Members of the Westfield 350 marching in last year’s Memorial Day Parade. Look for them to march in this year’s parade. (Photo submitted)
WESTFIELD – With the 350th anniversary of the founding of Westfield on May 19, 1669 now less than one year away, “the planning is well underway,” said Harry Rock, chairman of the Board of Directors of Westfield 350, which became a 501(c)3 non-profit last June.
Rock said the city’s birthday will officially launch on New Year’s Eve 2019, at the first-ever First Night in Westfield. Planned as a free, family-friendly event, First Night will be held December 31, 2018 in the Amelia Park complex, beginning at 4 p.m. with a family parade followed by numerous other activities scheduled until 7 p.m. There will be ice sculptures, hot chocolate, bounce houses, and free ice skating at the Amelia Park Ice Arena. The Amelia Park Children’s Museum will have balloon entertainers, and the Boys & Girls Club will offer face painting, and a Battle of the Bands for older kids.
The actual celebration of the New Year will not be at midnight but come five hours early. Rock said that when Westfield was founded in 1669, they were still colonists to Great Britain. For the children’s celebration of New Year’s at First Night, the committee has connected with the parish of Westfield, England, and will celebrate New Year’s with them at 7 p.m., when there will be a “ball” raising (Rock said the details are secret), and fireworks will go off.
After that families will make their way home, leaving time for the adults to celebrate their New Year’s. “It will be a free, family-based event, with no drinking and no alcohol,” Rock said.
First night starts a whole set of activities leading up to the actual birthday weekend in May. There will be a lecture series of thirteen talks starting in November held at Westfield State University, the Westfield Athenaeum, and the First Congregational Church, with different speakers speaking about the history of Westfield. There will also be historical walks centered on Park Square Green.
The birthday weekend of May 17, 18, and 19, 2019 will begin on Friday night, May 17 with a 4 p.m. proclamation and signing ceremony with invited dignitaries and politicians, followed by a ticketed dinner at the Athenaeum, a thank you to donors and supporters.
Kathleen Palmer, a playwright for the Westfield Theatre Group is writing a play on the history of Westfield which will also premiere on Friday night.
Saturday, May 18 will begin with a pancake breakfast on the green at First Congregational Church outside their community room from 7 to 9 a.m., assisted by the two Westfield Boy Scout troops.
At 9 a.m. outside of Stop & Shop on the ramp entering the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail, the Friends of the Rail Trail will host a Bike Rodeo, along with safety and maintenance talks. The Westfield Police Department will also hand out free bike helmets.
Saturday afternoon, the Flat Fast Westfield 5k Road Race will be held, beginning at the Westfield State University South lot on Wednesday Avenue followed by a block party on Elm Street that afternoon.
Westfield 350 Chairman Harry Rock representing at the recent Run Westfield 5k. (Photo submitted)
Saturday night there will also be a party in the fields behind the Boys & Girls Club, which will feature period games for children (what they were playing in 1669), a hot dog roast and music. The opening band will be Corey and the Knightsmen, followed by a headliner, which will be announced at a future date.
Saturday night will be the largest fireworks show ever put on in Westfield, Rock said.
On Westfield’s actual 350th birthday, Sunday, May 19, 1998, there will be a massive Community Parade. “This is an opportunity for people to get really excited,” Rock said.
The parade will start at Stanley Park, marching down Western Avenue and Court Street to Park Square Green, led by honorary heroes of Westfield, including veterans, Olympic gold medalist Kacey Bellamy, and marathon legends Rick and Dick Hoyt of Team Hoyt. U.S. Representative Richard Neil has already accepted the invitation to march, and Rock is hopeful that Governor Charlie Baker will join the parade, alongside State Senator Donald F. Humason and Rep. John C. Velis, if they are all re-elected. Other early participants include three antique car clubs, the Sons of Erin and St. Mary’s High School.
Westfield 350 is inviting any organized group, including schools, businesses, churches, scouts and other community organizations to participate with floats and bands. Anyone interested in signing up may contact Westfield 350 Parade chairman, Paul Nunez through the Westfield 350 Facebook page, or the website at westfield350.org.
Speaking of bands, Westfield High School band director Patrick Kennedy will be inviting all band alumni to march, and is hoping to have a marching band of 350 musicians for the parade, Rock said.
At the end of the parade, Rock hopes to hand out cupcakes to all participants at the Park Square Pavilion. “What’s a birthday without cake,” he said, adding that cupcakes would avoid all the paper plates and plastic utensils needed for sheet cakes. Hood Ice Cream has already pledged 1,000 cups of ice cream.
“What we’re trying to do is really make this a community-based event, to show civic pride. I want people to be proud of this city,” Rock said. He’s also hoping that everyone in the city will participate in “Light up Westfield” that weekend, putting white candle lights in their windows. “It would be so much fun to have all the homes in Westfield lit up,” Rock said.
Between now and then, the Westfield 350 committee has a lot of work to do, and a lot of fundraising events planned to make all of this possible, so stay tuned. “No city money will be spent. It’s our way to say thank you to a city that had meant so much to us for 350 years,” Rock said.
Donations from the public can also be made securely through the Westfield350 web site and residents can keep abreast of all the happenings by following the Westfield350 Facebook page.
