Parade, live music, activities as Founders Day returns after two years | Local News

In a bid to prove that absence truly does make the heart grow fonder, members of the Founders Day planning committee are hammering out the final details for the community-wide celebration on Saturday, June 11, after a hiatus from two years sparked by pandemic concerns over public gatherings.

Embracing the theme “Together Again”, the 2022 festivities will once again affirm the ties that unite Foxboro families and institutions in an annual tradition started in 1987 to mark the installation of a War Soldier Statue newly renovated civil atop Memorial Hall.

Now, as then, the community spirit will be on full display with a full day of fun and small-town pride, beginning with a parade of howling sirens blaring to re-channel two years of pent-up energy. in a single morning.

This year’s parade will leave at 10 a.m., starting at 132 Central St. and up Central Street to Common Rotary, down Mechanic Street to Railroad Avenue, up Bird Street to Rotary again , looping around the Common before taking a right down South Street and to the Booth Playground entrance at Union Street.

The floats will be judged as they pass a grandstand in front of the senior center in three different categories: the most beautiful, the most original and the best illustrations of the theme. The winning floats will be announced at 12:30 p.m. on stage after the start of activities at the Booth Playground.

At the end of the parade, a full range of playground activities begin at 11 a.m., including stalls manned by local non-profit and charity groups offering food and refreshments, games, raffles , crafts and more.

Unique offerings this year include help with ancestry research by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an antique tractor exhibit by the New England Antique Tractor & Truck Club, an exhibit on llama education by the Hannon Family Farm and a face-painting booth run by the Foxboro High School University Cheerleaders.

Additionally, fire trucks and other public safety devices will be available for youngsters to explore, while yearbooks from high school through the years will be displayed in the familiar “meeting tent.”

Also returning this year, from noon to 1 p.m., a live house fire demonstration will be performed by fire and rescue personnel.

A partial throwback to the towering bonfires that commemorated community celebrations at Booth Playground until the 1960s, the House Fire Demonstration serves as a cautionary tale of how quickly a structure can be completely engulfed in a fire, not to mention the critical need for smoke detector functionality and other fire safety practices.

Meanwhile, across the court, the traditional parade decorated with horse-drawn carriages and doll carriages returns to its roots on the Booth Playground tennis courts from noon to 1 p.m. Boys and girls aged 3 to 9 can participate, with in-person registration opening at 11:45 a.m. Three winners will be selected based on creativity, originality and best thinking on the Founders Day 2022 theme “Together Again”.

Although same-day registration is available, parents are encouraged to pre-register by emailing Krystn Gustafson at krystn.gustafson@gmail.com with their child’s name, age and phone number.

Also at the Booth Playground, music will be provided from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. by The Gobshites, the famous Irish/punk combo based in Foxboro. Live music will return later in the day, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., with the Counterfeit Cash trio, a Johnny Cash tribute band.

In keeping with tradition, Founders Day 2022 will end with a bang at 9 p.m., with a spectacular fireworks display visible from Booth Playground and Sam Berns Field at Foxboro High School.

If the weather threatens on the morning of June 11, organizers are expected to make a decision by 7 a.m. whether or not to cancel the parade. Full information on Founders Day 2022 can be found at www.foxboroughfoundersday.com