By Liz Nolan, Contributing Writer
File photo
Northborough – One of the signature and anticipated events of the annual weekend-long Applefest event is the Street Fair sponsored by the Rotary Club of Northborough. This year it will be held Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (rain date Sunday, Sept. 22) on Blake Street. It will showcase a variety of crafters, exhibitors, businesses, informational booths, town organizations and food vendors.
Rotary Club Executive and former President Patricia Doyle said it’s not too late to join the fun as a vendor.
“There’s always room for additional vendors,” she said. “We can always find a place to squeeze in one more.”
Among the vendors this year are town organizations such as the Northborough Historical Society, Northborough Senior Center and Northborough Trails Committee.
“If you are new in town, the street fair is the place to go to get information and talk to those who are involved in organizations,” Doyle said. “It’s where to find out what is going on in Northborough.”
Doyle promises a variety of new vendors as well as those who have been part of the event for years. Many of the returning favorites will be found in the same spots as last year. Of course, there will be food, too.
The Rotary Club will also be holding a Chance Auction at their own booth with items donated from area businesses, organizations and individuals. Chances will be sold for $10 for 20 chances. Proceeds will directly benefit the group’s Nutrition 68 program, which was launched last fall. It recognizes the 68 hours that some school children experience between the free lunch they receive on Friday and the free lunch they receive on Monday. The program packs donated food into backpacks, which are distributed to students to take home on Friday afternoon throughout the school year. The backpacks are brought back to school on Monday and reused for the following weekend.
The program was piloted at the Fannie E. Proctor School and will be expanding this fall to include all the elementary schools in Northborough.
All food or monetary donations for the Nutrition 68 program are used to support the feeding of these students through the purchase of food and other necessary supplies to store and deliver the food.
The Rotary Club received a $3,000 grant from the Rotary Foundation last year, which was matched by their own funds, to launch the program.
For additional information on how you or your business can participate in the Street Fair or in the Chance Auction contact Pat Doyle at 508-393-9031 or email pwdoyle2@verizon.net. You can also follow the Northborough Rotary Club on Facebook. Donations to the Nutrition 68 program can be made payable to The Rotary Club of Northborough Nutrition 68 Program, PO Box 651, Northborough, MA 01532.
All Applefest updates can be found on Facebook or at www.northboroughapplefest.com.