Exciting News from the Spirit

Celebrating Springfield's Biggest, Best and Brightest!

Many of you know that Independence Day is my favorite holiday. It is the day we all come together as citizens of this great nation. When Governor Charlie Baker said he was cancelling the state of emergency in June, we stepped into action. Calls were made and a plan was put into place to celebrate July 4^th in true Springfield style.

It is going to be a great night! Fireworks, music, food, and fun in Riverfront Park, or wherever you will enjoy the amazing fireworks display with your family and friends.

Thank you to all who will make it possible, most especially MassMutual, City of Springfield, WWLP-22News, Mix 93.1 FM, which will broadcast the music, and so many more!

-- Judy Matt

President

Star Spangled Springfield Back On!

Last month the Star Spangled Springfield festivities were being postponed. This month, they are back on the calendar for July 4, 2021, in Riverfront Park. After a year without fireworks, celebrations and festivals, Springfield’s Independence Day is sure to be a welcome site.

Sponsored by MassMutual, Star Spangled Springfield will include face painting, a balloon artist, musical performances by Falcetti Music and Maxxtone, and a dazzling display of fireworks from the Memorial Bridge. The fun and food vendors start at 6pm. Maxxtone makes music at 7:30pm, and the fireworks get launched at 9:30pm.

Fireworks will be dancing to a medley of patriotic, pop and classic musical selections broadcast in Riverfront Park and on Mix 93.1 FM.

Bring your picnic, blanket, folding chair, and your patriotic spirit to Star Spangled Springfield on July 4^th!

CDM-Smith to Defend 2020 Title

In 2020, CDM-Smith took home the Joe Superneau Award after bringing in the lowest score at the Spirit of Springfield Golf Classic. On Friday, July 16, 2021, they will be back at Franconia Golf Course to defend their title.

Many other foursomes are returning to show their support for the Spirit of Springfield. Gleason-Johndrow Landscaping has come in with two foursomes. Others include the Springfield Thunderbirds, DataBind, Siemens, WWLP-22News, VHB, and more.

For the first time, Eastman-Indian Orchard which has been donating a sleeve of golf balls for every player, will be competing in the shotgun scramble.

To support Springfield restaurants, every golfer will leave with a $25 gift card to have dinner at their leisure, compliments of the Springfield Business Improvement District sponsorship.

The morning will begin with the traditional Mayor's Cup, a friendly competition between local mayors, sponsored by Charlie Arment Trucking.

Register your foursome, sponsor a tee, or be a Community Spirit Sponsor like American Medical Response, Western Mass Economic Development Council, and the Springfield Business Improvement District.

Franconia Golf Course Gets Upgrades

Franconia Golf Course will open all 18 holes just in time for the Spirit of Springfield Golf Classic. The City of Springfield’s two golf courses received $1 million in upgrades. The City invested in bunkers with the latest technology.

Remediation work was done to improve drainage, sand bunkers received an application of polymer, sand and sod. Improvements were also made to the cart paths. Some of the same methods of improvement have been done at some of the country’s finest and most prestigious golf courses.

Bright Nights Bus Discount

For a limited time, the Spirit of Springfield is reducing Bright Nights at Forest Park’s admission fee for buses and minibuses. Buses (31+ seating capacity) with paid reservations by August 31, 2021, will be charged $150 instead of $175. Mini buses (17-30 seating capacity) will be charged $75 instead of $80.

The goal is to make Bright Nights at Forest Park less expensive for the group tour industry and encourage them to bring their passengers to Springfield to support local businesses.

Reservations can be made online at brightnights.org.

In this Issue

• Star Spangled Springfield Back On!

• CDM-Smith to Defend 2020 Title

• Franconia Golf Course Gets Upgrades

• Bright Nights Bus Discount

• Guest Column -

Chris Russell,

Springfield Business Improvement District

• Golf Classic Registration

Guest Column

Chris Russell,

Executive Director,

Springfield Business Improvement District

With the official kick-off of summer this past weekend, things are really heating up in Downtown Springfield and we’re very excited for this season and the opportunity to bring our community together again, support our businesses, and provide entertainment through our weekly events and programming.

First and foremost, thank you to Judy Matt and her team for their never-ending support for the City of Springfield. The city needs celebration now more than ever, and through their hard work, the annual Star Spangled Springfield will go on and be hosted on the Fourth of July at Riverfront Park.

Here at the Springfield BID, we are eager to make up for lost time and are providing weekly entertainment 4 days a week. Cruise Nights return to downtown at a new location, The Basketball Hall of Fame, Mondays beginning June 7^th 4pm – 7pm. The Live @ 5 Music Series continues to rotate through our downtown restaurants with local musicians performing every Wednesday. Thursday nights have always belonged to live music here in downtown, we’re very excited to bring a new concert series to Court Square with favorites such as Trailer Trash, Unforgettable Fire, Darik and The Funbags, and more. We then end the week with our 6^th Annual Downtown Springfield Farmers Market on Duryea Way, every Friday from 11am – 4pm.

I am very proud of our community and the efforts we’ve taken to get to this point. As we continue along this positive path, we’re very excited to see people return to doing the things they love in downtown Springfield.

Stay up to date on everything downtown, and visit springfielddowntown.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Friday, July 16th

FRANCONIA GOLF COURSE

$150 PER PLAYER

$200 TEE SPONSOR

$2,500 COMMUNITY SPIRIT SPONSOR

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

2021

Star Spangled Springfield

Sunday, July 4th

6pm to 10pm

9:30pm - Fireworks

Riverfront Park