Rec. Commission to decide between July 4th, Block Party in 2011

The Recreation Commission has come to a fork in the road regarding whether to begin a drive for a July Fourth celebration and fireworks display or for the annual Homecoming Parade and Downtown Block Party, traditionally held in late September.

The commission will meet with selectmen on Tuesday, December 21, at Town Hall to discuss what activity should get the fundraising priority for 2011.

For the past two years, the town has opted to forgo formal July Fourth activities in favor of a Homecoming Block Party, which draws an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people to Canton Center as the center is transformed into a shopping plaza lined with downtown merchants and restaurants. There are also live bands and carnival rides for children.

The common denominator for both events are the morning road races held earlier the same day. Joe DeFelice, race organizer for both events, said both the July Fourth road race and the Reebok/Canton Association of Business and Industry (CABI) Homecoming road race will be held regardless of the decision made by the commission and selectmen.

Both races are also self-sufficient. The operating expenses for the July Fourth race are offset by runners’ fees, and trophies are paid for with individual and corporate donations. As for the Homecoming race, Reebok and various CABI companies help finance the event, and runners also pay entrance fees. Last September’s race dew interest from more than 700 runners of all ages.

DeFelice said he has noticed a significant decline in runner interest in the July Fourth race, and he believes it stems from people leaving town, in part, because “there is nothing to do in Canton for the Fourth of July.” He said he has organized the race as a Canton family event since 1968 and attributes the recent decline to the town not having the July Fourth fireworks display.

Jeff Kaylor, director of the Recreation Department, said that while he has heard comments from residents favoring both events, the town does not have the money to finance either one, nor does he think both events can be financed with back-to-back fundraising drives in a single year. He said the block party alone requires the scheduling of vendors at least four to six months in advance.

Kaylor estimates the fundraising goal for the Homecoming event to be somewhere between $35,000 and $40,000, while the estimate for the July 4th event is between $20,000 and $25,000. A few years ago, selectmen opted to hold a lone fundraising drive to support the block party; however, many people have since told commissioners that they miss the July Fourth fireworks display,

“You can’t do both. The question is which one,” said Kaylor, who also mentioned the option of alternating the events each year.

“We may want to throw it out to the public to get a sense of what people want,” he said. “We are caught up in the middle, and there are people pulling for both sides.”

Recreation Commission Chairman Larry Bogue said that while the block party is a great event, the prices and related costs have been escalating each year. “The question is the cost,” he said.

Bogue said it would be difficult to start fundraising for one event, then have to stop and restart again a year later. “That’s why it is a good reason to have a general discussion with selectmen now,” he said.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Dec 16 2010. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.