The Parks & Recreation Commission on Tuesday night authorized a reservation request by Hopkinton PolyArts to use the Town Common for this year’s PolyArts Festival.

“This is our 50th year, so you guys sort of get how it goes,” said Jean Bertschmann, who represented PolyArts at the meeting. 

According to the reservation request, the 2025 PolyArts Festival is scheduled for Sept. 6. [Editor’s note: This date has been corrected.] Organizers anticipate up to 2,500 attendees.

“The crowd last year felt like the pre-pandemic crowd,” explained Bertschmann. “We’re really hoping for a great turnout this year.”

She went on to detail slight changes in the layout of the festival, noting that, like last year, the food vendors would be moved to Marathon Way to create a food court. Bertschmann added that portable restrooms may be moved into that area as well.

Commission chair Dan Terry inquired about the festival’s revenue. “For something of this size … what [do] the financials look like, since we’re waiving fees?” he asked.

“We have an obligation to not have people profit too much off of somewhere that’s common usage,” he clarified.

Bertschmann said she did not have PolyArts’ financials on hand, but generally the festival raises between $5,000-$6,000 in booth fees. A portion of the revenue is doled out in scholarships to high school seniors but “the rest is a wash with expenses” such as police details and insurance.

After further discussion and an agreement to have the PolyArts treasurer send a more detailed financial statement to the commission, members voted to approve the reservation request. PolyArts now must go before the Select Board and the Board of Health for further approvals.

Other reservation requests for the Town Common approved by the commission Tuesday night included the Hopkinton Garden Club plant sale on May 10 and the Friends of Hopkinton Family Fling on March 29.

Commission maintains turf field snow plowing policy

The Parks & Rec Commission agreed to maintain its policy for snow plowing the town’s synthetic turf fields after a brief debate.

Parks & Rec Director Jon Lewitus prefaced the discussion by noting that two soccer clubs would be using the Fruit Street fields for tournaments this March. In previous years, the department has asked the clubs to share the cost of any plowing.

“Do we want to adopt the same policy where it’s shared cost?” Lewitus asked.

Parks & Rec’s plowing vendor, Sports Turf Specialities, Inc., charges a minimum of four hours with two machines for 1-6 inches of snow. To get both turf fields plowed would cost the department $2,000 for up to 6 inches, and $3,000 for above 6 inches. 

Those costs would be split between the town and the registrants, according to this policy.

Commission members clarified with Lewitus that Hopkinton clubs and groups would not be charged for any plowing. Member Kyle Smith expressed worry over losing potential revenue because of the added cost, stating that other towns may come up with more competitive packages that don’t tack on these costs.

Terry claimed groups who come to use the turf fields “like the consistency of knowing” there are plans like the plowing policy in place.

“We’ve had this kind of revenue for 10 years,” he added. “I don’t know that there’s a need to modify [the policy].”

Lewitus confirmed the policy would require a deposit from the soccer clubs that would be credited back to their registration costs if not used. Commission members agreed to maintain the policy as stated and directed Lewitus to follow up with the registrants.