This Week's Winchendon News
Excitement Builds for All-Day Montapalooza Music Festival This Weekend in Winchendon Community Park
Kilroy
Photo courtesy of Montapalooza
Seth Newton
Photo courtesy of Montapalooza
This Saturday, May 30, from 12:00 noon until 9:00 p.m., Winchendon Community Park will host the first day-long Montapalooza Music Festival, with two stages offering non-stop musical performances. Also on hand will be food trucks, local vendors and even a commemorative t-shirt created by local business Patriot Designs.
The Courier reached out to festival organizer Dani Cutler to find out more about this ambitious musical extravaganza.
"Last fall I was meeting with Montachusett TV, and talking about the Park and Amphitheater," Ms. Cutler explained. "The backdrop with the pond reminded me of a music festival I promoted with the radio station I worked for in Arizona, Apache Lake Music Festival. I have always wanted to put together a festival that showcased independent music from the area (I received the moniker 'Scene Mom' from my indie radio days in AZ.) The timing never worked out in Arizona, and then we moved here in 2023.
"I mentioned I wanted it to be a sort of Lollapalooza-type event (which takes place in Chicago), and one of the guys said 'Montapalooza' [from the Montachusett region of North Central Mass, natch!]. And the festival was born.
"After that I connected with my friend Franco O'Malley from Sound Bites Events and we started on curating music (they are running the Sun Stage). [Winchendon Parks & Recreation] jumped on board as a partner and that made our organizing team. I'm very grateful for all of them!" Winchendon people may know Sound Bites Events from various performances at the The HUB at 5 Summer Drive.
Ms. Cutler said the festival aims to showcase different types of music from all over New England. There will be a mixture of rock, funk and blues. "We have artists coming from Boston (The Far Out and Hotel Saturn), Connecticut (Joey Wit), Keene NH (Kilroy) as well as several artists from right here in the area. Each has a distinct style but all are tons of fun to listen to," she said. Winchendon fans have heard Kilroy, a psychedelic/alt rock band from Keene, NH, play here at local events such as Winchenstock 2021 and Founders Day 2023.
Ms. Cutler added, "There will be two stages, the Water Stage (Amphitheater) and the Sun Stage (acoustic) which I believe will be set up on the opposite side of the amphitheater in the grass past the vendors."
Although there will be vendor tables and food (it wouldn't be a Winchendon event without them!), Ms. Cutler said, "Being our first year, we wanted to make the main focus music and art vendors. There is a ton of space for kids to run around, and thanks to Winchendon Cultural Council we were able to keep the ticket costs low ($20 in advance, $25 at the gate) so families can come and enjoy the day (12 and under are free)."
What she really wants people to know, Ms. Cutler said, is that "Our goal is to celebrate the amazing independent musicians in New England, and also put a spotlight on our magnificent Community Park and Amphitheater. It might be located in Winchendon, but it's there for all in the region and state to use and enjoy. This is a community-focused event that we only want to see grow each year."
What about people who might not be sure this event is their thing, the Courier asked? Ms. Cutler said, "If you love music (or discovering new music), art, supporting small business and being a part of your community, this festival is for you. Bring your chairs, blankets, and prepare for a day hanging out in the park. Music is a connector."
Ms. Cutler added, "I want to thank our Sponsors--without them and the Mass Cultural Council this wouldn't be possible: Party Tents and Events, Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce, Airmid Vibrations, Wachusett Mountain, GFACU, Shaely O'Dou, and Old Growth Co-Op.
"Gates open at 11:00 a.m. Parking will be in the soccer field when you first enter the park. The paved lot will be for accessible parking, ride share and drop-off/pick up only. There will be overflow parking at Murdock High School with shuttles starting at 2:00 p.m. and running every 10 minutes.
"Also we are very aware of the weather system coming through late Friday. As of now it is expected to sprinkle Saturday morning, and clear up by noon. We do not expect to use our rain date of Sunday, but please watch our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/montapalooza) for updates. It will be cool though, so dress accordingly. We New Englanders know how to handle it! We cannot wait to see you Saturday!"
