Arts and Culture flourish in Franklin! The Harvest Festival is a week and a half away, season ticket sales at Dean College, LiveARTS, and THE BLACK BOX are underway, Franklin High School students are rehearsing for their November presentation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, quilting classes are happening at Emma's Quilt Cupboard, sewing and knitting classes are offered monthly at Franklin Mill Store, and the Franklin Farmers Market continues to enrich Friday afternoons on the Town Common. 

Cultural Wednesdays newsletter is shared in partnership with Franklin Matters/Franklin.news, and features arts and culture in Franklin. Note: Events subject to change.

La Cantina - Weekend at the Winery

La Cantina Winery offers a weekend of performances as well as delicious wines:

• Thursday, September 22, Charlie Rock Live, 6:00 - 8:30 pm
• Friday, September 23, Sioo, Live Music, 6:00 - 8:30 pm
• Saturday, September 24, Matt Zajac, Live Music, 4:00 - 7:00 pm

Select La Cantina for more information.

Enjoy Wine and Charcuterie 

at  Intermission Cafe

Thursday, September 22, Wine Barre 02038 at Intermission Cafe is happening between 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm. Adults are invited for wine and charcuterie board created by Kim Rezendes. 

Select Cafe for more information about Intermission Cafe. Intermission Cafe is located at 36 Main St., Rear entrance.

It's Book Sale Weekend  

at the Library

Friday, September 23 and Saturday, September 24 are the dates of the monthly book sale at the Franklin Public Library. On Friday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, all books are one dollar each. Saturday afternoon, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, it's a bag of books sale. Fill a brown bag with all the books you can for just $5. Select Library to learn more about the Library Book Sale.

Farmers Market - on the Town Common

Franklin Farmers Market energizes Fridays on the Town Common (2:00 pm to 6:00 pm) providing an opportunity to support local small businesses and enjoy music in an outdoor setting. Select Market for more information.

Friday, September 23, David Penza, acoustic solo artist, performs between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm on the bandstand. His performance is funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Franklin Cultural Council.

67 Degrees Brewing - in the Taproom

• Friday, September 23, 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Live Music by Anna Freitas Trio 
• Also on Friday ... The Taco Guy Food Truck! 
• Saturday, September 24, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, start the day with Yoga in the Taproom (ticketed event)
• Saturday, September 24, 6:00 to 9:00 pm, Mike Malone, Local Acoustic Singer/Songwriter.

Select 67 Degrees for more information. 67 Degrees Brewing is located at 158 Grove Street. 

Matt Zajac's Rock Night  

at THE BLACK BOX

Friday, September 23, Matt Zajac's Rock Night featuring The Amoricans (Tribute to the Black Crowes), Jennifer Tefft Band, Garden of Hedon. Doors open at 7:00 pm at THE BLACK BOX. Ticketed event. Select TBB for ticket and show information. THE BLACK BOX is located at 15 West Central St.

Pamela Means

at Circle of Friends Coffeehouse

Saturday, September 24 at 8:00 pm,  Pamela Means is performing at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse. Her program, Power of the Protest Song: Our Shared History and Present Day, will take place at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse at First Universalist Society of Franklin, 262 Chestnut Street.

There is no charge for this program due to financial support from Bellingham, Franklin, Norfolk and Wrentham Cultural Councils and the Mass Cultural Council. Select Circle for more information about this performance. 

Dancing and Walking 

Franklin Public Library

Saturday, September 24

9:30 am. The Franklin Public Library offers Bollywood Dance Party. Learn how to Bollywood dance with Deepa Bhaskar. At the Library on Main Street.

10:30 am. The Franklin Recreation Department and the Franklin Public Library are teaming up again for a fall family fun along the trail! Meet them at DelCarte Park for a special story walk featuring the Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater. A fun interactive activity follows the storywalk. Select Library for additional information. DelCarte Park is located on Pleasant Street.

Book Club at Escape into Fiction

Wednesday, September 28 at 6:00 pm, join  People's Poetry at Escape into Fiction Bookstore. Hosted by Jamele Adams and April Rock. 

Remember ... The Franklin Art Association Art Gallery is located within the bookstore. Stop by for books and for art. Also, Escape into Fiction and the Franklin Art Association will be at the Harvest Festival. Escape into Fiction Bookstore is located at 12 Main Street. Select Books for more information.

Live Quilting with Jennifer Vacca

The Franklin Cultural District Committee (FCDC) sponsored a booth on Community Cultural Lane during the recent Cultural Festival. The FCDC booth featured Jennifer Vacca and live quilting the second half of the afternoon. 

Jennifer's quilt, shown in the photograph, is a work in progress. The cards pinned to the quilt squares explain the Russian words, symbols, and quotes. The hand-positioned squares begin to tell the story of the Ukraine people. Jennifer Vacca, a fiber artist and educator, teaches at the Franklin Mill Store. Two of her students also volunteered in the booth, teaching those interested how to embroider their initial. Thank you Jennifer for sharing the quilting process at the Cultural Festival!

19th Annual Harvest Festival

Welcome the fall season! 

