Celebrate Ludlow Committee sets date for 2013, considers rain date after last year's washout

This year the town-wide celebration was called off due to torrential rain, thunder and lightning.

07.28.2012 | LUDLOW -- Rampant rainwaters caused pavilion of the Ludlow Fish and Game Club to be flooded at what was supposed to be the Celebrate Ludlow event. Wyatt Aloisio photo

LUDLOW – The 2013 Celebrate Ludlow celebration has been set for July 27, 2013, and members of the Celebrate Ludlow Committee are considering whether they should schedule a rain date as well.

In other years, the committee has declined to schedule rain dates, partly because the cost would be higher if vendors committed for two dates, Selectman Aaron Saunders said.

This year the town-wide celebration was called off due to torrential rain, thunder and lightning. Saunders said there was also flooding on the grounds of the Ludlow Fish and Game Club, where the event is held.

“It was absolutely the right decision to cancel the event,” he said.

Saunders said many booster clubs in town rely on the event as their major fund-raiser, which is one reason the committee is considering whether to plan a rain date for next year.

The annual town-wide celebration, which includes fireworks, is funded through a small appropriation by Town Meeting members and many donations from town businesses and private individuals.

This year the funding approved by Town Meeting members for the event was $5,000. That appropriation can be carried over to fund next year’s event. There is an additional $12,000 still available from private donors, and so far no one has accepted an offer to have their donations returned.

That money also can go to fund next year’s event.

Selectman William Rooney said that several years ago he canceled the event as chairman of the committee because of forecasts of heavy rain. Rooney said the silver lining is that townspeople really looked forward to the event the next year.

Celebrate Ludlow began in 2000 following the town’s 225th anniversary.

Organizers decided to hold the event in the middle of the summer rather than compete with other July Fourth celebrations in the area.