Full information about the schedule, and the parameters for parking and what to bring (and what not to--coolers and outside food are not allowed on-site) can be found on the Facebook page above. Advance tickets may be purchased at https://www.eventeny.com/events/montapalooza-27237/. Tickets will also be sold at the gate.
https://montapalooza.com/
https://www.facebook.com/montapalooza
https://www.instagram.com/montapalooza.ma
Beals Summer Reading Club Kicks Off Eight Weeks of Reading This June with Aims to Break Last Year's Record
Beals Assistant Library Director Alexis Chanthachack (with Hardcover the Dragon) and Director Manuel King ready to announce the 2026 Summer Reading Club
Photo by Inanna Arthen
The Beals Memorial Library will launch the 2026 Summer Reading Club on Thursday, June 18 with a Summer Reading Club Kick Off Party featuring the Toe Jam Puppet Band, beginning eight straight weeks of reading and special events that everyone of every age can participate in. The program itself officially runs from June 22 through August 14. The Summer Reading Club has one goal: to get everyone reading more and enjoying it. All kinds of reading count--fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, epic novels, flash-fiction, ebooks, audiobooks, picture books, graphic novels, comics, media tie-ins, romance, sci-fi, magazines, newspapers, Substack posts...if it has written words and you read it (or listen to it read to you by someone), it counts! Participants only log the number of hours they spend on reading, not what they've read. Readers who make their goals are eligible for prizes (and bragging rights). And it's all absolutely FREE and open to the whole community.
This year's Summer Reading Club theme is "Plant a Seed, Read." There will be numerous special events related to this theme, including presentations on land conservation, farming, plant science and beekeeping.
The Courier sat down with Beals Memorial Library Assistant Director Alexis Chanthachack and Library Director Manuel King to learn more.
The Summer Reading Club has been an annual event for more than 30 years, Ms. Chanthachack said, "there's been record of it happening as far back as the 50s and the 60s, but we've been doing it for 10 years." Every year there is a new theme, she said. "So, this year's theme is 'Plant a Seed, Read.' So, it has everything to do with gardening, farming, homesteading, even food, because you eat what you cook, you eat what you grow."
Some events require registration because space is limited, but all of them are completely free and open to everyone in the community. Ms. Chanthachack said, "How it works for the whole thing, is that we have registration for the Reading Club program that actually starts on June 16, so about a week before the actual start date. You can come in to get a program of the events, you can register online or in person, you can register anytime from June 16 until August 14, and you'll receive your reading log, depending on your age group. So, kids, teens, and adults all have different reading logs, and you can read whatever you want. All reading counts." The reading log is for recording the number of hours spent reading.
Reading doesn't have to be a solitary activity. "If you're going to have parents read to the kids, that counts for both of them, so it doesn't just count for the kids, it counts for the adults," Ms. Chanthachack said. "If a child reads to their pet, or if a family is listening to an audio book together, everybody gets credit for that. We don't want to know what you're reading, we trust everybody, we just want everyone to read. Once you fill out your reading log, there are certain milestones that you hit, and you can come in and get a prize. So each age group has prizes designated to that age, and actually this year our B Tab, our Teen Advisory Board, they're actually picking all the teen prizes this year, so it's teen picked, and then we consult with some of the teachers at Memorial School and Kristen from the CFCE to pick the kid prizes, so we know what the kids want, and then for the adult prizes we partner with the [Friends of the Library]. This year they're doing raffle baskets instead of gift cards."
Even after readers hit their goal and get a prize, Ms. Chanthachack said, they are encouraged to keep on going. "Last year we started a running total of how much Winchendon can read, so last year we read over 10,000 hours in eight weeks, and we're trying to beat that number. Each top reader for each age group--preschool, elementary, teens, and adults--we have a scoreboard that we keep up with, and each of the top readers will also win a prize at the end of the summer. It's a friendly competition to see who can read the most, and as a group effort to see how much Winchendon can read in an eight week program." Last year two of the fiercest competitors were a pair of preschoolers who came in every week with their reading logs. One of them managed to edge out the other by just a couple of hours, Ms. Chanthachack said. The library staff competed against the library Trustees last year, and the staff won by a large margin. This year the staff is competing against a joint team of both the Trustees and the Friends of the Library.
The Kick Off Party on June 18 will be outdoors, and will include an activity of decorating rocks for an outdoor rock garden. At 2:30 p.m. the Toe Jam Puppet Band will come in. "They are fun, they are a riot," Ms. Chanthachack said. "All the kids end up getting up and starting to dance. Last time they were here, they actually got Manuel to get on stage and sing a song."
