4th of July Prep and Day Out With Thomas Preview

Two-for-one in our blog this week: our 4th of July Planning Guide and “Day Out With Thomas” preview!

Edaville Railroad kicked off its 2009 season last weekend featuring “Day Out With Thomas” in addition to the usual attractions. Thomas will offer up train rides on three more weekends this summer and is a must-visit for fans of the show, books, and movies.

Our sister website in Chicago reviewed this event last year and said “If your kid wants to be a useful engine, Day Out with Thomas is a quick burst of excitement” and “It was really exciting for him to see the engine in person.”

Tickets for Thomas are $18.00 for anyone two and older. This price includes admission to Edaville and all rides and attractions, as well as the 25-minute ride on Thomas the Tank Engine, meeting Sir Topham Hatt, and other entertainment involving Thomas. Thomas will be at Edaville June 26-June 29, August 29-30, and September 4-7.

We’ll be heading to Edaville later this summer, so look for our complete review of that and Thomas then.

Your Massachusetts 4th of July Planning Guide

With all of this rain, it’s hard to believe that the 4th of July is quickly approaching next weekend! We want you to be prepared and have a great time wherever you may be, so we have compiled this guide with all the various events happening around Massachusetts. In alphabetical order…

City/Town: Acton
Date & Time: Saturday, July 4, at 6 p.m. (rain date: July 5)
Fireworks Time: around 10 p.m.
Details: Enjoy live music, face painting, and food vendors at NARA Park, located off Route 27. Shuttle buses will run from Nagog Park starting at 6 p.m.
Website

City/Town: Amherst
Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 5 p.m. (rain date: July 5)
Fireworks Time: 9:30 p.m.
Details: The UMASS fields behind Alumni Football Stadium set the scene for the celebration. Activities include live music, a children’s carnival, a juggler, a clown, face painting, field races… the list goes on and on.
Website

City/Town: Assonet
Date & Time: Friday, July 3 from 6-10 p.m.; parade on July 4
Fireworks Time: not mentioned
Details: Hathaway Park is the host of games, booths, and concessions, ending with the fireworks display over the Assonet River.

City/Town: Ayer
Date & Time: Saturday, July 4
Fireworks Time: dusk
Details: Stop by Pirone Park for a parade, food concessions, crafts, and children’s activities, followed by fireworks.

City/Town: Boston
Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 from 8:30 pm until 11:00 pm
Fireworks Time: 10:30 pm
Details: This may be better to Tivo for the kids to watch the next day, but if you kids are a little older and you are willing to brave the 500,000 other Bostonians, check out the web site for parking and other FAQs. The TV broadcast starts at 8:00 pm on WBZ-TV, so check that out if you didn’t make it to any other shows.
Website

City/Town: Bourne
Date & Time: Sunday, July 5
Fireworks Time: Dusk
Details: On Main Street, Buzzards Bay

City/Town: Bridgewater
Date & Time: Thursday, June 25 & Friday, June 26 from 6-10 p.m.; Saturday, June 27 from 12-6 p.m.
Details: Three Day Carnival at Bridgewater Middle School, 166 Mt. Prospect St.

City/Town: Chicopee
Date & Time: Thursday, July 2 through Saturday July 4
Fireworks Time: Saturday, July 4 at 9:30 pm (rain date: Sunday, July 5)
Details: Szot Park (700 Front Street, Chicopee, MA) has tons of activities spread across three days this year. Starting on Thursday there will be softball games and several inflatable activities and train rides. On Friday there is a kids 3-on-3 soccer tournament, a Junior Karakoe Idol contest, and astronomy sessions. Saturday is the big event with fireworks at 9:30.
Website

City/Town: Clinton
Date & Time: Saturday, June 27 (rain date: June 28)
Details: Fireworks at Clinton Middle and High School, located on Route 110. Sponsored by the Clinton firefighters.
Website

City/Town: Dracut
Date & Time: Friday, July 3 at 7 p.m.
Fireworks Time: not mentioned
Details: Concert and fireworks at Dracut Junior High School

City/Town: Edgartown
Date & Time: Saturday, July 4, at 5 p.m. (rain date: July 5)
Fireworks Time: 9 p.m.
Details: The 4th of July parade starts and ends at Edgartown School, then go to Memorial Wharf for the fireworks.
Website

