Everyone who comes is asked to bring a nonperishable food item for the Survival Center of Indian Orchard.
At last year's Celebrate Ludlow event, Kara Smith and Daniel Loranger of Ludlow man the booth for VFW Post 3236. LUDLOW -- Celebrate Ludlow is like a family reunion, organizer Denise Zrakas said.
“Everybody knows everybody. Celebrate Ludlow is a meeting place. It’s very fun.”
Celebrate Ludlow will be held Saturday, July 28 from 3:30 p.m. until midnight at the Ludlow Fish and Game Club on Sportsmans Road.
There is no admission fee. There is handicapped parking at the site and shuttle buses run by Peter Pan bus lines leaving from Ludlow Town Hall and Ludlow High School.
This year Zrakas said everybody is asked to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the Survival Center of Indian Orchard.
For the first time there will be a Zumba dance performance by Allegra’s, a new business coming to Center Street.
Teen bands will be showcased, including Earth Bound and In Numbers.
Other bands which will perform are the Ludlow affiliated bands the Lisa Martin band and Jacob’s Ladder.
There will be fireworks around 9 p.m.
There are various sites around town from which residents watch the fireworks including Randall’s on Center Street, the schools on Chapin Street and other sites on East Street, Zrakas said.
After the fireworks there will be another band: Lobsterz from Marz.
This year there is a kiddie land area for the first time including carnival games for children, sack races, pony races and balloon making and face painting by the Shriners.
Forest Park Zoo will bring its Zoo on the Go and there will be a Roaming Railroad train.
There also will be inflatable bounce houses for children.
For older children there will be a rock wall to climb and a backyard obstacle course.
Non-profit groups in Ludlow sell food for the event. Food this year includes sausage and meatball grinders and Portuguese bifanas.
There are also mozzarella sticks, nachos and cheese, strawberry shortcake and candy and novelties.
There also will be informational booths by Ludlow CARES, a community group which fights alcohol and drug abuse, the Ludlow Lions Club and an Alzheimer’s Awareness Group.
The first Celebrate Ludlow was held in 1999 to celebrate the town’s 225th anniversary. It has continued to grow and become an event that everybody in town looks forward to, Zrakas said.