Other events through the summer include making real butter, and learning about the science behind that. There will be a Produce Paint Party using natural pigments found in food to paint bookmarks. Animal Craze Petting Zoo will visit on July 9. Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust will come to talk about properties in Winchendon that have been conserved and how they benefit the town. Local farmers and food producers will give a panel about what they do and the benefits of eating locally produced food. There will be a presentation about "Victory Gardens" and what they meant during both World Wars. Tweens and teens can learn "dorm room cooking"--how to make tasty food with nothing but, say, a microwave and a coffee mug. There will also be "an international snack taste test" session (are Smarties really better than M&Ms?). Melissa the Mad Scientist will demonstrate some plant science experiments, astronomer Jim Zebrowski will talk about how plants grow in space and how that might help people on Earth, and there will be a presentation on beekeeping.
Along with all this, the Theatre Squad will return for a five-day theatre "camp" July 13-17, in which students will create their own play and perform it for an audience on the final day. The CFCE Storywalk will meet every Tuesday with books on the Summer Reading Club theme (participants can count these for their reading hours).
A full schedule of events, along with everything you need to know, will be available at the library in a four-page brochure.
Memorial and Toy Town elementary schools will be collaborating with the library, Ms. Chanthachack said, and students who participate in the Summer Reading Club will get school credit, with a special shout-out and a prize when school starts in the fall. Some of the teachers may come to the library during the summer to do storytimes.
The Summer Reading Club is being run by Beals Memorial Library in partnership with The Friends of the Beals Library, the Winchendon CFCE, the Winchendon Cultural Council and the Winchendon Public Schools. Events will be held at the Beals, 50 Pleasant Street, Winchendon. For more information, see the webpage at
www.bealslibrary.org/summer, email bealsmemoriallibrary@gmail.com, call 978-297-0300, or visit the library in person (any time!). You can follow the library on Facebook at facebook.com/BealsLibrary and on Instagram at @bealslibrary.
DPW Brings Proposal for Replacing Sewer Main from Hyde Park to River Street to BOS
from left, Tighe & Bond team member Elizabeth Olson, DPW Director Patrick Wood, Tighe & Bond Project Manager Cassandra LaRochelle, Tighe & Bond team member Jess DeJesus at the April 27 BOS meeting
Photo copyright Town of Winchendon
At their meeting on Monday, April 27, the Board of Selectmen heard a presentation by Department of Public Works Director Patrick Wood and team members from the engineering firm Tighe & Bond about serious issues with the cross-country sewer line running from the area of Hyde Park Drive toward the treatment plant on River Street, and proposals for correcting the problems. The discussion continued at the BOS meeting on May 11.
At the April 27 meeting, Mr. Wood began by explaining that Tighe & Bond had begun a study of the town's sewer system about two years ago. "The study started out with a really comprehensive infiltration and inflow study for our sewer. What that basically means is that we have groundwater coming into our sewer, usually through loose joints, holes, catch basins, we should say, sewer manholes, and it takes up the sewer capacity. That's one negative, but the other negative is that we're actually paying for this, for treating groundwater. So it has a monetary cost and physical cost to it...this was identified as one of the major contributors, talking about the Hyde Park-River Street cross country sewer system, and we've asked Tighe & Bond to come up with some possible alternatives to how we could eliminate that."
Tighe & Bond Project Manager Cassandra LaRochelle and Tighe & Bond team members Elizabeth Olson and Jess DeJesus joined Mr. Wood to give the presentation.
Ms. LaRochelle stated that the current phase of the project will be funded through a Rural Development Fund grant through the state. However, there are potential cost impacts to sewer system users.
Ms. LaRochelle explained that besides wastewater from homes, other inflow gets into the pipes through cracks or joint defects in the pipes, or from heavy rainfall into catch basins. This extra inflow ends up getting treated at the plant. "So there's about 3,000 feet of 6 to 10 inch asbestos and clay sewer mains that travel cross country from the Hyde Park area down to Front Street and then down steep slopes to River Street, where there's the interceptor that actually takes all of the town's flows to the treatment plant. The northern part of the area of that cross country is largely wetlands. It's pretty swampy up there. And as I mentioned, there's very steep slopes on the southern end where it goes from Front to River. And throughout the whole alignment there, the sewer pipes go through the woods and on some portions on private property," she explained. This is the problem area being looked at. She showed some actual photos of the inside of the pipes with water spurting into the pipe through cracks, or roots that had grown into the pipe. "We saw almost 35,000 gallons per day of infiltration, and that's only what we were able to inspect," she said.
