Tag: Doug Freeman

  • Ventriloquist Kevin Driscoll Features at Amazing Things Comedy Night

    Ventriloquist Kevin Driscoll Features at Amazing Things Comedy Night

    Kevin Driscoll, Ventriloquist, Framingham MA
    Ventriloquist Kevin Driscoll featured in Amazing Things comedy show October 2nd, 2013.

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – One of the Boston area’s top ventriloquists, Kevin Driscoll, returns to his hometown, (Framingham), to headline a night of fun, comedy, music and laughs at the Amazing Comedy MIQUE Show at Amazing Things Arts Center in Downtown Framingham, Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013 at 7:30pm.

    Driscoll, a techie by day, is General Manager of 1stWorks Corporation, a virtual internet company where he spends ten to twelve hours a day monitoring multiple online systems, (Kevin formerly held executive positions at Carlson Technologies, Microsystems Software and at Digital Equipment Corporation “DEC”).

    An accomplished musician, (and Berklee College of Music alum), nights (more…)

  • Flag Day Festival Invitation

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – The Framingham Celebration Committee, organizers of the successful Framingham Flag Day Festival last weekend, is holding its annual meeting on Monday, June 26th at 7PM in the Ablondi Room at the Memorial Building. Light refreshments will be served. They will be electing Board members and officers at that time.

    They are extending an open invitation to the public to participate in the meeting and provide feedback on the Festival. Many people have expressed ideas on how the Festival might be organized in the coming years. This meeting is your opportunity to give them your thoughts, even if you don’t want to participate as a Board member.

    Please join them at 7PM on Monday June 26th in the Ablondi room at the Memorial Building. Enjoy refreshments and conversations about the Flag Day Festival of today and dreams about the Flag Day festival of tomorrow.

    For information, contact: Doug Freeman, Chair of the Framingham Celebration Committee, 508-879-6394 or freeman_doug@yahoo.com

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  • Festival to Replace Parade

    FRAMINGHAM, MA –The Framingham Celebration Committee announced that it is planning to change Framingham’s annual Flag Day Celebration this year. In a meeting of Celebration Committee board members it was voted that for 2006 the committee would hold a Flag Day Festival in place of the usual parade down Concord Street and up Union Avenue.

    This year, the organizers of Flag Day Celebrations are planning a Flag Day Festival event in June to be held on the grounds of Tercentennial Park. The culmination of the event will be a Flag Day Procession that includes the traditional participation of Veterans groups, patriotic marchers and marching bands, much like the parade has in years past. “The Flag Day Festival event will allow us to continue the tradition of celebrating Flag Day in Framingham,” said Doug Freeman, the committee’s chairman. The free event will feature band concerts, classic cars, dealers, an outdoor flea market and craft show as well as food and entertainment.

    The Flag Day Festival and the Flag Day Procession will be held on the date the parade would have originally been scheduled, Sunday, June 11th. The Procession will begin at 2PM that Sunday and end its march at Cushing Chapel on the grounds of Tercentennial Park. It will include marching bands playing patriotic music, veterans groups, community groups and will be immediately followed by the traditional flag retirement ceremony run by the Framingham Veterans Council.

    Doug Freeman, the Celebration Committee’s chairman said, “We regret the fact that the traditional parade will not be held this year.” Freeman stated that the parade has experienced dwindling attendance in the last few years and he pointed out that the level of volunteers the last few years has also been waning. In addition Freeman said “the parade route through downtown Framingham creates a traffic nightmare for police.”

    Fundraising for the traditional parade has been off in the past few years he said, “Givers have had increased demands put on them and we’ve seen reduced donations as they try to satisfy all the requests they are getting.”

    “We hope people come to the Flag Day Festival on June 11th; we see it as a transitional event that will allow us to celebrate Flag Day and continue the Celebration Committee’s mission.”

    Freeman hopes the Flag Day Festival format sets the stage to change the tradition of Flag Day Celebrations into a different kind of patriotic event.

    The committee had hopes of keeping the parade going this year being the 20th year of Celebrating Flag Day in Framingham but it was time to change the celebration into something different. “We have talked for a number of years about turning the parade into a patriotic family day like the Flag Day Festival.” Freeman said. “But we have never been able to afford both a festival and the parade,” he added. “This year we have finally made our choice,” he said.

    As to those that have always supported the parade, Freeman said the committee still needs money to run the festival. Freeman said, “The timing is short and those that have already given toward the parade or pledged a donation have our gratitude.”

    The traditional parade usually costs about $25,000 but this year’s festival should be a more modest, making the it easier to raise the necessary funds according to Freeman. “Last year we just made our fundraising goal, we don’t want to have that problem again,” said Freeman.

    The Flag Day Festival event will feature some of the bands that were originally intended to march in the parade. “It should be a fun event for people to attend, bring the kids,” said Freeman.

    There will be food and drink available but people are also encouraged to pack a picnic. People that have old or tattered flags that need to be disposed of in a proper, respectful way should plan to bring them to the event for the flag retirement ceremony at the conclusion of the Flag Day Festival on Sunday.

    Contributions can be sent to: Framingham Celebration Committee, 475 Union Ave., Framingham, MA 01702. For further information, call Doug Freeman at 508-879-6394.

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  • Flag Day Grand Marshal’s Supper on Sunday, May 22

    FRAMINGHAM, MA — On Sunday, May 22 the Framingham Celebration Committee is holding its annual Marshal’s Supper to support the Flag Day Parade.

    The supper will be held this Sunday at the Nobscot Cafe from 5:00-7:30PM.

    All are invited to attend and hear details of this year’s Flag Day festivities. Great food will be provided as part of the Italian buffet put on by Nobscot Cafe’s excellent kitchen staff at this all-you-can-eat event. The cost of the meal is $13.00.

    All proceeds will go toward the 2005 Flag Day Parade which is being held on Sunday June 12th. The theme of this year’s parade is “Honoring returning veterans: then and now”.

    The food will be available starting at 5:00PM. We hope to see you there to support the parade. The Framingham Celebration Committee, Inc is a non-profit, all volunteer organization working to produce the annual Flag Day festivities in the Town of Framingham. Please consider joining the committee for the supper or in supporting the parade directly with a donation.

    Please contact Doug Freeman (508 879-6394) for further information or to make a donation.

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  • Flag Day is Coming! Flag Day is Coming!

    FRAMINGHAM, MA – Flag Day is Coming: If you would like to help out with the Framingham Flag Day Parade or the fundraising events, like Pasta Night, call Doug Freeman, 508-879-6394, or Ben Lineback at 508-405-4111.