2025 Downtown Partnership Strawberry Stroll

Mark those calendars for the 2025 Downtown Partnership Strawberry Stroll!  "This annual community festival draws now thousands of visitors from Franklin and neighboring towns. It’s a popular tradition for building community spirit and opportunity for businesses to meet their neighbors."

In honor of our Ladybug history (and in collaborative celebration of the ladybug stroll) the Franklin Cultural Council and District Committee members will be hosting an engaging free-public art making activity during this year's Strawberry Stroll. This project will engage the community in a hands-on, intergenerational art experience led by local artist (and current Department of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy Intern) Jessica Cunningham.

Participants will be invited to paint over 50 small ladybug garden stepping- stones during a free public workshop taking place during the Strawberry Stroll. After being sealed with varnish, the painted ladybugs will be creatively installed at the Franklin Sculpture Park, near the prominent metal bear sculpture, transforming the space into a whimsical, collaborative art installation.

To further enrich the project, a sign holder at the site will display information about the Ladybug Stroll, the annual Downtown Partnership's ladybug + Strawberry strolls, and the history of Franklin’s connection to the ladybug as the state insect—helping to stretch and honor this beloved local legacy.

This project is not only a celebration of community and creativity but also an investment in the future: with support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council Festival grant, we’ve been able to purchase high-quality paints and materials that will help build a lasting art supply inventory for future public arts programming and community engagement initiatives.

Interested in volunteering in our Cultural Council and Cultural District tent? Please reach out to Cory Shea [cshea@franklinma.gov]