Committee Introduction and Schedule

In August of 2009, the Board of Selectmen appointed a committee to coordinate the festivities in celebration of the Town of Belchertown's 250th Anniversary. The Town of Belchertown (Belchers Town) was incorporated on June 30, 1761, and so the year 2011 will be the 250th Anniversary.

250th Anniversary Committee

Bill Barnett, Chair

(323-0281; bbarnett@belchertown.org)

Mary-Alice Austin

( )

Cindy Brown

(323-6654; btrike@aol.com)

Kevin Brown

(323-6654; btrike@aol.com)

Andrea Filipkowski

(413-237-0523; andrea.filipkowski@yahoo.com)

Gloria Fortunato

(323-0966; grfort@yahoo.com)
Bruce Klockars
(253-9723; Klockars@charter.net)

Peg Louraine

(253-3124; plouraine3124@charter.net)

Cliff McCarthy

(323-4489; camcca@charter.net)

Shirley Salvatore

(323-9509)

Les Squires

(323-4473; lesquires3@verizon.net)

Linda Sterling

(323-9312; fatquartergal@charter.net)

Tom Stockton

(ttstockton@earthlink.net )

The 250th Anniversary Committee has chosen a series of events to celebrate this important moment in the town's history:

Celebrate Belchertown - Friday, December 31, 2010

Belchertown's Formal Ball - Saturday, April 2, 2011

Anniversary Day Picnic - Saturday, July 2, 2011

Please see blog on each individual event for further details!

The Committee welcomes any and all participation and support from the community. We're doing this for you, Belchertown. We can't do it without you!

Celebrate Belchertown - December 31, 2010

Thank you for making our kick-off event a huge success!!!

Celebrate Belchertown - on New Year's Eve!

Join us for the grand kick-off to the 250th Anniversary Year

Friday, December 31, 2010

5:00 p.m. - Midnight

A full evening of events and festivities around the Belchertown Common - something for all ages!

Town Hall
First Floor Auditorium and Front Entrance

Information desk and 250th commemorative souvenirs for sale
Cup Cake Fundraiser by Cold Spring Custom Cakes--to benefit Jessica's Boundless Playground
Les Campbell and Friends Photography Exhibit -
"Camera's Eye on Belchertown"
BCTV - Taping Anniversary Messages

Masonic Hall
(Basement Banquet Room)
Footloose School of Dance Performance
Irish Step Dancing (Sponsored by McCarthy's Pub)
Singer/songwriter Kyle Vincent performs
Swift Kicks band (Sponsored by Bell & Hudson Insurance Agency, Inc.)

Hope United Methodist Church
Soup to Go

Old Town Hall
Family Bingo (Sponsored by Cold Spring/Swift River PTO)
Party Hat Making (sponsored by Dwight Chapel)

Magic Show - The Great Lendini
Anshin Martial Arts Demonstration and Hypnosis
Snacks for Sale

United Church of Christ - Congregational
Karaoke

St. Francis Church
Abbott and Costello Movies
Food for Sale
Arts and Crafts
Face Painting
Games

Stone House Museum
House tours
Victorian Parlor Games

Outside on the Common
Ice Skating (weather permitting)
Horse-drawn sleigh or wagon rides along Park Street
Celebration at midnight!

Parking is free and on a first-come first-served basis, so come early!  Handicapped parking is available at the Congregational Church.

Please contact the event co-chairs for more information:

Gloria Fortunato and Andrea Filipkowski

Anniversary Ball - April 2, 2011

250th Anniversary Ball

6:00 pm - Midnight

Saturday, April 2, 2011
Cocktails - 6:00 PM (cash bar)
Dinner - 7:00 PM
Belchertown High School Gymnasium

Come dressed in your favorite period style costume or in semi-formal attire

Choice of prime rib, chicken, or lasagna (vegetarian)

Dance the night away to live music and DJ!

Tickets - $50.00 each (cash or check only)
There are a limited number of seats so buy your tickets now!

