The Social Scene

SLIDESHOW: ArtPop2013 Reception

Framingham Downtown Renaissance hosted a pop art show last weekend in the Bullard Building.

Framingham Downtown Renaissance hosted a pop art show last weekend in the Bullard Building. On Friday night, there was a very successful opening night reception for the ArtPop 2013 Transit show. There was tapas by Foodie Cafe and lager tasting by Jack's Abby Brewing. Artists that participated included: Framingham Downtown Reniassance called the event the "beginning of a new groove for Downtown Framingham." Thanks to artist Jorie Anderson for the photos in this slideshow.

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Framingham Hosting Downtown Marathon Festival

The Framingham Downtown Renaissance and Framingham State University will host the first-ever Marathon Fest Monday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in downtown Framingham.

To promote interest and business in the downtown, the Framingham Downtown Renaissance and Framingham State University will host the first-ever Marathon Fest Monday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in downtown Framingham. The event will take place at the corners of Irving and Waverley and at Waverley and Concord streets. Remember traffic will be prohibited from crossing Waverley Street from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, due to the marathon in progress. The event will feature music, food, kids activities and more. Make signs at one of the craft tables and cheer on the runners. University student will also offer face painting. Buy anything anywhere that day in Downtown Framingham and get a chance to win very cool prizes, donated by merchants in …

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The Social Scene

IMAGE GALLERY: Walking in a Winter Wonderland in Downtown Framingham

Saturday volunteers painted & transformed more than 60 store-front windows into winter-themed works of art as part of the 2nd Annual Winter Wonderland Festival sponsored by the Framingham Downtown Renaissance organization.

Saturday, volunteers, families, McAuliffe Charter School students, Framingham Girl Scouts and artisans were painting downtown Framingham red ... and green, blue, yellow, white, brown ... as part of the 2nd Annual Winter Wonderland Festival. Sponsored by the Framingham Downtown Renaissance organization, businesses agreed to allow volunteers, artists, families and community and school groups to paint their windows. Businesses held open houses and offered special sales and the Framingham Downtown Renaissance invited musical groups from Framingham to stroll along the sidewalks and sing holiday tunes to shoppers and volunteer painters. *** Please upload your photos from the Winter Wonderland festival.

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Susan Petroni

12:13 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Maureen: I'll check; but I think they will be up through Christmas.   more ›

Artists, Groups, Designers Needed for Winter Wonderland Festival

The Framingham Downtown Renaissance organization is inviting Framingham organizations, community groups, school groups, Scouts, and artists to paint downtown windows in a winter/holiday theme.

The Downtown Framingham Renaissance organization will host the 2nd Annual Winter Wonderland festival on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 11 to 2 p.m. There will be holiday shopping deals, music, cocoa, roving theatrics and more that Saturday afternoon. Between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. artists and groups will paint winter themes onto to store windows. The Framingham Downtown Renaissance organization is inviting Framingham organizations, community groups, school groups, Scouts, and artists to paint downtown windows in a winter/holiday theme. Artists and groups would would like to paint are asked to contact Framingham Downtown Renaissance Manager Holli Andrews at holli.andrews@gmail.com. All paints and supplies are provided.

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The Social Scene

Downtown Director: Farm Pond Fall Festival a Success [VIDEO]

Framingham Downtown Renaissance Director Holli Andrews said she wants to make the festival an annual fall event, thanks to the support of the community, volunteers, organizations and businesses.

Saturday, the Framingham Downtown Renaissance organization and its new director Holli Andrews hosted the inaugural Farm Pond Fall Festival. "I definitely plan to campaign for Farm Pond Fall Festival to be an annual event. The setting is so beautiful. We heard from festival goers that they were so happy with the day - and I think people who live in Framingham are incredibly warm and social. That has been my experience! I want to continue to bring us all together - and that is what creating and promoting a vibrant downtown is all about. A place where we can meet folks and share great times and make memories," said Andrews. Hundreds attended the family-friendly event in Farm Pond Park, which features entertainment, a farmer's market, games, …

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Families, Residents Invited to Farm Pond Festival Saturday

The Framingham Downtown Renaissance, along with many organizations and volunteers in town, are hosting the inaugural Farm Pond Festival Saturday, Oct 13 from noon to 4 p.m.

