The Franklin Downtown Partnership has scheduled its 18th annual Harvest Festival, a family-fun community event, on Saturday, October 2.

The Harvest Festival will be held in downtown Franklin from noon to 5 p.m. on Main Street, Dean Avenue, West Central Street, and Depot Street, as well as the large parking area behind Rockland Bank. The event’s rain date is Sunday, October 3. 

Visitors to the Harvest Festival will enjoy local entertainment, delicious foods from local restaurants, fun kid crafts and activities, shop specials, artwork and crafts by area artisans and helpful information from community groups and vendors. Dancing on Dean will feature live music from two popular local bands: Ben Gardner’s Boat and The Driftwoods. Craft beer and wine will be available from La Cantina Winery, Shovel Town Brewery and Start Line Brewing Company.

Organizers expect booth spaces for this event to sell out. Partnership members receive a booth for free; non-members pay $125. Downtown businesses must register to ensure store-front space. Booths are assigned on a first-come first-serve basis. You can find the registration link at http://bit.ly/FranklinHF or on the Partnership website, www.franklindowntownpartnership.org. Email Chris Petersen, vendor coordinator, at [email protected] with questions about booth spaces. Scott Martin, president of the FDP, is once again chairing the Harvest Festival.

The Partnership welcomes business owners to help support the Harvest Festival while gaining publicity for their businesses with sponsorships. Please email the FDP office at [email protected] to become a sponsor. 

Several businesses have already agreed to sponsor the Harvest Festival. Thank you to platinum sponsors Dean Bank and RI Motorsports and Detail; gold sponsor Hockomock YMCA; silver sponsors Glen Meadow Apartments, Liberty Tax, Middlesex Savings Bank, MyFM 101.3, Rockland Trust & The Enclave of Franklin; and bronze sponsors: Beaux Regards Photographic Art, Chestnut Dental, Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios, La Cantina Winery, & Mint Dental of Franklin.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a nonprofit, 501©3 organization made up of more than 300 business owners, community leaders and residents working to stimulate economic development downtown and create a positive impact throughout the area.