For tickets/questions, please contact the event co-chairs:
Shirley Salvatore (323-9509), Peg Louraine (253-3124), Linda Sterling (323-9312)
Tickets are also available in the Town Clerk's Office and the Selectmen's Office.

Anniversary Day Celebration - Saturday, July 2, 2011

Anniversary Day Picnic
The Official Celebration of our 250th!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

(Rain or shine)

Community Potluck Picnic on the Belchertown Common
featuring "Showcase Belchertown" (Sponsored by BelchertownCAN!)



Picnic tables under the tent can be reserved in advance through the Town Clerk's Office for $30.00 each OR bring your own blanket and chairs.  On the day of the picnic, table reservations may be made at the 250th Committee booth on the common.



SCHEDULE



10:00 AM - Quilt Show begins (sponsored in part by the Cultural Council) - Lawrence Memorial Hall
Car, Carriage, and Tractor Show begins in the parking lot on the Common
Horse-drawn wagon rides on Park Street with Blue Star Equiculture



On Stage! 
11:00 AM  - Belchertown Community Band
12:15 PM - Hope United Methodist Church Choir
1:00 PM - The Connotations
2:00 PM - Belchertown Congregational Church Choir
3:00 PM - A Beautiful Future/Caribbean Party
4:00 PM - Cottonwood



Showcase Belchertown - Sponsored by BelchertownCAN!
(a display of Belchertown's various business and community organizations)
LOOK FOR THE 250th ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE BOOTH!



12:00 PM - 250th Proclamation Ceremony - Stage at the north end of the Common



12:15 PM - Pot Luck Picnic Lunch (bring your lunch and something to share)

(Some local organizations will be selling food on or around the Common)

12:45 PM - Friendly's Ice Cream Cup Give-Away
2:45 PM -  Bushy Brothers Contest Finale (Sponsored by Station 5 Salon)


Historic walking tours of the town center
Activities for kids near the Old Town Hall



Fun for the whole family!

(Please keep checking back, as we will continue to update the plans for this very special day!)



If you have any questions about this event,

please contact the co-chairs:
Cliff McCarthy, Mary-Alice Austin, and Linda Sterling



Sign-Ups:



For the Car, Carriage, and Tractor Show: 
Contact Tony Trifone at 323-8550



Vendors for Showcase Belchertown: 
Contact Gail Gramarossa at 323-4489

Celebrating 250 Years with Quilts!

at Lawrence Memorial Hall

You’ll never see the Town Hall auditorium look so colorful as it will on Saturday, July 2, 2011 from 10 AM to 5 PM, the day of the Anniversary Picnic. Quilts will be hanging everywhere! Mark that date on your calendar right now. Admission will be free.

The show committee is looking for quilts, of any size (doll quilt to king size) or age that have been made by former or current Belchertown residents. Better yet, if you have a quilt with pertinent Belchertown history, we’d all love to hear the story. Check your garage, attic, closet and cedar chest. All entries will receive a commemorative participant ribbon. This show will not be judged; however, a Viewer’s Choice ribbon will be awarded as voted on by show attendees.

To enter the quilt show, use the ENTRY FORM located in the top left corner of this website OR please contact Jane Crutchfield (283-4456, ahc60@hotmail.com) or Linda Sterling (323-9312, fatquartergal@charter.net). An entry fee of $5.00 per quilt to defray show costs is suggested.  Number of entries per person may be limited due to space restrictions. Don’t be shy, now is the time for ALL Belchertown quilt owners and especially quilt makers to participate – we know you’re out there!


The Quilt Show is sponsored by the Cultural Council.




PARKING:  Parking will be allowed along the COMMON side of Main Street and where residents and businesses allow parking.  The Town Hall parking lot will be closed to the general public.  The parking lot on the common will be closed due to the car/carriage show.  Handicap parking will be available at the Congregational Church on Park Street.


Please note that a portion of Park Street will be closed from 11 AM - 5 PM due to horse-drawn wagon rides.