Middlefield Rockfall Old Home Days 2013 Kicks-Off Friday

Middlefield's Old Home Days returns this weekend.

The biennial community event celebrating the town's past and future will take place at Peckham Park beginning Friday afternoon and, weather permitting, will feature a parade, live music, locally grown food, games, education booths and the always spectacular Saturday night fireworks show.

"I'm thrilled for many reasons," said Old Home Days chairman N. Summer Lerch. "I'm thrilled because I think this one is going to be the best one ever. I'm thrilled because I think there's something for everyone. I'm thrilled because I love Old Home Days and I can't wait to dance the night away."

The theme of this year's Old Home Days is "Discovering Our Resourcefulness," a theme that will highlight many of the community's resourceful residents, groups and businesses.

"It just seemed natural," Lerch said.

As part of this year's event, the Coginchaug Area Transition group will hold several workshops and activities on Saturday, beginning with an introduction to the group at 1 p.m. CAT will also host seminars on organic gardening, recycling and "going green."

Old Home Days festivities are scheduled to begin on Friday evening with a kick-off picnic hosted by the Middlefield Lions Club. Food will be available at the Lions Pavilion from 5-7:30 p.m. and the local band Rock Slide will perform at 6 p.m.


Saturday's schedule begins with the Old Home Days parade which will step-off at 9:45 a.m. at Rogers Manufacturing in Rockfall and proceed down Main Street Middlefield to Peckham Park.

Regional School District 13 Superintendent Susan Viccaro, who will be leaving the district at the end of the month after 29 years, was chosen as this year's parade Grand Marshal.

"I was incredibly honored they asked me in recognition of my time as a teacher and administrator," Viccaro said.

Following the parade, an opening ceremony will be held at noon at the park.

Saturday's entertainment lineup features local acts CJ West and the Downtown Train and the Monthei Brothers, as well as a Middlefield-only talent show and performances from student actors involved in the recent John Lyman Parent Association production of Annie, Jr.

There will also be food and craft vendors, activities for kids and opportunities to learn more about the town of Middlefield.

"It's an opportunity to celebrate people coming home," added Lerch, who said in the past that people have returned to Middlefield from as far away as Oregon and Washington to celebrate Old Home Days. "It really is about coming home."

In addition to Saturday's activities, Triangle A Ranch has partnered with Old Home Days to showcase some of the activities now available at the working farm located on Jackson Hill Road including hay bailing, horse riding and animal branding.

A fireworks show, made possible by the generous donations from local residents and businesses, is scheduled for 9:30 p.m on Saturday.

This year's Old Home Days will be bitter-sweet for Lerch, who helped resurrect the popular event over a decade ago and has served as chairman of the Old Home Days committee for the past six events but will be stepping down this year.

"I'm stepping down after Saturday," said Lerch, adding "I could never have done this without our team. Never."

Complete Old Home Days schedules are available at Town Hall.