Franklin committee sets festival schedule, agrees to dedicate Benjamin Franklin plaque during July celebration

The Franklin Civic Celebration Committee agreed on Monday to include a dedication for a new bronze Benjamin Franklin plaque during this year’s festival and set a three-day event schedule for July 3–5, with the plaque ceremony planned for July 5.

Committee members said the plaque and an associated “Liberty Tree” project were organized and largely funded by local donors and civic groups. “The fundraising went extremely well; I wound up with an extra $1,100 and what I want to do is either this year or next year — the question I want to put out there is should we be considering doing a dedication this year?” said Jim (no last name given), who presented the plaque project and described work with the Sons of the American Revolution, the Franklin Historical Society and commercial fabricators.

Why it matters: the committee is combining the plaque dedication with a busy festival weekend that will include live music, a parade, a pickleball tournament, a carnival and fireworks. Committee members focused on timing, crowd flow and infrastructure to avoid the congestion of traditional July 4 programming.

Key decisions and details:…