The Spirit of Springfield is looking forward to July 4th when we celebrate Independence Day with

Star Spangled Springfield in Riverfront Park. The evening will be filled with patriotism and pyrotechnics.

Be sure to check out the complete schedule below and learn more about our Bright Nights ticket blow out sale - The 12 Days of Christmas in July.

Judy Matt

President

Star Spangled Springfield!

Thanks to the support of MassMutal and many other businesses, the Spirit of Springfield will celebrate Independence Day with a Star Spangled Springfield on July 4 in Riverfront Park. Starting at 7 pm, there will be performances by young musicians from Falcetti Music and a concert by the Sci-Tech Band "The Pride of Springfield."

When the stars come out at 9:30 pm, Fireworks by Grucci will perform their pyrotechnic wizardry from the Memorial Bridge. It will be choreographed to patriotic music selections broadcast on Mix 93.1 FM.

On hand to announce the plans for a Star Spangled Springfield were Spirit of Springfield President Judy Matt, Mayor Domenic Sarno, Mike Fanning, Executive Vice President of MassMutual's U. S. Insurance Group, Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri, Captain David Rivera from the Springfield Fire Department, as well as sponsors and supporters.

Bright Nights Tickets - $12 Tickets for 12 Days

From July 12 to 24, the Spirit of Springfield is offering Bright Nights at Forest Park discounted tickets for $12 with a minimum order of

12 tickets. The savings on one ticket is as much as $9 and, on the purchase of just 12 tickets it is more the $100. It is the best offer of the year.

Bright Nights tickets are great employee incentives, holiday gifts for friends, families, colleagues and clients. They can also be made available to employees at the reduced price. Purchase 12, 20, 50, 100, or as many as stockings as you need to stuff.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Spirit of Springfield at 413-733-3800, or emailing staff@spiritofspringfield.org.

Bright Nights Designer Revisits

Twenty-one years ago, John Catenaci brought his creative genius to Springfield. He took out his sketchpad and painted Forest Park with lights. He has been back many times since drawing inspiration to add new displays like the Happy Holidays, Springfield (2001), Garden of Peace (2001) and Winter Garden (2010).

Last month, John toured Forest Park. He met with downtown building owners and plans to put his magic touch on the Northeast's premier holiday lighting experience to keep it glowing and growing for many years to come.

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Spirit of Springfield Golf Classic

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It was a great day to be at Franconia Golf Course on Friday, June 1, for the Spirit of Springfield Golf Classic, sponsored by Western Mass News. Thanks to all the supporters and congratulations to the winners.

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The winning foursome included Tina D'Agostino, Keith Ornelas, David Cuoco and Kevin Dandrade. The Longest Drive was won by Keith Ornelas. Closest to the Pin honors went to Paul Marcelina. Mark Arigoni took home the prized Bum Drum.

For a second year, Mayor Richard Kos won the Mayor's Cup out putting Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Agawam Mayor Richard Cohen.

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Thanks State Senate

Under the leadership of Senators Eric Lesser and James Welch, the Massachusetts Senate approved an amendment to provide the Spirit of Springfield with "no less than $100,000" to support the organization's goal to bring the community together in celebration. The amendment still needs the approval of the Massachusetts House and Governor Charlie Baker.

During his presentation to Senator Lesser, Spirit of Springfield Board Member John Sjoberg pointed out the impact the Spirit of Springfield programs have on many Springfield families. "For some, Star Spangled Springfield is the high-point of their summer. For others, the highlight of the holiday season is the Tower Square Parade of the Big Balloons," said Sjoberg. "It is about the quality of life and making memories."

Founder's Day Honors Bright Nights

Founder's Day recently celebrated the 125th anniversary of Everett Barney's donation of 178 acres of land to the City of Springfield. During the brunch, the Springfield Park Commission recognized the contributions Bright Nights and it's sponsors have made to Forest Park.

Improvements at Forest Park that Bright Nights has funded include the restoration of the Rose Garden and Fountain Lake. Upgrades that have been made include a playscape, road lighting, Senior Drop-In Center, Barney Carriage House and the Barney Stone House. Bright Nights has created holiday memories for families, and in turn, has given enjoyment in Forest Park throughout the year.

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Pancake Breakfast Serves as Tasty Math Lesson!

Pancake_715 After the success of the 2015 World's Largest Pancake Breakfast back in May, the Spirit of Springfield was

contacted by Justin Debbis, a 6th grade math teacher in Lusby, Maryland. He was searching for details concerning the vast amount of ingredients used for the breakfast. With six classes and 160 students in total, Debbis wanted to teach his students about ratios and proportions in a fun and interactive way.

The Spirit of Springfield gladly sent the pancake recipe, aprons, a Spirit of Springfield 25th Anniversary book, and many pictures from this year's pancake breakfast. After using the data to teach his students, he awarded them with a pancake breakfast in the classroom. In the end, the kids had a blast and certainly enjoyed the tasty award for their hard work!

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The Spirit of Springfield is a private, non-profit corporation

which produces high-quality,

large-scale events in the city of Springfield.

Our mission is to promote community events and
encourage civic pride.

Celebrating 25 Years of Springfield's
Biggest, Best and Brightest

In This Issue

Star Spangled Springfield

Bright Nights Tickets-$12 for 12 Days

Bright Nights Designer Revisits

Spirit of Springfield Golf Classic

Thanks State Senate

Founder's Day Honors Bright Nights

Pancake Breakfast Serves as Tasty Math Lesson

Guest Corner

Mike Fanning, EVP

MassMutual USIG

On behalf of MassMutual, I'd like to congratulate the Spirit of Springfield on its 25th anniversary in helping to keep the Springfield community vibrant. With so many fun events that both preserve traditions and create new ones, the Spirit of Springfield is an integral part of our community and we appreciate all that you do. As a longtime supporter of the Spirit of Springfield, one of MassMutual's favorite annual community events is Star Spangled Springfield, which combines beautiful music and fantastic fireworks to provide a fun-filled celebration of America's independence. We hope friends and families from across our region will join us on July 4th for this truly spectacular event!

Order your copy

of the Spirit of Springfield's 25th Anniversary Book.

Before they're gone!

Click here!