Francestown’s 107th annual Labor Day Celebration will kick off on Saturday, Aug. 30, with the annual Kip Dalley Tennis Tournament.
Festivities will continue on Sunday, Aug. 31, with a mud volleyball tournament starting at 10 a.m. at the town recreation fields. Traditional Vespers will take place at 5 p.m. in the Old Meetinghouse.
On Monday, Sept. 1, the Francestown 5K Road Race will start at 9:45. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. on the lawn of the Old Meeting House.
Monday’s events include a White Elephant Sale, bake sale, craft fair, ice cream social and children’s games on the lawn of the Town Hall. The Beehive Museum and the Francestown Heritage Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This year’s craft fair is being organized by Anna Brekka, who took over from longtime volunteer Carol Prest Barr.
“I am just trying to do Carol’s 30 years of amazing work justice,” Brekka said. “The craft is always a highlight of the Labor Day celebration, and we have so many wonderful local artists returning as well as new participants this year.”
This year’s craft fair will feature favorite local artists and makers including glassblower Alex Kalish, painter Paula Kay Kerouac, glass artist Susanna Miles, jewelry maker Joy Raskin and textile artist Allison Randall.
Brekka is excited to be adding some new artists and makers to this year’s craft fair.
“We have 18 artists this year so far, and we have every kind of art and craft, including ceramics, jewelry and woodworking; we have upcycled clothes; we have an amazing knitter,” Brekka said.
Christine Fennell of Peterborough will be selling her hand-knit Icelandic wool sweaters for the first time in Francestown this year.
Other new participants include Peterborough nature photographer Deborah Blair and fashion designer Sarah Prost of Yellow Clover, who creates new designs for vintage and new fabrics.
The annual Labor Day parade will start at 2 p.m. and proceed down Main Street to the Town Hall lawn. Food and beverages, including a beer tent, will be available on the Old Meeting House lawn and the lawn at the Town Hall.
Live music will be provided by G & Hillary and by the Temple Town Band.
Francestown’s own Morphs and Milestones, a reptile rehabilator and educational nonprofit, will bring their “reptile ambassadors” to the Town Hall common at noon.
The multi-day celebration organized by the Francestown Improvement and Historical Society is one of the longest-running community celebrations in New Hampshire.
The event was founded in 1918 as a fundraiser for the American Red Cross during World War I, and has never missed a year.
For a complete schedule of events go to: francestownhistory.info/LABOR-DAY-2012.html.