Mass. town founds 9/11 memorial parade, festival

August 25, 2009 04:25 AM

By Karen Nugent
The Telegram & Gazette

CLINTON, Mass. — Olde Home Days will have a new attraction this year — a Sept. 11, 2001, memorial with a downtown parade and a flag-raising program at Central Park dedicated to police officers, firefighters, EMTs and military veterans.

Billed as the largest 9-11 memorial in Central Massachusetts, the three-division parade will step off at 9 a.m. Sept. 12 from Fuller Field on High Street, with the flag-raising at 10 a.m. in Central Park.

The 10th annual Olde Home Days in the park will follow, with a day of free musical, theatrical, martial arts and other performances; plus food, crafters, vendors, amusements for children, and other family activities.

The event will officially kick off at 5 p.m. Sept. 11 with the fifth annual Appraisal Faire — one of the most popular events — at Town Hall, 242 Church St.

Appraisers are Ron Goodrich from Northeast Collectibles (stamps, coins, photos, books), Phyllis O’Leary of O’Leary Antiques Auction (decorative arts, furniture and silver), Virginia Salem of Bonham Auctioneers (jewelry), and Larry Canale, editor-in-chief of Antiques Roadshow Insider (sports collectibles).

Participants can get three items appraised for $10.

During the appraisals on Town Hall steps, there will be a Magic Steve magic show at 6:15 p.m. and rock music by Stone Clover from 7 to 10 p.m. in a tent in front of Town Hall. Food and drinks, including beer and wine, will be available.

At dusk, the annual free family movie — shown on a big screen outdoors in Central Park — will begin.

The juried art show, now in its fourth year, will be held Sept. 12 through 19 at a new venue, the Museum of Russian Icons, 203 Union St., across from the park.

Painters, sculptors, photographers and other artists are invited to display their work beginning at 10 a.m. Sept. 12 through 3 p.m. Sept. 19. The jurors this year are from the Worcester Art Museum. The entry fee for the art show is $15, and one entry per artist for each medium is allowed.