BELCHERTOWN — Patriotic pride promises to populate this weekend in Belchertown with the town’s United States 250th celebration, the return of a fireworks show and a stars-and-stripes-themed Belchertown Fair.
The festivities begin Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Chestnut Hill Recreation Area, 59 State St., with the Red, White & Belchertown event. The evening highlights Belchertown’s past, present and future by delving into the town’s history and creating a 25-year time capsule. The night ends with the town’s first firework show since 2013.
“We wanted people to be able to reflect on the country, but also the community and where they live and the people who inspire them here,” US 250 Task Force member Allegra Giovine said.
The fireworks will launch the town into the 167th Belchertown Fair, which brings back the agricultural festivities with a patriotic twist. From 4 p.m. on Friday to 5 p.m. on Sunday, the free fair takes over the Town Common, wrapping fan favorites like the hay bale toss, pulling competitions and Best in Show Exhibit Hall in red, white and blue.
“There’s so many things to do throughout the weekend,” Town Fair Committee Secretary Shawn Lindham said. “There really is something for everyone. Some come just for the exhibit hall. Some come just for the pulling ring. Some come just for the music. And, it’s all free.”
Both events are run by community members.
Marking 250th events
Long before the town fair, Belchertown’s Town Meeting voted to join the fight for independence from Britain on June 25, 1776.
It was nine days before the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The founding document will be read at Thursday’s celebration by town crier Bob Lewis, a member of the Belchertown Historical Commission. Copies of the document are provided through the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
Three of nearly 200 Belchertown Revolutionary War veterans will be honored at the event by the Pomeroy Chapter of the Massachusetts Society of Sons of the American Revolution. Living historian Amy Lanham will set up an 18th century apothecary to demonstrate the ways one Belchertown Revolutionary War veteran and physician Estes Howe would have treated wounds on the battlefield.
Many of these program events came from community enthusiasm. The Pomeroy Chapter and DAR attended committee meetings to offer their support and services. The Clapp Memorial Library created paper stars and flags for children to paste onto the US250 banner, and Pathfinder Regional Technical Vocational High School donated its culinary arts expertise to bake 250 cupcakes for youth under 18.
“A few things really just happened because people heard about us doing this and showed up at our task force meetings,” Giovine said.
For those too old for a cupcake, food trucks will sell a selection of refreshments. Those who have finished eating can listen to the Belchertown Community Band or play kickball, cornhole, Wiffle ball and soccer on the field.
Along with the banner, residents will have a chance to sign a Community Declaration scroll that will be buried in the town’s time capsule. Three winners of an essay contest and photos from the evening will join these artifacts in the ground later this year. This capsule will be exhumed in 25 years so that many residents will still be alive to see the reveal.
“We want to give people an opportunity to witness the unveiling of it,” Giovine said.
Unlike the once-in-a-lifetime 250th celebration, the annual fireworks show will return for the future years. The 20-minute show begins at 8 p.m. and continues the United States theme.
“It’s a good opportunity to make the weekend even more family-friendly with fireworks,” Recreation Department Director Kyle Thibeault said.
Belchertown 167th Fair
The patriotic festivities continue with the Belchertown Fair’s theme “Stars, Stripes and Fair Nights.” Red, white and blue will paint the exhibit hall displaying the Best in Show winners, more than 800 feet of booth space on the Town Common and the annual parade. Lindham said she hopes to see a majority of paradegoers in costume because “it’s a nice, easy theme.”
“It’s a statewide, nationwide theme this year, so I said we got to do something patriotic. It’s so easy to tie it into everything else that’s going on,” she said.
The Belchertown Fair offers activities for everyone from newborns to seniors. Babies can compete for the best eyes and smile at a baby contest. Children can take over the pulling ring for games on Friday’s Kids Night Out, and adult and kid divisions for the tractor pull and hay bale toss put athletic abilities to the test.
The fair always offers a selection of craft demonstrations at the Exhibit Hall, like a new apron contest. But this year, historical education organization Castle Nitor will demonstrate ancient crafts like Viking wire weaving on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.
Animals remain the main attraction at the fair. The horse and ox pull competitions on Saturday and Sunday mornings always draw a crowd. For the second year, ponies will also take on the pulling competition. Smaller animals like bunnies, poultry and the petting zoo will be on display throughout the weekend.
Unlike many other major fairs in western Massachusetts, the Belchertown Fair is free to enter. Rides and fair food provided by Fanelli Amusements are extra, but optional. Wristbands go on sale at 4 p.m. on Friday and digital tickets can be purchased online or at the kiosks.
The fair serves as Belchertown’s homecoming, Lindham said. People return for the fair each year, reconnecting with childhood friends and families.
“Sometimes you only see people once a year and that’s the fair,” she said.
