Need New Years Eve plans? Cochituate Rail Trail adding Framingham to community event
FRAMINGHAM — A newly created community group is seeking to piggyback onto a New Year's Eve tradition that's been in place in other nearby communities.
The Friends of Framingham Trails was founded earlier this year by residents Ron Chick and Mary Kate Feeney, along with District 7 City Councilor Leora Mallach. The group was created with the goal with enhancing and promoting the city's trails and bikeways, and convincing more residents to invest in these assets.
On New Year's Eve, the Friends are hosting an event on the Cochituate Rail Trail, for which they are looking for community members and groups to occupy stalls that will be set up on the trail. The Daily News offers a look at this new event and how residents can participate.
Who are the Friends of Framingham Trails?
Mallach said the Friends were formed earlier this year, and are focused on "advocacy for the trails of Framingham."
"We are not fully set up yet, but eventually we are going to be doing fundraising and applying for grants to support the network of trails in Framingham," she told the Daily News. "We have ambitious plans to set up an interactive website with maps, we've organized walks this year to try and get people to explore some of the lesser-known trails in Framingham — it is about promoting this community asset we have."
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For New Year's Eve, the group is seeking out groups and individuals who would be interested in renting out a stall on the Cochituate Rail Trail. Any type of Framingham group is welcome, from other community groups and organizations, to nonprofits, Scout troops, local families and small businesses.
What's happening on New Year's Eve?
Friends of Framingham Trails is hoping to have about 16 stalls. Vendors, who are being requested to bring lighting and a fire pit for their stations, will get a chance to provide information about their organization. Suggested activities include serving hot chocolate, s'mores and yard games such as cornhole.
"It's an opportunity for community groups to come and hang out and host their own event," Mallach said. "It's really for anybody who is looking for a chance to gather their friends."
Where on the trail will these stations be located?
Stalls will be on the Cochituate Rail Trail in close proximity to one another. They can be found from the Natick line to the trail's intersection with School Street in Framingham.
They will be located not too far from a similar event on the trail in Natick. The town has been running its event since 2021, and was part of the inspiration for Framingham's plans, Mallach said. Natick stalls will run from the portion of the trail from Beacon Street to Chrysler Road, near the Avalon Natick apartment complex.
"I think it's really exciting the way that it is growing," Mallach said. "Natick has been a tremendous help sharing resources, we are really learning this as we go."
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Friends of Natick Trails board member Josh Ostroff said the inspiration for Natick's event came from Holliston, which has done something similar for 10 years.
"My wife and I had attended the event in Holliston, and we were so impressed and it was something I wanted to do in Natick," said Ostroff, a former Natick Select Board member. "We anticipate having around 20 stalls, and it's a great community event. In Natick we don't have any real local First Night events, so this is a free, family-friendly event."
When will it take place?
The event is scheduled for 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31. It will be take place no matter the weather, as Natick learned last year when heavy rains threatened to dampen the night.
"We had about 2,000 people the first year, and last year we had about half that, due to heavy rain," Ostroff said. "We still had a great time and we know the risks in running an event outside at this time of year. We are hoping for good weather this year."
What do the Friends hope to accomplish?
The goal of the event is too give local groups a chance to promote themselves to the public while also getting residents more familiar with the trail.
Mallach said the event is focused on giving the community an outdoor event on New Year's Eve.
"This is about sharing and enjoying this community resource, and hosting a safe community event outdoors that is fun for the entire community," she said. "It's an opportunity for people to get together with their friends on New Year's Eve and host and outdoor event."
Interested parties can find an application to the event on the Friends of Framingham Trails Facebook page if they would like to host a stall. Mallach said that some applicants so far include a local family and a Framingham neighborhood group. The stalls are provided free of charge, and firewood and water will be provided for each stall. Interested parties in Natick can fill out an application at friendsofnaticktrails.org.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Cohituate Rail Trail New Years Eve event to promote bike path
