been electrifying audiences with their unique blend of “East Coast Blues”.
4:30 - Attleboro School of Rock
School of Rock is the leader in performance-based music education, ..... taking students from the lesson room to the stage.
6:30 - Full Circle
Full Circle is a five piece Rock & Roll and dance band with a variety of classics and newer covers.
8:00 - Jeff Pitchell
Jeff Pitchell is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and recording artist. He leads the band Jeff Pitchell and Texas Flood performing original and classic rock selections
Saturday, July 4
12:00 - Mike Crandall Franklin Blues Festival
Local, National and International Blues Artist perform and pay tribute to Mike Crandall and his music.
12:00 - ED PEABODY & THE BIG BLUE THANG
1:15 - CLIFF TAYLOR & THE UNDERTAKERS
2:30 - NEAL & THE VIPERS
3:45 - MIKE CRANDALL TRIBUTE BAND
5:00 - SUGAR RAY & THE BLUETONES
6:15 - CARL RICCI & 706 UNION AVE
7:30 - THE DARRELL NULISCH BAND
8:45 - RICHIMAN & GROOVE NICE
Sunday, July 5
12:00 - Jamie Barrett
Jamie Barrett is a beloved Franklin singer-songwriter, guitarist and music teacher.
1:15 - Padula Family Band
Franklin's own Padula Family performs timeless jazz standards and the sounds of blues. Featuring Ryan, Matthew and Aiden Padula along with Ian Richardson.
2:30 - Dave Fields Band with Special Guest Diane Blue
Dave Fields live is an electrifying experience. His soulful singing is punctuated with a performance of guitar virtuosity, blues, rock and beyond. He is joined by special guest Diane Blue
4:00 - Beantown Swing Orchestra
Beantown Swing Orchestra specializes in big band swing. It produces the distinct big band sound recognized by generations worldwide
You can also find the full schedule - https://www.franklin4th.com/music
250 to 250: Establishment of Washington D.C., Narrated by Lisa Ann Walter (video)
Another in the series of 250 to 250 - https://www.youtube.com/@twofiftytotwofifty
Direct Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA8TimpCDhQ
Playlist of 250 to 250 - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO4pJ0qT4zuG2Cp_J3JEVpiP0sAW1uoBW
Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm Schedule for Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Yes, Franklin has its own radio station -> wfpr.fm. Franklin Public Radio has a brand new schedule for the locally produced shows that fill our air waves.
It is available anywhere, anytime at wfpr.fm or in the local Franklin, MA area at 102.9 on the FM dial.
Tune in to listen to the following:
 |
| wfpr.fm Schedule for Tuesday, Franklin Public Radio |
Franklin TV schedule for Tuesday, June 30, 2026 (Your local Public, Education & Government "PEG" station)
- Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = TUESDAY
- Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = TUESDAY
- Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) = TUESDAY
Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf
Monday, June 29, 2026
4th of July Coalition could use your help funding the festivities
 |
| Please support the event DONATE or https://franklin-july-4th-coalition-2.snwbll.com/2024-july-4th |
Which means you can help!
Join the sponsors listed!
Consider supporting the sponsors with your business !!
GOOD DEEDS: “We Remember America’s 250th Anniversary”
By William P. O’Donnell, Norfolk County Register of Deeds
As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, it is an opportunity to reflect on the individuals and communities whose actions helped shape the nation at its beginning. The story of American independence is not only one of well-known historical figures, but also of local citizens whose contributions, both large and small, helped define the course of history and establish the foundation of our country.
On Wednesday, June 17, 2026, the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds held an Open House to commemorate this historic milestone and celebrate the release of “We Remember America’s 250th Anniversary,” the fifth volume in the Registry’s Notable Land Records series. The event, held in the Registry’s Great Hall in Dedham Center, brought together members of the community to reflect on our shared history and the important role Norfolk County played in our nation’s founding.
Guests at the Open House received complimentary copies of the publication and had the opportunity to explore the Registry while viewing displays highlighting the people, places, and events featured in the booklet. The evening served as both a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary and a reminder of the immense struggle it took to found our nation. If you did not have the opportunity to attend the open house and would like a copy of the booklet, please contact us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org or call us at (781) 234-3305.
The creation of the “We Remember America’s 250th Anniversary” booklet was made possible by the Registry’s History Comes Alive Transcription Project, which has transcribed over 450,000 handwritten land records dating back to 1793. These records have been transformed into clear, readable text while preserving their original script, allowing the public to better understand the rich history contained within Norfolk County land documents. This remarkable resource is available both at the Registry and online at www.norfolkdeeds.org, making local history more accessible than ever before.
This latest edition of Notable Land Records highlights individuals and stories from all 28 communities in Norfolk County that connect to the American Revolution and the founding of the nation. It tells the stories of citizen-soldiers who marched to Lexington and Concord, community leaders who helped shape early government, and residents whose actions contributed to the cause of independence. These narratives bring to life the human element behind the historical events that defined the birth of our country.