City/Town: Fitchburg
Date & Time: Friday, July 3 from 5-11 p.m.
Fireworks Time: dusk
Details: Downtown Fitchburg is the scene for the Civic Days 2009. The fun starts this weekend with a multitude of events; check out the Doll Carriage and Bicycle Parade at the Riverfront Park on Boulder Drive on Sunday at 11 a.m. The Block Party is on Friday on Main Street, including live entertainment, classic cars, food, and other vendors. Look for more events on July 4.
Website

City/Town: Gloucester
Date & Time: Friday, July 3 at 6 p.m.
Fireworks Time: 9 p.m.
Details: Gloucester Horribles Parade starts at 6 p.m. featuring bands, floats, and costume competitions, followed by fireworks over the harbor. Look at the website for more events on July 4.
Website

City/Town: Hampton Beach
Date & Time: Saturday, July 4
Fireworks Time: 9:30 p.m.
Details: Hampton Beach hosts fireworks 15 times throughout the summer, though usually on Wednesdays.
Website

City/Town: Harvard
Date & Time: Friday, July 3 starting at 11:00 am (rain date: Sunday, July 5)
Fireworks Time: Dusk
Details: At Fruitlands Museum this start up at 11:00 am where you can tour the galleries, check out the art, listen to music or enjoy food and drink in the restaurant tent. Get a seat on the lawn for the fireworks at dusk.
Website

City/Town: Hingham
Date & Time: Fireworks are on Friday, July 3 and Parade is on Saturday, July 4 at 10:00 am. A road race and breakfast are before the parade.
Fireworks Time: 9:00 pm
Website

City/Town: Hyannis
Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 4 p.m.
Fireworks Time: 8 p.m.
Details: Check out Aselton Park for a parade followed by a concert, then fireworks at Lewis Bay.
Website

City/Town: Marblehead
Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 8:45 p.m.
Fireworks Time: 9 p.m.
Details: The Harbor Illumination begins at 8:45 p.m., followed by the fireworks. Email your pictures of the event to them and they will be posted on the website.
Website

City/Town: Milford
Date & Time: Friday, July 3 (rain date: July 5)
Fireworks Time: not mentioned
Details: The Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra is unable to perform at this year’s festivities, but the fireworks will go on as planned at Plains Park, Route 85, Cedar St.

City/Town: Natick
Date & Time: Wednesday, July 1 from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Fireworks Time: No fireworks this year due to construction on the Natick Mall
Details: Featuring a kids parade at 6:00 pm and other family fun Natick Friends of the Fourth of July host this event.
Website

City/Town: Orleans
Date & Time: Friday, July 3 (rain date: July 5)
Fireworks Time: Dusk
Details: Rock Harbor

City/Town: Pepperell
Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Fireworks Time: Dusk
Details: Music, games, concessions, and fun start at 6:00pm. Fireworks start at dark.
Website

City/Town: Salem
Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 4 p.m.
Fireworks Time: around 9:15 p.m.
Details: Festivities begin with Kids’ Space, which has a DJ entertaining the young ones with dancing, contests, and prizes. The fun continues all afternoon for the kids with face painting, games, and crafts. At 7:15 p.m. is the opening ceremonies, which includes an Air Force flyover, a Hillyer Festival Orchestra concert, and a performance of Footloose by the Salem State College Summer Theatre cast, concluding with the fireworks set off from Derby Wharf.
Website

City/Town: Salisbury Beach
Date & Time: Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5
Fireworks Time: Saturday, July 4 at 10 p.m.
Details: Family events run all weekend! Sand Sculpting from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, including tips and tricks on sand castle building at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The Bruce Marshall Group performs a concert starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday and is followed by the fireworks over the beach, which are set off from a barge in the ocean.
Website

City/Town: Sharon
Date & Time: July 4 at 4 p.m.
Fireworks Time: 9:15 p.m.
Details: Check out Memorial Park Beach for classic field games, such as tug-o-war and potato sack races. Beech Tree Park is the start of the Bicycle & Doll Carriage Parade and travels to the bandstand, where you’ll find music for your enjoyment. The concert starts at 6:30 and runs until the fireworks over Lak Massapoag.

