Planning underway for Shelburne signature summer event

Planning has begun by the volunteer Shelburne Events Committee for a signature event to be held on historic Dock Street in Shelburne this summer.

“We're at the very beginning stages,” says Val Kean, who volunteers on the committee and also works as the Community Development Coordinator for the Municipality of Shelburne.

The events committee came together last fall to help plan a Miracle on Dock Street event. “After receiving such wonderful feedback from that event, we kind of built on that momentum and started discussing planning or developing a summer event,” says Kean.

The committee is seeking community input into the planning and development of the event through a short survey on social media.

“It's a very short survey with a couple of questions with lots of space for general comments for what people would like to see in the event, what elements and whether they would participate, volunteer, donate, that kind of thing," Kean says. "There's also a question regarding possible names for the event."

REVAMP OF EVENT

Brendan Pippy, who also volunteers on the committee, says the event will likely be a revamp of Shelburne Founders Days.

“Since we've been without Founders Days for the last couple of years, it's left something to be desired by the people who live in this area so this project may revamp what used to be, bring more dynamics, modernize it a little bit. We want to keep some familiarity, but also want to refresh it,” he says

“It's still broad,” says Kean. “We don't know what the event is going to be yet. That's why we went out to the community for input.”

Kean says the committee is looking at a weekend event with a focus on a Saturday, but are open to a Friday night kind of draw.

“We also want to make sure everybody in the community is benefiting so we are encouraging organizations and businesses to do something that supports or enhances that event during the weekend as well,” Kean says.

MORE FOCUS

Pippy, who is president of the Shelburne Farmers Market board of directors, says the weekly market will play a part in the event on Sunday, adding the events committee will be organizing complimentarily attractions around that day as well just to bring “more focus to the waterfront, more focus to the event and more reasons for people to do their homecoming that weekend.”

Pippy says the committee has been getting good community feedback to their survey.

“It hasn't even been a day yet and there's a lot of submissions coming in.”

The committee will likely leave the survey live for several weeks, says Kean. “By mid-spring we're going to have start branding and advertising for the event so the faster we're getting feedback the better.”

Kean says the committee is excited to do be doing this and look forward to partnering with the different organizations, businesses and individuals in town to bring some community spirit and summer fun to the area.