Looking to showcase a natural, historic site in South Framingham, the Framingham Downtown Renaissance will host the inaugural Farm Pond Fall Festival Saturday, Oct. 13 at Farm Pond Park. The noon to 4 p.m. event, will take place rain or shine and feature activities for families and residents. The park and the pond, located on the west end of the downtown district, are the focus of the festival, which will feature music, food, games, art and lots of activities. Students from the McAuliffe Charter School and the Framingham Girl Scouts are volunteering to run activity stations for kids. There will be a bicycle workshop with the Good Time Community Earn-A-Bike program. Framingham Police vehicles and Framingham Fire trucks re expected to make …

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Rotary Woes Plague Downtown Redesign

Construction on a new downtown traffic and improvement plan could begin summer of 2014.

Downtown Framingham could have a completely new look within two years, if everything goes according to the plans presented at a public hearing Thursday night. The plan, presented by engineering firm BETA, calls for widened sidewalks, synchronized lights, more crosswalks and changes to the heavily-discussed rotary in front of the Memorial Building. Reactions to the change at the rotary at Union Avenue and Concord Street ranged from applause to outrage. More than two dozens residents attended the hearing. Planning Board Chair Tom Mahoney said the current traffic circle design of the intersection functions at a D level. Mahoney continued to say changing the intersection to a traditional light wouldn’t improve the functionality beyond that …

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Spilka Hosted Forum for MetroWest Business Community

Business owners and residents attended a forum to about the assistance and opportunities available to them as they start or expand their business in MetroWest.

Yesterday, June 11 almost 100 residents and business owners attended a forum hosted by Senator Karen Spilka, who represents Framingham, at the Sheraton  Framingham Hotel and Conference Center to learn more about the assistance and opportunities available to them as they start or expand their business in MetroWest. The forum included a networking breakfast, displays from local business organizations and chambers of commerce, and an informative panel discussion featuring presentations by Charles Grigsby, President of the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, April Anderson Lamoureux, Assistant Secretary for Economic Development for the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, and Paul Matthews, Executive Director of the 495/…

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: Winter Wonderland Festival Chair Thanks Volunteers, Community Groups

Elsa Hornfischer: "I would like to thank more than 75 decorators who decorated over 20 Festival trees and more than 80 artists who painted over 50 downtown store windows over the previous two weeks."

On behalf of the Winter Wonderland Festival Committee of Framingham Downtown Renaissance (FDR), I am writing to thank everyone who participated in our Dec. 10 Winter Wonderland and Festival of Trees.   The Festival was a celebration of the volunteer effort that created it over the past six weeks. I would like to thank more than 75 decorators who decorated over 20 Festival trees and more than 80 artists who painted over 50 downtown store windows over the previous two weeks.   Volunteers came from Girl Scouts, Brownies, Boy Scouts, Framingham State University students and faculty, Learning School for the Deaf, Fuller Middle School, MetroWest Homeschoolers, Christa McAuliffe Regional Charter School, Framingham High School Art Club, Keefe Tech…

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Photo of the Day

Santa Strolls Through Downtown

As part of the Framingham Downtown Renaissance organization's Winter Wonderland & Festival of Trees on Saturday, Santa made a visit and met with lots of children and waived to drivers downtown.

As part of the Framingham Downtown Renaissance organization's Winter Wonderland & Festival of Trees on Saturday, Santa made a visit, arriving on a Framingham fire truck. Framingham Patch will have a slideshow of the decorated trees up later today. To see, the creative windows painted by school and community groups, click here. On Saturday, Santa met with lots of families at the Memorial Building and then strolled through downtown waiving to motorists.

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