Committee lays out parade, drone show, time capsule, tree plantings and festival plans for 2027
Summary
The committee discussed major tricentennial events — an October 2027 parade (possible oxen/cannon reenactment), a drone show on Jan. 1, 2027, a time capsule plan, legacy trees in eight villages, and a community barbecue and music festival — and assigned follow-ups for vendors, sponsors and logistics.
At its Dec. 10 meeting the Town of Southborough’s tricentennial committee reviewed a range of signature events and programming for the 2027 celebration, assigning working groups to follow up on logistics, permissions and budgets.
Parade planning and veterans tribute: The committee confirmed the central parade’s target date in October 2027 and discussed a proposal to include period cannon pulled by oxen to tie into Revolutionary War commemoration themes. Members agreed to have parade volunteers and the parade working group explore availability and safety requirements; staffing and sponsorship were flagged as prerequisites.
Drone show and first-night programming: Committee members discussed producing a drone show as a dramatic opening event, with candidates for timing including Dec. 31, 2026, or Jan. 1, 2027. One member said the group was “kind of leaning strong in that direction” for a drone display but noted vendor availability, weather and costs would shape the choice. The committee asked staff to research vendors, sponsorship models and potential central locations (for example, Hartford Park or a central town green) and to include fallback plans for wind, rain or snow.
Time capsule and legacy trees: New committee member Eric Nurick Hammond volunteered to research time-capsule models (buried vs. indoor display, sizes, materials and selection process). Separately, the committee supported a plan to plant a certified ‘‘tricentennial’’ tree in each of the town’s eight villages; a local certified arborist (a committee member’s son, employed at Western Nurseries) offered to coordinate site selection with the town tree warden and DPW.
Community barbecue, music festival and other programming: Keith (committee working on the barbecue/music festival) reported outreach to potential headliners and sponsors and recommended a food-truck model for the event. The committee discussed whether to allow a temporary alcohol license for a controlled beer garden and asked Keith to consult with town licensing staff and potential sponsors about feasibility and requirements.
Safety, budgets and next steps: Members emphasized safety (traffic control for hayrides, police presence for road closures), venue capacity, and aligning event costs with FY2027 departmental budgets. The committee asked working groups to return with vendor quotes, sponsor prospects (including potential marquee sponsors to offset major costs), and any municipal permitting needs.
