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Annual Family Day to feature free activities, fireworks

Attendees walk the grounds of Family Day last year. PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

The Friends of Hopkinton’s annual Family Day returns Sept. 13 on the high school athletic fields. The day will feature live entertainment, games and activities, food trucks and a fireworks display to cap off the evening. The fireworks are set to music and are done by the same company that manages Boston’s July 4 fireworks display.

“This is an awesome day,” said Dorothy Maruska, one of the organizers. ‘You can spend all afternoon here.”

Everything at Family Day except the food trucks is free for attendees.

Maruska said this year’s event will have over 30 tables of activities, along with musical acts, face painters, balloon artists, bouncy houses and more.

New additions this year include magician shows and jugglers. The Hopkinton Fire Department will have a hands-on training about how quickly things burn. Capping off the musical acts just before the fireworks is Carol Cheney’s band By Chance They Met.

“This is a pretty large event,” Maruska explained. “I think there’s about 3,000-3,500 people that show up. It’s a big deal.”

All of the planning and orchestration involved in Family Day is helmed by a small group of people from the Friends of Hopkinton. The Friends began the event after success organizing Hopkinton’s 300th anniversary back in 2015. While the group has been able to keep Family Day going, Maruska said more help is needed.

“We need 5-10 more people to be involved,” she said. “We need each person to take on some small part of Family Day to ensure it keeps happening.”

Maruska explained that much of the leadership involved is older, and bringing younger volunteers in to take over some of the work is needed.

She emphasized how much is happening at Family Day this year and recommended attendees give themselves plenty of time to see everything the event has to offer.

“[People] don’t realize how much time they need to do all the activities,” Maruska said. “There’s a lot going on.”

She also stressed the ways in which Family Day encourages community. “It is a great way for people to connect with their friends and neighbors,” she stated.

Family Day runs 2-9 p.m. on Sept. 13 at the high school athletic fields. The Friends of Hopkinton are accepting additional sponsors and volunteers. More information can be found on the Friends of Hopkinton Facebook page or its website as the event gets closer.

Latest News

The School Committee on Thursday discussed changes to the school handbook, which include updates on cell phone use and attendance policies, among others.

AT&T and Comm-tract both have completed utility work on Main Street, while Verizon is set to begin four-day work weeks after reaching an agreement with the town.

This week’s Baypath Adoptable Animal is 3-year-old Dottie, who is “goofy, affectionate and guaranteed to make you smile.”

Town meetings tonight include the Planning Board (7).

Photo of the Day

The Hopkinton High School football teams runs through drills during a Saturday morning practice.

PHOTO/JERRY SPAR