Sharon - Under the warm August weather and to the tune of upbeat blues jams, Sharon residents gathered Thursday, Aug. 4 at the 17th annual Square Jam.
As residents chowed down on free corn from Wards Farm, ice cream from Crescent Ridge Dairy and samples from Coriander restaurant, Roomful of Blues jammed away as a crowd of approximately 1,000 people watched, talked and even danced to the music.
The band, which has been nominated for five Grammy Awards, kept the energy of the event high. Their performance on the corner of Billings Street, North Main Street and South Main Street, was well received by the members of the community.
At the event, the fire department handed out more than 500 balloons and used a truck to create bubbles to entertain children. Booths were also set up, supporting various causes, from conservation, to public health to autism.
Selectmen Walter Joe Roach has been to all 17 Square Jams. He said that the event was always great because he got to meet the people he represents on a more personal basis.
“I get a chance to actually get to meet the people that make this town tick,” he said.
Town Administrator Benjamin Puritz said in an interview last week that the town puts a lot of energy in this event.
“This is the event where we take off our socks and pick it up a notch,” he said.
Paul Spender, who sat at a table collecting money to fight autism, said he had been coming to Square Jam for years. A Sharon firefighter for many years, he introduced the autism table four years ago, after his granddaughter was diagnosed with autism. He said Square Jam helped unite the community.
“It brings families together,” he said. It brings the community together in a good way.”
Sharon resident Amy Wagner said that it was this sense of community that made the event so pleasant.
“What’s most fun is running into your neighbors,” she said.
Her husband John Groulx agreed, saying that the event had a great atmosphere.
“The bands nice, the weathers beautiful,” he said. “It’s just great.”
Their young children Elizabeth and Lila weren’t so sure. They said the main appeal was neither the community nor the band.
“It’s the ice cream,” Elizabeth said.
Puritz, who was the primary planner of the event, said that he looked forward to the event all year. Dressed in relaxed, summer clothing, Puritz nodded his head to the beat of the band’s music and explained his excitement for the event.
“It’s been a great time,” he said. “It just keeps building every year.”
The festival was funded by donations from the Wilber School Apartments, NSTAR, Comcast, Eastern Bank and the Rotary Club of Sharon.
Evan Koslof
8/10/11
Originally Posted: http://www.wickedlocal.com/sharon/news/x919521777/Sharon-Square-Jam-brings-community-together#axzz1VDLQGyZ1
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