The Franklin Downtown Partnership’s Oct. 1 Harvest Festival in downtown Franklin from noon to 5 p.m. will offer plenty of fun activities for young and old. Just a few featured activities at the Harvest Festival are:

• The Franklin Fire Department will have its firetrucks out at its headquarters with mascot Sparky giving out plastic fire helmets to children. 
• The Franklin Historical Museum will offer balloon animals and free popcorn from an old-fashioned popcorn machine. 
• The Franklin Art Association will host an art show and sale in the Rockland Trust Annex, as well as its gallery in Escape Into Fiction Bookstore. 

The Harvest Festival will be happening on areas of Main Street, Dean Avenue, West Central Street, and Depot Street, as well as the large parking area behind Rockland Trust.

Select Harvest for more information on the FDP Harvest Festival 2022.

Tyrolean Festival ...

at THE BLACK BOX

Saturday, October 1, 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm Tyrolean Festival at THE BLACK BOX featuring Music, Food, Beverages and Fun!

Serving Austrian and Local beer, wine and food. Enjoy a preview of FPAC's The Sound of Music. Select Festival to learn more about the Tyrolean Festival. Select Music for ticketing and performance information about The Sound of Music. 

THE BLACK BOX is located at 15 West Central Street.

Pumpkin Time in Franklin

October 2 - October 30, St. John's Third Annual Pumpkin and Gourd Sale.  The pumpkins are grown using sustainable agricultural practices that help benefit the environment. The pumpkins are grown in a region of New Mexico with 42% unemployment, providing jobs for Navajo people. In addition to supporting the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, your purchase also supports St. John’s and its work right here.

St. John's Episcopal Church, 237 Pleasant Street. Select St. John's for more information.

LiveARTS Performance

Sunday, October 2, 3:00 pm, LiveARTS String Quartet, joined by pianists Victor Rosenbaum and Ann Sears, and introducing emerging artist Nathan Krishnaswami, tenor. The opening performance of the 2022 - 2023 LiveARTS season. LiveARTS performances take place at First Universalist Society in Franklin at 262 Chestnut St.

Select LiveARTS for ticket information.

Theater and Dance Performances

at Dean College

Dean College announces its 2022 - 2023 Season of Theater and Dance Performance and the sale of season tickets. The performances are staged by the School of the Arts and the Joan Palladino School of Dance. Season ticket sales offer an easy way to purchase the theater series, dance series or combined theater and dance series. Individual show tickets will be available for purchase starting September 26.

Select box office for dates, times, and ticket information. Enjoy theater and dance at Dean College, in the Cultural District.

Franklin Performing Arts Company

The Franklin Performing Arts Company announces its 2022 - 2023 Performance Season. THE BLACK BOX is home to the Franklin Performing Arts Company, an Actors’ Equity Small Professional Theater. Season tickets are on sale for the 2022 - 2023 Performance Season.

Select FPAC  for ticket purchases and to learn more about productions at THE BLACK BOX, in the Cultural District on West Central Street.

Concert Season with LiveARTS

LiveARTS announces its Concert Season 2022 - 2023. Season subscription and individual tickets are on sale. All performances take place at 3:00 pm at the First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut St. Select Live for season subscriptions or individual ticket purchases and program information.

Franklin Cultural Council Grants

Don't forget, FY23 Grant Applications are open and have an application deadline of October 15. To learn more about this grant opportunity select FCC Grant.

Mass Cultural Council Grant Opportunity

Reminder. Massachusetts Cultural Council has two grants designed to help arts and culture organizations, and arts and culture creatives and gig workers in their recovery from the COVID 19 pandemic.

• Cultural Sector Recovery Grants for Organizations, select here.
• Cultural Sector Recovery Grants for Individuals, select here. 

           Application Deadlines are fast approaching.

Cultural District Committee

Seeking New Members

Have you ever thought about getting involved in your town? Would you like to help support the Cultural District in Franklin? We are excited to announce we have 2 new Cultural District Committee member openings available now.

What is the Cultural District and what would you be doing?  

The Franklin Cultural District is a defined walkable area designated by the state of Massachusetts that focuses on the cultural assets within the Town of Franklin such as performance centers, dance studios, culinary arts, and historic sites).

 As a member of the Cultural District, you'll work within a town committee focused on promoting the cultural resources and supporting the partners within the Cultural District. The Cultural District Committee meets for 1 hour every month and participates in town festivals.

Interested candidates should complete the Town of Franklin Volunteer Application Form and select the "Cultural District Committee" under the section labeled "Please select the Board(s) and/or Committee(s) that you are interested in serving on".

To apply for the Cultural District Committee, please complete the Volunteer Application Form .  All missions and work conducted by boards and committees can be found on our website franklinma.gov

The Franklin Cultural District Committee partners with the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Franklin Cultural Council, and the Town of Franklin to promote arts and culture in Franklin.

Franklin's Cultural District Committee (FCDC) engages, promotes, celebrates, and collaborates with Franklin's artists and creatives, as well as organizations, institutions, and businesses.

Franklin Cultural District Committee:

Amy Adams, Katherine Botelho,

Pandora Carlucci, John Lo Presti, and Roberta Trahan.