(Dec. 24, 2015) The Town of Berlin and Berlin Chamber of Commerce are looking ahead to 2016 and last week released a detailed events calendar with more than two-dozen entries.
Chamber events start in April, with the Spring Celebration set for Saturday, April 9.
Spring Cruisers will return on Saturday, May 21, followed by the Jazz & Blues Bash on Saturday, June 4.
The Berlin Chamber will host the Bathtub Races on Friday, July 15. The Fiddler’s Convention will return Sept. 23-25, and Fall Cruisers will close out the year on Saturday, Oct. 8.
Chamber Administrator Morgan Coulson said the organization achieved a “new level of stability” in 2015.
“As we look towards upcoming events in the New Year, we are excited to use what we’ve learned in 2015 to make them more exciting, bigger and more well-attended than ever,” she said. “We’ve already begun brainstorming ideas that we think will bring more hype to the already ‘coolest’ small town.
“These events have been longstanding, and it’s our endeavor to make them the best they can be,” Coulson continued. “It benefits all of us – the visitors and most importantly the businesses in our area.”
Coulson added that an increased presence on social media has helped event growth and that the chamber hopes to add a bigger variety of vendors during events in 2016.
Town events start with the Little League Parade on Saturday, April 9, and Take Pride in Berlin Week, April 16-23.
MayDay PlayDay will return on Friday, May 13, and the annual Memorial Day Parade will march down Flower Street on Monday, May 30.
Berlin Mayor Gee Williams will look to keep his crown during the 2016 High Heel Race, Friday, June 3, and a Concert on the Lawn series will start at the Taylor House Museum on Sunday, June 12, with additional dates planned for Sunday, July 10, Sunday, Aug. 14 and Sunday, Sept. 11.
The town will host an Independence Day fireworks celebration on Sunday, July 3, at Berlin Falls, and the Peach Festival and Heritage Fair, along with the Little Miss and Little Mister Peach Pageant, will be held on Saturday, Aug. 6.
Also in Berlin, the Jeep Jam runs Aug. 18-20, Brown Box Theatre hosts Shakespeare on Main Street Sunday, Sept. 4, and the Worcester County Arts Council sponsors Paint Berlin, Sept. 22-24.
This year’s Octoberfest is set for Saturday, Oct. 15, and will include “more varieties of craft beer,” according to Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells.
Holiday events include Holiday Arts Night and Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 25, the Christmas parade on Wednesday, Dec. 1, and a New Year’s Eve celebration on Saturday, Dec. 31.
While Wells said she did not necessarily want to make town events “bigger and better” in 2016, she said the town was definitely looking to add more live music.
“Our events are pretty large, and if they get any bigger they won’t be as fun. You get to a point where an event could be too large,” she said. “Hopefully we can get some of the shops to stay open later during some of the evening events, and we’d like to see more artists involved.”
For more information on town events visit www.berlinmainstreet.com. For chamber events, visit www.berlinchamber.org.
Chamber events start in April, with the Spring Celebration set for Saturday, April 9.
Spring Cruisers will return on Saturday, May 21, followed by the Jazz & Blues Bash on Saturday, June 4.
The Berlin Chamber will host the Bathtub Races on Friday, July 15. The Fiddler’s Convention will return Sept. 23-25, and Fall Cruisers will close out the year on Saturday, Oct. 8.
Chamber Administrator Morgan Coulson said the organization achieved a “new level of stability” in 2015.
“As we look towards upcoming events in the New Year, we are excited to use what we’ve learned in 2015 to make them more exciting, bigger and more well-attended than ever,” she said. “We’ve already begun brainstorming ideas that we think will bring more hype to the already ‘coolest’ small town.
“These events have been longstanding, and it’s our endeavor to make them the best they can be,” Coulson continued. “It benefits all of us – the visitors and most importantly the businesses in our area.”
Coulson added that an increased presence on social media has helped event growth and that the chamber hopes to add a bigger variety of vendors during events in 2016.
Town events start with the Little League Parade on Saturday, April 9, and Take Pride in Berlin Week, April 16-23.
MayDay PlayDay will return on Friday, May 13, and the annual Memorial Day Parade will march down Flower Street on Monday, May 30.
Berlin Mayor Gee Williams will look to keep his crown during the 2016 High Heel Race, Friday, June 3, and a Concert on the Lawn series will start at the Taylor House Museum on Sunday, June 12, with additional dates planned for Sunday, July 10, Sunday, Aug. 14 and Sunday, Sept. 11.
The town will host an Independence Day fireworks celebration on Sunday, July 3, at Berlin Falls, and the Peach Festival and Heritage Fair, along with the Little Miss and Little Mister Peach Pageant, will be held on Saturday, Aug. 6.
Also in Berlin, the Jeep Jam runs Aug. 18-20, Brown Box Theatre hosts Shakespeare on Main Street Sunday, Sept. 4, and the Worcester County Arts Council sponsors Paint Berlin, Sept. 22-24.
This year’s Octoberfest is set for Saturday, Oct. 15, and will include “more varieties of craft beer,” according to Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells.
Holiday events include Holiday Arts Night and Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 25, the Christmas parade on Wednesday, Dec. 1, and a New Year’s Eve celebration on Saturday, Dec. 31.
While Wells said she did not necessarily want to make town events “bigger and better” in 2016, she said the town was definitely looking to add more live music.
“Our events are pretty large, and if they get any bigger they won’t be as fun. You get to a point where an event could be too large,” she said. “Hopefully we can get some of the shops to stay open later during some of the evening events, and we’d like to see more artists involved.”
For more information on town events visit www.berlinmainstreet.com. For chamber events, visit www.berlinchamber.org.