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Sixth annual Celebrate Milford on May 20

Patriots mascot, Pat, and a few cheerleaders march to Town Park to kick off last year's Celebrate Milford event. Photo courtesy of Terenzio Volpicelli 

By Scott Calzolaio

Break out that Scarlet Hawks tank top and welcome the summer months like a true Milfordian; it’s almost time for the sixth annual Celebrate Milford event. 

The festival to flaunt the 243-year-old town takes place on Saturday, May 20, and goes on all day long.

The gathering has picked up serious steam in its six-year run, gaining dozens more sponsors and vendors, and attracting visitors from towns across the Commonwealth.

According to numbers submitted to the Celebrate Milford Committee, the Town Park was packed with over 15,000 people during the peak of last year’s celebration.

With over 80 vendors of every variety, and food trucks like Cousins Maine Lobster and Chick-fil-A, alongside Rail Trail’s mobile woodfire stove, there will be plenty to see and eat.

The day will be filled with live music, unlimited inflatable rides for $5, and a tennis court turned beer garden that will be tended by local bartenders and pub owners volunteering for the day.

The event would not be possible without the dedication of volunteers like Celebrate Milford Committee Member Terenzio Volpicelli.  

“We’re hoping this is an event where we can showcase what Milford is and who we are,” said Volpicelli.” Highlight what sets us apart.”

With the Portuguese Picnic and St. Rocco's Festival gone for good, “Celebrate Milford” hopes to be the new annual staple in town. 

 “Now that the Picnic is no longer taking place, I think it’s the largest one-day event in town. I think we've taken some of the best of what other communities do, and kind of put it on steroids in Milford,” he laughed. “What we do in Milford is big, it’s vibrant, and it’s very affordable for families.”

The first “Celebrate Milford” took place in 2016. Since that time, with the help of the Milford Chamber of Commerce, the “grassroots effort” has been growing in stature and popularity, said Volpicelli. Now in its sixth year (taking two years off in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), local sponsors flock to be a part of the event, he said. This year, the “elite” tier sponsors include Amazon, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Rail Trail Flatbread Company, Milford Federal Bank, and more.

While sponsors help defray the cost of the festival itself, they also support a grant program, two $1,500 annual scholarships, and various other local charities. 

The goal is not only to become an annual celebration of the town and its people, Volpicelli said, but also to contribute back to the community as much as possible in the process.

“We hope that this will continue for many years to come, and to take some of these proceeds and give back to the community,” he said. “Some of the events that have been part of our area’s culture have been discontinued, and we just want to help carry the torch in our way.”