Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 6/9/2021
EAST LONGMEADOW – With the state officially reopened and people anxious to get out and socialize, the East Longmeadow Rotary Club is kicking off summer with a series of events that will include a carnival, fireworks and concerts.
Concert Liaison Kevin Cook said that the concert series has been a tradition in East Longmeadow for more than three decades.
The Rotary Club’s Concert Committee has been planning the events for two to three months, while trying to navigate pandemic restrictions. Cook said that once Gov. Charlie Baker announced the reopening on May 17, “we kicked it into high gear.” While the committee itself has 10 members, Cook said the entire Rotary Club has pitched in.
“It has been a long year and a half,” Cook said. He added the events are “really just a way to get the community back together and just live life.”
The “Celebrate EL Reopening,” festivities begin on June 30, with the opening of a carnival at Center Field. “My kids are so excited that the carnival is coming,” said Cook. There is also a concert at 7 p.m. from 7Roads band at the East Longmeadow High School (ELHS).
“We are extremely excited to be able to participate in the Rotary Club’s ‘Celebrate EL Reopening’ events,” said Brian Bazin, drummer of 7Roads. “Our band is made up of four ELHS graduates who have a lot of pride in our small town. So much so that we even named our band after the rotary – 7Roads! It only seems fitting that we are able to play some great music for our community and watch from the stage as our town returns to normal. We're also thrilled to be playing in the 4th of July Parade a few days later! We've been waiting for this day for over a year, and hope the town comes out in droves to enjoy what the Rotary Club and East Longmeadow has to offer.”
The parade is organized each year by the 4th of July Parade Committee as part of the Lions Club. Cook said that while the Rotary Club isn’t officially attached to that event, the group loans equipment and resources. “We’re heavily involved in that since a lot of our members are Lions, too,” he said.
The carnival will run from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., from June 30 to July 3, when the concert series officially begins with a performance by the band Trailer Trash. All seven concerts – five in July and two in August – will take place at the high school fields. The rain date for each concert will be the Thursday after. Organizers encourage people to bring a blanket or chair to sit on.”
There will be hand sanitizing stations available and Cook said that if people haven’t been vaccinated, they recommend wearing a mask. He offered advice to the people who come out to celebrate: “Be smart, have fun, but keep in mind what the current restrictions are.” Restrictions can be found at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-updates-and-information.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the summer events. To learn more or become a member of the Rotary Club, visit www.elrotaryclub.org.