Northborough celebrates Applefest 2016

By Bonnie Adams, Managing Editor

Northborough – Residents and guests attended a number of events Sept. 15-18 as the town celebrated Applefest 2016.

This year’s festivities also tied into Northborough’s 250^th anniversary celebration.

Many of the town’s nonprofit groups participated over the weekend including the Junior Woman’s Club who held their popular Apple Pie Café, the Historical Society, the Garden Club, and the town’s Boy and Girl Scout troops.

A BBQ was held Saturday evening at Algonquin Regional High School that also featured music performed by local bands and games hosted by Algonquin students, followed by a fireworks display. (The anticipated 30 minutes fireworks show was cut short after approximately 15 minutes due to a computer malfunction.)

On Sunday, Sept. 18, thousands of people walked attended the Street Fair held on Blake Street, where nonprofit groups, organizations, vendors and local businesses had booths set up. The fair was once again organized by the Rotary Club of Northborough.

That afternoon civic groups, school children and parents, bands and others marched in the parade which featured tributes to the town’s past. Fittingly, for this historic year, the grand marshal was Bob Ellis, a member of the Northborough Historical Society and a man many consider the town’s unofficial historian.

Michelle Gillespie, who once again chaired the Applefest Committee, said overall, she and her fellow members “could not have been more thrilled with the outcome of the weekend.”

“We were so happy that so many groups participated throughout the weekend and the number of people who came together to celebrate,” she said.

“The Applefest Committee is so thankful to the numerous volunteers who worked so hard and all of those who donated time and monies to support this event.

“We are also looking forward to making next year’s event even bigger and better!”