ATHOL — A new event is in the works for the afternoon of April 9, the day of annual River Rat Race. At their meeting on Tuesday, March 15, Athol’s Selectboard approved a permit for a “sober family block party,” which will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. in the vicinity of the bandstand at Fish Park at the corner of Walnut and Maple streets. The event is being organized by the North Quabbin Community Coalition (NQCC).
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Executive Director Heather Bialecki-Canning told the board that Fish Park would be a “really wonderful setting” for the event.
She then explained, “We’re looking for alternatives on River Rat day for families and folks in recovery, and anyone in the community who’s really looking for a sober, family-friendly time. We have a band who has offered their time and services to come. We have a wonderful group of volunteers from our Parent Advisory Council who are helping the Coalition to put this together, and I just think it’s going to be a really good time.
“It gives folks a free alternative to things like the carnival, because it doesn’t take long — if you play the games like I do — for your money to run out. This gives you another place to pop over to. We plan to be there from 1 to 5 that day to help folks who were at the beginning of the race to walk on over to Fish Park and keep them in Athol, or folks in Orange who are at the end of the race to come on over and join us after the end of the race.”
Bialecki-Canning said the block party is an extension of Coalition efforts in recent years to add “a more family, community-oriented” atmosphere to River Rat Race festivities. In response to a question from board member Mitch Grosky, she added that the event is for people of all ages.
“It’s sponsored by the Coalition,” she explained, “but it’s really put together by our Parent Advisory Council, which is made up of 14 diverse parents from across the entire North Quabbin region, looking for alternatives for families to really have fun, feel connected to their community. Everything is free and open to all.”
BillyGoat Boats of Orange is also a sponsor of the block party. In addition to live music, the event will feature a variety of games, s’mores, snacks, and a door prize giveaway.
While the family-friendly block party will be a new addition to River Rat Race weekend, most old favorites will be returning as well.
On Friday, April 8, a spaghetti supper will be held at the American Legion from 5 to 7 p.m.
The River Rat Race post position drawing will also take place on Friday the 8th. It will be held at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, not Silver Lake Park as originally planned.
A pancake breakfast will get things started on Saturday, April 9. It will be served at the Masonic Hall from 7 to 9 a.m.
The Big Cheese 5K road race, sponsored by the Athol Area YMCA, follows. Runners will step off from the starting line on School Street at Prospect at 9:30 a.m. The course winds through downtown Athol before finishing in front of Town Hall. Results will be announced and awards presented in the YMCA gymnasium at 10:30 a.m.
The River Rat Race Parade, sponsored by the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce, begins immediately following the start of the Big Cheese 5K, at approximately 9:35 a.m.
For those who do not attend Friday night’s drawing of post positions, their positions can be picked up from 8 to 11 a.m. at Elsewhere, 1485 Main Street in Athol.
The Athol Lions Club will offer breakfast sandwiches and lunch items from their food booth across from the bridge where the River Rat Race begins. The booth is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The big event gets underway following pre-race announcements and the national anthem. The starting cannon will be fired at 1 p.m.
Registration is $42 per canoe and closes April 6. To register, go to www.riverratrace.com/register or drop by Elsewhere, 1485 Main Street, Athol.
The first River Rat Race, which featured all of a dozen canoes, was held on March 21, 1964. It was won by Art Foran and Sonny Soucie. The canvas canoe they paddled to victory can be seen at the Orange Historical Society.
Each year the Art Foran/Sonny Soucie award is presented to the team that passes the most canoes. Other than the champions trophy, it is the most prestigious award in the event.
Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com