Gardner’s Birthday June 24, 2023

Gardner 238th Birthday copy

Gardner MA Big Birthday Celebration on Saturday June 24, 2023

COMPLETE DETAILS – Jump to Section
Downtown Gardner – the Various Events
The Music
The Fireworks —- Parking Info
The Art

The City of Gardner is celebrating its 238th birthday and its CENTENNIAL as a City. Events include: Small Business Saturday throughout the City and Downtown, Fireworks at Dusk, Concert Downtown from 2-4pm Concert in Monument Park at 6pm with Viva Las Elvis and a concert at the site of the Fireworks sponsored by the Lithuanian Club featuring Whiskey Johnson

Downtown Gardner Complete Information

Downtown Celebrates June 24 2023

Gardner Square Two kindly provided us with the details of all of the goings on and we are sharing this entire schedule with you. CLICK HERE.

Downtown Gardner Celebrates

Where: Downtown Gardner on Parker, Pleasant, and Main Streets plus merchants on Central, West Lynde, and Connors Streets.

Event is FREE, Family Friendly, and Open to the Public. Everyone is welcome! And you can see how great Downtown Gardner looks…

Celebration at a Glance
Downtown Shops have inside and outside specials and promotions including Hoola Hoop Party by Witches Wardrobe. The Velvet Goose and John’s Sport Shop will offer top quality merchandise.
Fun for Kids: Kids Center includes games, inflatables, costume characters, selfie station, and face painting.
Local Non-profits provide information – includes Gardner CAC collecting jars of peanut butter.
Restaurants please hungry customers including Free Cupcakes from the Parker House of Pizza
Food Trucks satisfy comfort food desires – TBD
Art in full Force: Crafters Display their wares – also GES student art displayed in Downtown business windows – Pottery Throwing Demonstration – Paint a Ceramic Tile for Free
Vendors offer merchandise – Check out the selection.
Performances are Scheduled by the Wolfshager Hexenbrut Witch Dance Group, The Super Natural All Stars Cheerleaders, and a masterful performance by a 21 piece brass band – the Bridgewater Antiphonal Brass Band doing American Marches, Patriotic favorites, Armed Forces songs performing from 2-4pm at the center of Downtown Viva Las Elvis performs at Monument Park at 6pm
Demonstrations Take Place- meet the WooSox Mascots and Win Prizes! – Gardner PD offering hands-on impaired driving demonstration (a big hit last year!) Meet K-9 Rocky – Reptiles Shows of New England brings live animals.
Bridgewater Antiphonal Brass Society 1200
Bridgewater Antiphonal Brass Band Performance – an iconic 21 piece brass band performs from 2 to 4pm

The Music – Complete Information

In addition, there’s entertainment the night before at the PACC, with a Cruise Night and their Friday Night Band – Perfect Alibi (Complete Schedule)

Bridgewater Antiphonal Brass Society 1200

Bridgewater Antiphonal Brass Band playing in Downtown Gardner from 2 to 4pm

viva las elvis 1200

Viva Las Elvis playing at Monument Park at 6pm (band website shows 5pm so we’ll need to confirm time) Website

whiskeyjohnson-truck-1200

Whiskey Johnson Playing at the Lithuanian Club 7-11pm

This occurs during the Fireworks celebration which is at after dusk.

whiskey johnson band

From the band – “Whiskey Johnson is a band that plays a variety of music from the 70’s to the present.”

Fireworks – Complete Information

Fireworks June 24 2023 2

Celebrating the 4th of July, the 238th year since Gardner was incorporated as a town, the City’s Centennial as a City.

Fireworks at Dusk

Event is FREE, Family Friendly, and Open to the Public. Everyone is welcome! Shuttle buses will be bringing people to and from parking at the Gardner Airport. (no parking on Route 2A)

The Gardner Fireworks Display begins at DUSK on Saturday June 24, 2023 at the Polish American Citizens Club (Rain Date is June 25th at dusk)

Fireworks at a Glance
Fabulous Fireworks Display at Dusk
Featuring Food Trucks at the PACC
Featuring Raffles including on great artwork from GALA
Featuring various vendors
Music Entertainment featuring Whiskey Johnson

The Kendall Pond Betterment Association and the Gardner League of Artists hosted outdoor painting sessions around Kendall Pond until June 2023. Artists created works based on views around the pond and a mini art show with all works for sale and awards will be held on June 24, 2023

Fireworks Event is sponsored and supported by the City of Gardner, the Kendall Pond Betterment Association, The Lithuanian Outing Association, The Polish American Citizens Club, and various local business donations. Donations are still accepted and corporate sponsorships for the 2024 Fireworks are available. Visit this secure site, CLICK HERE.

Art at the Fireworks

Kendall Pond Art 2
Kendall Pond Art 4

20 GALA Artists Participated in Year-Long Gardner MA Painting Contest

Artwork to be sold at Fireworks this year…

In a partnership with the Kendall Pond Betterment Association begun last year, the GALA artists were asked to paint, photograph, and otherwise portray Kendall Pond by visiting the pond during the 4 seasons. This culminates in a display of the artwork during the Saturday June 24, 2023 festivities at the PACC. Prizes will go to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places and two honorable mentions.

The 1st place winner will be auctioned off to the public with the winning bid split between the artist and KPBA. All of the other artwork will be on sale with the proceeds split between the artists and KPBA. Art from a second contest will also be sold with the same split – in this case the artists were given a mystery box of organic materials with some paint and asked to create a picture.

To participate in the auction, place bids at the GALA booth during the fireworks festivities. To buy the art, come to the event. Photographs are just a small sampling of the art at the event. Click on any image for larger view.

Kendall Pond Art 1
Kendall Pond Art 3
Kendall Pond Art 5
Kendall Pond Art 6
Kendall Pond Art 7
Kendall Pond Art 8

Fireworks Parking Restrictions: Posted by Gardner Police Department “There will be parking restrictions in place for the upcoming Fireworks at the PACC on Saturday June 24, 2023. Areas that will be posted as no parking are: Both Sides of 2A (West Broadway) near Airport Rd. This is a highway and marked with no parking. There are new sidewalks between the PACC and Airport Rd on the east bound side of 2A, there is no parking on sidewalks at any time. North Side of Mohawk Dr – South Side of Snake Pond Rd -Entire Length of the West Side of Airport Rd – These areas will be clearly marked as no parking with no parking signage. If vehicles are parked in no parking areas, they will be towed. These restrictions are for public safety to allow safe passage of vehicles and pedestrians. The Gardner PD appreciates everyone’s anticipated compliance with these restrictions to make it a safe and fun event.”