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Uxbridge 300th committee teams with July 4 organizers, approves fundraising tiers and several expenditures
Summary
The Town of Uxbridge 300th Anniversary Committee met Oct. 1 to coordinate the multi-day celebration with July Fourth organizers, discuss fireworks logistics and sponsorships, establish donation tiers, create a fireworks subcommittee and approve modest expenditures for parade participation and banners.
The Town of Uxbridge 300th Anniversary Committee on Oct. 1 heard visiting July Fourth organizers and moved to coordinate the town’s three-hundredth birthday weekend with the annual Independence Day festivities, while approving fundraising categories and several routine expenditures.
At the meeting, local event organizers said they were prepared to move the big fireworks show to Saturday night, June 26, 2027, with a rain date on Sunday, to better match the committee’s larger weekend program. "We want to throw a big party for Oxbridge," said Speaker 6, describing plans for a bigger band, a larger stage and an expanded fireworks display.
The committee and visiting organizers discussed logistics and public-safety planning. Organizers estimated crowd sizes on the main field at roughly "3,000, 2,500 somewhere in there," and flagged the need to coordinate with the police and fire departments on radius, shell size and site fencing, noting parking as a principal concern.
Finances and fundraising dominated the discussion. Organizers said they would pursue title sponsorships (mentioning potential $10,000–$15,000 packages) to reduce the town’s share of costs and allow early booking of bands and equipment. Committee members stressed municipal procurement limits: Speaker 1 reminded the group that the town "can't prepay anything — that's against Massachusetts law," and that select-board approval is required for disbursements above internal thresholds.
To channel donations, the historical society — a 501(c)(3) partner — confirmed it can accept earmarked gifts marked for the 300th via the town’s Unipay system and account for them separately. Speaker 7 said the society already holds a $500 seed amount for the celebration in that account.
Merchandise and marketing plans advanced alongside event logistics. The memorabilia subgroup reported preliminary pricing for patches (roughly $0.70–$2 each) and enamel coins (about $2.50–$5 each), with vendor lead times of about four to five weeks. Committee members also reviewed billboard and local-marketing options, with vendor estimates ranging from about $2,000 to $3,000 for production plus installation.
Formal actions and votes
- Subcommittee: The committee approved a subcommittee to handle fireworks coordination and logistics. Motion passed by voice vote; mover recorded as Speaker 6, second recorded in discussion.
- Donation tiers: The committee adopted donation categories and names — Founders Society (top tier), Patriot Partner (second), Textile Titan (third), Heritage Hero (fourth) and Friends of Uxbridge (bottom tier). Motion passed by voice vote.
- Parade participation: The committee approved using town revolving funds to pay $100 to secure a spot in the First Night parade and to reserve a table at the event. Motion passed; at least one member registered an abstention.
- Reimbursement: The committee voted to reimburse John Wise $210 for banners he advanced on behalf of the celebration; an invoice will be filed and the motion passed by voice vote.
What happens next
Organizers said they will return with vendor quotes and sponsorship packages, and the committee asked subcommittees to prepare prioritized cost lists for donors. The committee set the next meeting for Nov. 5, 2025, at 7 p.m.
The meeting record shows continued reliance on donor fundraising and nonprofit conduits to reduce demands on limited town funds, and a sustained focus on safety, parking and vendor procurement constraints as planning continues.
