100% Donor-Funded Celebration to Includes 5th Blues Fest, Fireworks July 5th

By J.D. O’Gara

As it has for decades, Franklin will celebrate our nation’s birthday with a five-day celebration that will include carnival rides, non-profit food booths, fireworks and, for the fifth year in a row, a blues festival. All of this is organized by the Franklin 4th of July Coalition, which is 100% funded by donations.

“We’ve got another great event planned,” says Joe Carmignani, who has organized the event with Paul Kortick for the past 8 years. “This is the earliest we’ve finalized the music,” says Carmignani, “We have a great lineup of music over the five days, including the Annual Mike Crandall Franklin Blues Festival, which will be Saturday, the fifth.”

“I think we got the recipe down,” says Kortick, of Franklin’s 4th, which will feature different genres of music each night. A highlight this year in addition to the Blues Festival will be well-known rock artist Gary Hoey. Local artists will be in the mix as well, this year with such acts as Dave Sardella, Jamie Barrett, Matt Zajac, Sr., the Padula Family, the Zajac Bros., the Attleboro School of Rock, and the Michael Dutra Band.

The Franklin 4th of July Coalition is still a small and selective group of about six people, say Kortick and Carmignani, who are impressed by the smooth operation of EJ Dean of Fiesta Shows, who takes care of operating the carnival. 

“We really work closely with the people of the carnival, that’s why people come to this event,” says Kortick. “They are just great partners every year, and that’s a huge piece of it. Joe and I can worry about the music and the tents.” 

“This year, we end on Sunday July 6th,” says Carmignani, noting that, despite the thousands of people that will have traversed the area, “if you show up on Town Common on Monday, it almost looks like back to normal within 24 hours after the thing is done.”

Organizers ensure the carnival’s concessions don’t overlap with the offerings of nonprofit booths that participate in Franklin’s 4th celebration.

“We make it so they don’t compete with concessions,” says Kortick, “We don’t want carnival selling pizza – the Franklin Democrats sell pizza. The carnival is not selling fried dough, that’s Franklin Rod & Gun. These are nonprofits, and it’s important for them to fundraise at the event.”

The Franklin 4th of July Coalition will also have a table in which they’ll sell ice cream and soft drinks, and the Franklin Republican Town Committee will sell corn dogs and nachos.

No 4th of July celebration is really complete without fireworks, and the two event planners are happy that American Thunder will provide fireworks on Saturday, July 5th, at 10 p.m. at Franklin High School. 

“The fireworks are launched from the baseball field, so people can watch them from the high school parking lot, junior high school parking lot, the Horace Mann school and Senior Center,” says Joe. All have plenty of parking, but since Oak Street will be closed off starting at about 9:15, many folks will opt to walk down from the Common.

Carmignani and Kortick emphasize that the event does not take any money from the town of Franklin. The coalition sends out a fundraising letter each year, and they’re extremely thankful to their sponsors, they say.

2025 Gold Sponsors of the event include Allegra, Connell Roofing, CTS, Garelick Farms, Re/Max Executive Realty, Notturno Home Services, Accurate Baker Ellman Plumbing, Eastern Oil, Daddario Hardware, Dean Bank, G&C Plumbing and Heating, and D.G. Ranieri Real Estate. 

Following is the schedule as of press time. Updated information is available at www.franklin4th.com:

Wednesday, July 2

Ride Wristbands 6-10 p.m., 6 p.m. Midnight Ride (60’s-90’s Rock); 8 p.m. GQ & The Lady (Dance)

Thursday, July 3

Ride Wristbands 6-10 p.m.

Megapass: 12-10 p.m., 6 p.m. Matt Zajac (Rock); 8 p.m. Smoke & Whiskey (Country Rock)

Friday, July 4 (12-10)

Megapass: 12-10 p.m. Ride; Wristbands 2-6 p.m., 12 p.m. Two Guys Who like Sharks (Acoustic Rock); 1:30 p.m. Jamie Barrett; 3 p.m. George Cross Project (East Coast Blues); 6 p.m. Attleboro School of Rock; 8 p.m. Gary Hoey (Rock Guitar)

Saturday, July 5 (12-10)

Megapass: 12-10 p.m.; Wristbands 12-5 p.m.; Franklin Blues Festival, 12-9:45 p.m., Fireworks 10 p.m.

Sunday, July 6 (12-6)

Ride Wristbands: 12-4 p.m. Megapass: 12-10 p.m.; 12 p.m. Zajac Bros. Band; 2 p.m.; Michael Dutra & the Strictly Sinatra Band; 4:30 p.m. Padula Family Band (Jazz)