There will be a New Year’s Eve family-friendly celebration along the Cochituate Rail Trail this Sunday, December 31, from 4:30 to 7:30 pm. Fire pits hosted by community groups with booths and displays will be set up along Framingham’s portion of the trail from the start of the trail in Saxonville at School Street to the Framingham/Natick line.
“Join your neighbors for a walk along the trail, and enjoy hot cocoa, s’mores, music, and fun,” according to the Facebook event page . “Visit various tents with fire pits, games, and activities. A free family friendly event. No alcohol allowed. This is a carry in, carry out event. Please keep the trail beautiful and do not litter. Special thank you to our sponsor MutualOne Bank.”
And some great weather news: There’s no rain in the forecast either Sunday or Monday as we ring in 2024, unlike the steady rain we had last year (and this morning).
Zippity Do Dog plans to be open during the celebration, too, for those who would like to order a hot dog, hamburger, sausage, or chili right along the trail. Their menu also shows veggie burgers and grilled cheese for those who don’t eat meat. Or, local spots like Pizza Wagon (right by the trail head) and Casa Del Taco (a short walk up Concord Street) are close by, with other Saxonville favorites like Saxonville Burrito a slightly longer but still easily doable walk away. Note that the Saxonville Mills Cafe usually closes at 5 pm on Sundays.
Parking will be available in three locations: the 2 School Street lot in Saxonville across from the start of the trail, the parking lot at 500 Old Connecticut Path, and at the TJX lot (use the Speen Street entrance).
For those wanting to extend their fun, Natick, which has been running a similar event since 2021, will have stations along the trail from Beacon Street to Chrysler Road. More info: https://www.friendsofnaticktrails.org/crtnye . This year people attending the Natick event wishing to park there are asked to use the Mechanic Street lot off North Main Street or where street parking is allowed but not on Bacon Street.
“We had about 2,000 people the first year, and last year we had about half that, due to heavy rain,” Friends of Natick Trails board member Josh Ostroff told the MetroWest Daily News. “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.” Looks like that’s going to happen!
On New Year’s Day, Keep Framingham Beautiful will be hosting a Rail Trail and Saxonville area cleanup Monday starting at 10:30 am at the School Street trail entrance.
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