Natick Days Festival May Still Happen In 2021

NATICK, MA — This is an indication about how quickly the coronavirus situation has changed in Massachusetts with the arrival of warm weather and an increased supply of vaccines.

In early April, Recreation and Parks Director Karen Partanen informed the Natick Select Board the 2021 Natick Days festival wouldn't happen — a decision made with "an abundance of thought and consideration for the community at large" after the devastating second wave of the pandemic.

Fast forward to last week, Partanen hosted a gathering for vendors interested in participating in a 2021 Natick Days festival. The event can still happen this year if organizers can meet several milestones, she said.

The festival would need to gather 70 vendors and 10 underwriters by Aug. 1. If that happens and the town can get all those vendors certified to participate by Aug. 17, Natick Days 2021 will be able to happen the weekend of Sept. 11.

The parks and recreation department starting hosting the annual Natick Days festival in the late 1990s. The event, held downtown and on the common, usually features food, games, entertainment and presentations by various service organizations around town.

"It's a Natick tradition that highlights the work of the service organizations and volunteers that make the town of Natick such a great place to live, work and play," Partanen said.