Mr. Wood said, "Historically, we've been responding to this area for sewer backups. And just the terrain makes it difficult to fix anything, not to mention that there are wetlands, so anything that we would want to do to get in there would require some permitting, even if it was just temporary. The CCTV information that we were able to gather a few years ago was incomplete because the slopes of those pipes are just too steep, and there's so many structures in between, it's kind of an unknown as well. So eliminating this really would help the amount of calls that we would get for the sewer backups, not just environmentally, but also for our workforce as well. So it's been challenging over the years just this section alone."
Ms. DeJesus explained that the project has multiple phases; this is the study phase and then there will be a series of design phases if the town proceeds with the project.
Ms. Olson then began introducing the five alternative solutions. The second least expensive would be replacing the existing asbestos pipe with new, 12-inch PVC pipe, along with replacing manhole covers. This would have a 75-year design life and reduce the infiltration. It would require digging through wetlands, clearing vegetation, construction noise for residents, and a temporary bypass while the new pipe is put in.
The second alternative is putting a liner into the existing pipe, which is sealed in with epoxy resin. It doesn't require digging and is faster to install. It has less impacts to wetlands. The disadvantage is that some pipes may not be in a condition where lining them will work so in those places it might be necessary to dig down for spot repairs. It also doesn't address sewer capacity, and residents who are experiencing frequent sewer backups might still have a persistent problem with those. The issues around the line being difficult to access and maintain will remain.
Ms. DeJesus went on with options three through five. "Alternatives three and four would involve abandoning the cross country sewer and transporting the wastewater from the property served by that sewer via different means," she said. "So these two alternatives are about how to handle that wastewater without the cross country sewer. So alternative three involves abandoning that sewer, capping it on both sides, not using it anymore, and transporting that wastewater through two pump stations with force mains. So we've been calling these the Front Street pump station and the Hyde Park pump station based on their location." Some properties with direct connections to the abandoned line will need to have new connections to other points. Some of the lines could rely on a gravity flow, since they're going downhill. The pumps would operate with electricity so there would be a power cost to the system.
The advantages of option three are reliable service and a system that is easily accessible for maintainance. It also addresses the capacity limitation and allows for the system to expand, without requiring a bypass, and it impacts wetlands far less. It would eliminate the sewer backup problems. The disadvantages are largely in the installation and construction, plus it's the second most costly alternative.
The fourth and most expensive alternative also has considerable impact on residents. Ms. DeJesus explained, "This would involve abandoning the cross country sewer in place and redirecting that flow via low pressure sewers instead of via gravity. So this would involve small diameter pipes installed along the roads and grinder pumps installed at each home and business that is serviced by this area...your lateral would come out and be going to the gravity sewer. So this would redirect that flow into this small sump that contains a grinder pump. As the level would increase, that would trigger the pump to turn on that then macerates the wastewater and sends it out that discharge pipe that is a small diameter, low pressure pipe. So all of the pumps within the system operating are what's pushing the wastewater along, basically small force mains to send the flow upstream. You can see this also involves a level of electrical work within the property, there's a control panel that would need to be installed."
Alternative four doesn't have any advantages over alternative three. It's often used where gravity sewers won't work. It's expensive, and it means residents have a big new piece of equipment to operate and maintain.
Alternative five is simply to do nothing at all.
After some more discussion of the pros and cons of alternatives one, two and three, Ms. LaRochelle explained how the project would proceed if the town chose one of the options. They would be looking at a variety of possible funding sources, including the state Clean Water Fund, the EPA and Mass Works.
The lifespan of alternative three, with the pump stations, would be 30 to 50 years, possibly longer, Ms. DeJesus said.
The Board decided to consider the information and return to the topic at their meeting on Monday, May 11.
At the BOS meeting on Monday, May 11, Mr. Wood came before the board to discuss the options. Mr. Wood said, "I think what we really wanted to stress was that option number three was our preferred alternative, which would include two new sewer pump stations, one was going to be on River Street" and the other at Front Street and Hyde Park. He went on, "What we would like to do is to have Tighe & Bond continue their design efforts up through 50 percent design which is being covered under a grant, and that will get us to the point where we have a pretty solid understanding of what the existing conditions are and what is feasible. Assuming that this option is going to be feasible, we'll also have a really good opinion of probable cost that we can take and start looking at what other grants and funding is available, and when we could actually get this slated for construction somewhere down the line."
