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By Caitie Van Dore
Hometown Weekly Correspondent
After a long week of cold and rain, the weather warmed up just in time for Walpole’s last Main Street Live event of the year last Friday night. Now in its fourth year, Main Street Live is a collaborative event running from July to mid-September, involving local businesses and live music in downtown Walpole.
On the finale evening, things were as festive and bustling as could be. Even at 8 p.m., with the crescent moon high in the sky, people were still arriving. People milled around Main Street shops open late, but the main event was on the town green, which was dotted with colorfully striped tents. There, children young and old ran around, laughing in the warm September night, while adults congregated around picnic tables, talking and enjoying the musical performances on center stage.
“We’ve come every year so far,” one woman said as she pointed out her young son playing soccer across the way and her teenage daughter chatting with friends nearby. “It’s something the whole family enjoys.”
The bulk of the crowd stood before the stage, where technicolor lights illuminated local musical talent, playing classic rock hits as well as their own original music. New this year, a small fleet of food trucks lined one edge of the green, peddling everything from ice cream to fried fish. Even at the late hour, people were still lining up to have a taste of what was on offer.
A few businesses set up shop on the green itself, as well, though they didn’t last the whole night. “We completely sold out,” one local business owner cheerfully divulged as he packed up his empty trays. “Every year, it’s been busier than the last.”
A few local establishments even provided something for those sad Main Street Live is ending, with signage for community events later in the fall.
From the music on the hill to the bustling business and restaurants below, everything was bursting with music, laughter, and celebration. Truly, this was Main Street come to life - rightfully earning this yearly event its name of Main Street Live.
Photo by Maria LaRose
