Derby kicks off 350th anniversary with time capsule opening and weekend festival plans

At a kickoff ceremony for the City of Derby’s 350th anniversary, city officials opened a time capsule sealed in 1975 and announced a slate of events, volunteer opportunities and commemorative merchandise tied to a May 30–June 1 weekend celebration.

Town clerk and 350th committee chair Mark Garfalo opened the program and welcomed attendees. "My name is Mark Garfalo. I'm the town clerk and uh have the honor of being the chair of the 350th anniversary committee," he said, and framed the night as both a remembrance of Derby’s past and a celebration of its future.

Mayor Joseph L. D. Martino said the milestone offered a chance to reflect and to plan for continued community investment. "It is my great honor to welcome you all to the momentous occasion as we celebrate the 350th anniversary of Derby," Martino said, urging attendees to value education, infrastructure and sustainable practices.

Local historian Jack J. Walsh read from a 1675 general court record that renamed the settlement Derby and described early settlers and the grant of plantation privileges. Walsh also noted the time capsule had been buried June 8, 1975, citing an Evening Sentinel account describing envelopes and souvenirs placed in a vault donated by local firms.

The ceremony included an invocation and benediction from Father Madik Sochek, music from the Derby High School Trien Music Society under Nick Rule with participation by Hunter Sigona, a color presentation by Marley Feldman and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Brady Shar. Sarah Vidomsky performed the national anthem.

Garfalo outlined the 350th calendar of events, saying the free May 30–June 1 weekend will feature food trucks, kids activities, historical displays including a trolley, merchandise such as commemorative bells and coins, and evening concerts. He named performers announced for the weekend and invited residents to pick up free bare-root lilac plants—Derby’s city flower—donated by Alderwoman Wamsky for planting around town.

Committee members will catalog items removed from the 1975 capsule, Garfalo said, placing artifacts into secure bins for archiving and returning family items where applicable. He asked volunteers to help with cataloging and thanked longtime volunteers and social-media volunteers for ongoing historical posts about Derby.

The ceremony closed with a call to the Department of Public Works to assist in opening and securing the capsule items; the committee will complete cataloging and preservation work and determine next steps for public access to the artifacts.

The city also announced plans to reseal or place a new capsule on May 13, 2026, and invited residents to consider items to include.