Board Chair Andrew Beauvais had some questions about the types of grants that could be applied for going forward, and whether there might be conflicts with the Glenallen Street sewer extension that is being considered. Mr. Beauvais also asked how the estimated cost of $4.6 million for option three was arrived at so early in the process. Ms. DeJesus, who was joining the meeting remotely, explained that they were making a conservative estimate (that means overestimating to allow for the worser case scenarios in terms of what might be encountered in construction) based on what they knew so far and what could be under the surface (a lot of ledge, for example).
Board member Melissa Blanchard brought up the veterans' housing which will be tying into the system in that area, and whether there will be enough capacity. Mr. Wood said that capacity will be considered in this design phase.
The Board was basically in agreement that options one, four and five (replacing the pipe, requiring individual pumps at every user's location and doing nothing) were off the table, leaving two and three (line the existing pipe or abandon it and put in pump stations). There was discussion about getting public input and holding a public hearing, with Tighe & Bond present to answer technical questions. Board member Erika Eitland argued that it was important to get the process moving as soon as possible, since they were dropping option four that involved a direct cost to each user.
The Board voted "to approve alternative three to move forward to the 50 percent completion of construction documents by Tighe & Bond and overseen by Department of Public Works."
For those who would like to review all the details of the project, the presentations and other documents are on the DPW's web page at www.townofwinchendon.com/616/Hyde-Park-to-River-Street-Cross-Country-.
The presentation and discussion at the April 27 Board meeting may be viewed on WinchendonTV at winchendon.cablecast.tv/internetchannel/show/378?site=1. The discussion starts at 0:19:48 in the video.
The discussion at the May 11 Board meeting may be viewed on WinchendonTV at winchendon.cablecast.tv/internetchannel/show/386?site=1. The discussion starts at 1:17:00 in the video.
Winchendon Winds Opens Season with "Happy 250th Birthday, America!"
Winchendon Winds Concert Band
Photo by Joe Sackett
Revolutionary War octet
Photo courtesy of John Strang
Come celebrate America's 250th birthday with Winchendon Winds! "Win Winds," a 40-piece professional concert band, begins a four-concert series in June in the acoustically-sensitive sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Winchendon, 126 Central Street. Conductor Dr. Lindsay Bronnenkant, UMass Amherst Music Faculty, returns for her third year with the seasoned group.
The series kicks off Sunday, June 7, at 2:00 p.m. with a special concert in recognition of America's semisesquicentennial birthday. The program features a variety of well-known patriotic music. Of note is the work "America," a.k.a. "My Country Tis of Thee." This tune was co-opted from Britain's national anthem "God Save the King" and served as the unofficial national anthem of the United States for nearly 100 years until the Star-Spangled Banner officially took the title. Win Winds will perform Charles Ives' "Variations on America" which rolls out both whimsical and dramatic treatments of the beloved tune. Audiences will also hear highlights from the musical "1776" and a stirring rendition of "America the Beautiful."
Of special note will be the appearance of an 18th century-style octet comprised of flute, oboe, two clarinets, two French horns, bassoon and drummer. The octet, founded by Win Winds bassoonist John Strang, is patterned after the band from Colonel John Crane's Continental Army artillery regiment that was active during the Revolutionary War. The players wear hand-tailored replicas of the revolutionary war uniforms worn in that time. These uniforms are white "smallclothes" (breeches, shirt, waistcoat), red coats with dark blue facings, white stockings and black bicorne hats with gold trim. The octet will perform "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and other popular tunes of the time.
Both the octet and the full band will collaborate on the famous 18th century hymn "Chester." If there had been a "Greatest Hits of the American Revolution," "Chester" would have topped the charts. As Mr. Strang notes: "The hymn 'Chester' was a native work--it was famously sung by New England soldiers and other patriots during the Revolution. Moreover, the lyrics are distinctively New England, and give the audience a sense of the authentic sentiments of Massachusetts patriots 250 years ago." The octet will play "Chester" while Win Winds players sing the words...audience participation encouraged! Finally, Win Winds will perform William Schuman's "Chester Overture," which gives the historic hymn the grand treatment it deserves.
The following three Sundays in June all carry different concert themes and promise a variety of marches, Broadway favorites, and traditional concert band literature.
Winchendon Winds concerts are free, thanks to generous support from ten area Local Cultural Councils, the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation, and various businesses and individuals. The concerts are family-friendly and young musicians are especially welcome. Refreshments will be sold on the lawn before the concert and at intermission.