The booklet also includes a number of compelling and lesser-known stories that help shed light on this important period in history. From young patriots who left their farms to fight in the opening battles of the Revolution, to local leaders who helped organize resistance and governance, to individuals whose lives intersected with some of the most significant moments in American history, these accounts provide a deeper connection to the past. They remind us that the American Revolution was not only fought on distant battlefields, but also shaped in towns and communities like those here in Norfolk County.
The 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States is a significant milestone for reflection and remembrance. It is an opportunity to recognize the contributions of those who came before us and to appreciate the enduring strength of our democratic system. By preserving and sharing these stories, we honor the individuals whose lives and actions helped shape our nation and ensure their contributions remain meaningful and relevant for future generations.
As we reflect on our country’s founding, it is important to remember that history is not just about distant past events, but about people, their lives, their struggles, and their achievements. The patriots highlighted in this publication remind us that the freedoms we enjoy today were secured through dedication and sacrifice. Their stories, preserved in the land records of Norfolk County, continue to connect us to our past and inspire us for the future.
SAFE Coalition schedules teen drop in hours on Wednesdays beginning July 1
SAFE Coalition's Adolescent Wellness Center is a welcoming, low-key space to hang out, meet new people, express yourself, and grow, and our summer drop-in hours are a great chance to check it out for yourself.
FREE • Teens 13–18 • Wednesdays • noon–3 p.m. (drop in anytime) • Starts July 1 • Franklin, MA
Summer can be difficult for many young people who lose the structure and community provided by school. These drop-in sessions provide a safe, healthy space for teens to just BE this summer.
The Guardian: ‘Some are prayers, some are protests’: 76 musicians reimagine America the Beautiful
"Despite what you may have heard, there is no definitive version of the song America the Beautiful.
Katharine Lee Bates wrote its lyrics as a poem in 1893, inspired by an ecstatic road trip from the Massachusetts house she shared with her longtime companion Katharine Coman to a teaching gig in Colorado. Over the next few decades, dozens of musicians set it to music, including a tune by New Jersey’s Samuel A Ward. The uniting of the text to a hymn Ward had previously composed in 1882 became, in time, a standard. In 1972, Ray Charles recorded the more or less definitive performance of it. But everyone from Pete Seeger to Tammy Faye Messner have tried their hand at Bates’s ode to equality between peoples and equanimity with nature. At Joe Biden’s inauguration, Jennifer Lopez belted it into a medley, while Carrie Underwood struggled through it at Donald Trump’s second one.
The Korean-born, New Jersey-based pianist Min Kwon has spent her career thinking of ways to build communities through interpretation. As professor of piano at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, she curated concerts featuring university pianists at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall – like a 2015 performance of 50 variations on a waltz the Viennese music publisher Anton Diabelli commissioned in the 1820s from composers including Franz Schubert and Franz Liszt. After that challenge, she says: “I wanted to create a kind of new American Diabelli.” She just needed to find the right theme."
Continue reading the article with this shared link - https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/jun/23/america-the-beautiful-song-min-kwon?CMP=share_btn_url
YouTube link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6nRyFScCuc
Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm Schedule for Monday, June 29, 2026
Yes, Franklin has its own radio station -> wfpr.fm. Franklin Public Radio has a brand new schedule for the locally produced shows that fill our air waves. 
It is available anywhere, anytime at wfpr.fm or in the local Franklin, MA area at 102.9 on the FM dial.
Tune in to listen to the following:
Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf
Franklin TV schedule for Monday, June 29, 2026 (Your local Public, Education & Government "PEG" station)
Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = MONDAY
Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = MONDAY
Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) = MONDAY
Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf
Sunday, June 28, 2026
What's happening in Franklin, MA: Sunday, June 28, 2026 ???
Sunday, June 28
1:00pm Sunday Funday (Fairmount Fruit Farm)
1:00pm Franklin Historical Museum (always free)
1:00pm Revolutionaries in White: A Look Across Three Centuries of Bridal Fashion (Franklin Historical Museum)
*** 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
Historic Happenings at the Franklin Historical Museum for July 2026
Revolutionaries in White: A Look Across Three Centuries of Bridal Fashion (Continuing from June)
Sunday, July 12 -- Our `Second Sunday Speaker' topic is `Looking Back at Franklin's 1976 Federal Bicentennial,' delivered by Jim Johnston.
Jim Johnston, a retired Franklin history teacher and author, was also deeply involved with getting the town's 1976 Federal Bicentennial celebration off the ground and making sure it was successful. The museum will show some of its historic images of the event and Jim, always an entertaining speaker, will share stories, kudos, and maybe a few brickbats regarding the town's celebration of half-a-century ago. The museum is open from 1-4 on Sunday and the program starts at about 1:15. There is no charge but donations are encouraged and appreciated.
The Franklin Historical Museum is located at 80 West Central Street, Franklin. The museum is open Saturday mornings from 10AM-1PM (except as noted above), Sunday afternoons from 1:00PM-4:00PM,. Questions? Contact Alan Earls at 508 560 3786. Visit us online at https://www.franklinmuseum1778.org
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