By Bonnie Adams, Government Editor
Westborough – This past winter certainly has not been as bad as the winter of 2010-2011. But with gas prices rapidly rising, everyone is re-thinking their annual getaways. But for one weekend, May 5 and 6, Westborough residents will not have to leave town to have fun. Instead, they can head to the Bay State (Commons) Green for the Tenth Annual Westborough Spring Festival, where there will be a full slate of activities both days.
The festival, a major fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Westborough, is also a way for community groups and residents to come together to celebrate all that the town has to offer, the Festivals Co-chairs Carol Burtt Borglund and Betsy Moquin said.
“We really think this will be a richer, deeper experience for everyone this year,” Burtt Borglund said. “There's something for every member of the family.”
The festivities actually start Friday, May 4, with a special kickoff, “Quatro deMayo” at Julio's Liquors Metro Station. For $25 per person, patrons can try Mexican wines, beers and tequila. (The event, which has limited space, is only open to participants ages 21 and over.)
One of the highlights Saturday will be a Spring Carnival sponsored by the Westborough High School (WHS) Student Council that will feature games and a food court. Some of the games will be free, while others will cost a nominal fee. A new feature this year will be a “roaming railroad,” which will take kids and their families for a ride around the perimeter of the festival area.
Twenty local businesses and nonprofit groups will be part of a Discover Westborough/Expo. And 16 different restaurants will be participating in a Discover Westborough/Food Expo as well.
“Tickets will be sold to patrons that can then be exchanged for food samples from the different restaurants,” Burtt Borglund said. “They can try all 16 or use them at just a few; it's their choice.”
Live music, including performances by local singer/songwriter Luanne Crosby and the Westborough brother/sister duo Elizabeth and Ben Anderson, will be played throughout the day at the Bay State Green stage,
Other off-site activities that day include a nature spring hike sponsored by the Westborough Community Land Trust and a “fishing challenge” at Minuteman Park.
The annual Rotary 5K Road Race will start at WHS Sunday, May 6, at 8:30 a.m. Runners are encouraged to attend the Lions Club's Italian Dinner, which will be held Saturday night at WHS.
In addition to the road race Sunday, Moquin said there will be fun for dogs and their owners, too.
“There is a Doggie Dash and then students from Tufts [University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine] will be holding a dog spa and amateur dog show,” she said.
Other Sunday features include a Rotary “ABC” tent sale featuring assorted “treasures,” Friends of the Library book sale and bus tours of historic Westborough, courtesy of the Westborough Historical Society.
Sponsors include Roche Brothers (Title), Avidia Bank (Premier), Ball Financial Services Company (Major), Doubletree Hotel (Major), Boroughs Family Branch YMCA (Supporting), Westborough Tennis & Swim Club (Supporting), and Curry Printing (Supporting).
“Be sure to check our website daily (www.westboroughrotary.org) as we are always adding things,” Burtt Borglund said.
The Rotary Club uses funds raised from its events to help support local and international organizations including the Boy Scouts, Council on Aging, Westborough Food Pantry and many more. They also provide monetary assistance for international projects such as PolioPlus and the Rotary International Shelter Box in Haiti.
The Rotary Club of Westborough meets every Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. at the Chateau Restaurant, located on Route 9 in Westborough.