Town Party Is Summer Staple: Saturday, July 9!
by Friends of the Charlotte Library,
June 30, 2011, page 1.....

What began 17 years ago to showcase the library building project has evolved into the annual Town Party, an all-town event that celebrates Charlotte’s community spirit. Once again the Friends of the Library group is organizing this year’s party to be held on the Town Green on Saturday, July 9, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Highlights include the book sale, parade, Quinlan School activities, community organization displays, lunch at the fire station and, for its second year, the Charlotte Children’s Center carnival. New this year is the bike skills/decorating session just prior to the parade.
The book sale, an annual crowd pleaser, will open at 11 a.m. sharp. You’ll find some great summer reading in what promises to be a large selection of gently used materials. This year, mysteries will be in their own section, something book sale lovers have requested often. Donations of books in good condition can be dropped off at the library through Thursday, July 7, during library hours. Sale proceeds support the library’s annual book budget.
Before the parade, Charlotte Recreation has scheduled a kids’ bike skills session led by Local Motion from 9-10 a.m. at the Old Lantern. Three stations will cover helmet check/rules of the road, bike check-up and bike decorating. Register by calling Deb Stone at 425-6129 as space is limited (no fee).
All parade participants should be at the Old Lantern by 10:30 a.m.; the parade begins there and will pass the Town Green at around 11 a.m. You may see decorated floats, antique cars, tractors and fire engines, bikes, trikes, scooters and skateboards. Be creative and join the fun. As Fire Chief Chris Davis always says, “Whatever shows up goes down the road. The more the merrier.”
Plan on having lunch at the fire station where Rita St. George and her daughter, Chardy, continue to undertake the food challenge. Hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and drinks as well as locally baked desserts are on this year’s menu. This is a great chance to check out the fire station, and the kids will love sitting in a fire truck.
Next door, the Senior Center will be hosting the show, We Art Women, featuring works by members of an all-women, Vermont, artist co-op who work in a range of mediums. Stop by for coffee and the show.
The Charlotte Children’s Center’s carnival runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the center’s parking area. (Please park elsewhere during this event.) There will be a bounce house for children 3 and up who meet the height requirement as well as carnival games, popcorn and sno cones. This should prove to be a very popular event again this year. Crossing guards will direct pedestrian and car traffic.
Other stops for kids include the Quinlan School to make flutter balls and cork stamps and the library table near the book sale tent to find out about the Heifer International “Read to Feed” program, tied to the global focus of this year’s library summer reading program. This is an opportunity to donate and vote for the animal the children will purchase later this summer through Heifer.
Visit the big tent on the Town Green where local organizations will be displaying and dispensing information about their activities. There, among other things, you can buy tickets for the Grange canning jar raffle (as well as renowned baked goods), talk with Local Motion representatives at the Recreation table, discuss West Village sidewalks, learn about SCHIP and view winning photos from the 6th annual Peter Coleman photo contest as well as enter the raffle and enjoy cake at The Charlotte News table.
So don’t miss the town’s biggest event of the year, the Town Party, Saturday, July 9, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Town Green.