City/Town: Springfield
Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Fireworks Time: not mentioned
Details: Mix 93.1 will provide the musical entertainment while the fireworks are going off from the Memorial Bridge. Live entertainment and food as well.
Website

City/Town: Upton
Date & Time: Saturday, June 27 (rain date: Sunday, June 28)
Fireworks Time: 9:45 pm
Details: Tons of different events throughout the day including an auto show, skateboard expo, motorcycle show, tractor race, dance show, a magic show, kiddie train, rock climbing wall, and various food vendors on hand. This one looks great! It’s at the Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical (BVT) High School located at 65 Pleasant St. Upton, MA
Website

City/Town: Westfield
Date & Time: Friday, July 3 at 5:30 p.m. (rain date: July 5)
Fireworks Time: 9:15 p.m.
Details: Concerts begin at 5:30 at Stanley Park, including the Young Singers of Westfield, The Soul Sensations, and Brass Attack, concluding with the fireworks. Don’t forget to look for the strawberry shortcake.
Website

City/Town: Worcester
Date & Time: Thursday, July 2 – concert starts at 8 p.m. (rain date: July 3)
Fireworks Time: 8:30 p.m.
Details: Join the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra for a concert at Cristoforo Columbo Park (East Park) on Shrewsbury Street. Concessions and 4th of July toys and gadgets are for sale.
Website

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Tri-State Speedway

We are always very excited to find a hidden gem in a small town in Massachusetts and did just that this weekend when we visited Tri-State Speedway in Dudley, MA. For those wondering, Dudley is south of Worcester, right on the Connecticut border. In an unassuming old warehouse, Tri-State Speedway offers a multitude of indoor activities including go-kart racing, mini golf, billiards, video games, Bowlingo, and many more.

Tri-State is split between two floors and is currently expanding to include some outdoor activities. The second floor of the building is where the 10-turn speedway is located. You must be 54 inches tall to drive the go-karts or 42 inches to ride as a passenger. An annual license must be purchased for $10 (good for the year), and each ride is $8.00 for kids under 12, $12.00 for adults, and $14.00 for a double seater. If your kids are into go-karts, we recommend taking advantage of their weekly specials, which give you unlimited racing for certain time periods (for example, Wednesday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm for $30.00). In addition to the racing, the upstairs has a snack bar, a birthday party room, and a small arcade room.

Downstairs, which just opened in 2008, has a lot more variety of activities. This floor has its own birthday party room and is where you will find ‘The Islands Mini Golf,’ an 18-hole indoor golf course that is in perfect condition – no worn-out carpet here. The holes are not as long as some outdoor courses and don’t have the same diversity in hole layout and hazards, but it’s a fantastic indoor mini golf course and a great part of a day at Tri-State. Mini golf costs $6.00 per person with kids under 2 playing for free.

For the younger kids who don’t meet the 54 inch height requirement upstairs, a Kiddie Karts area for kids aged 4-8 or 36 to 48 inches is available. At $5.00 for five minutes, we weren’t sure this was worth it, but it’s hard to stop a dedicated race fan sometimes. There is also a train for the younger kids to ride on in this area.

If you haven’t seen Bowlingo, it’s an interactive, electronic four-lane, scaled-down bowling alley – the lanes are shorter and narrower than traditional lanes, but fully automated. The balls are a little larger than candlepin balls, and you have 10 minutes to throw 10 frames. This is a fun version of bowling that costs $2.00 per string.

The arcade, which is scattered throughout the entire facility, has a good variety of games, some of which reward you with tickets to be redeemed for toys and candy. Classics like Skee Ball and air hockey are available, as well as at least three different dance games and numerous shooting games. Tokens are used for all the games, and as usual, take a walk around before buying your tokens to gauge how many you will need. The games vary from one to four tokens per player. Three billiards tables are also available in the main arcade area. This is obviously focused more towards older kids and adults.

From the outside, Tri-State Speedway looks like a warehouse, but once inside it’s full of action-packed fun that would keep a family busy for several hours. We recommend doing some planning for your trip as buying everything a la carte will be expensive. The management at Tri-State seems to be constantly putting together new packages. They are also expanding soon by adding a bungee run, a trampoline apparatus, and a kiddie swing ride, as well as a bar for adult entertainment.

Mom Says: This is not a place to take a group of toddlers, but if you have one or two you can find something for them to do. Older kids would have a blast on their own or as a family outing. This would be a great birthday party place for tweens.

Dad Says: I have been to Dudley before and know it is a small town, so wasn’t expecting much, but boy was I wrong. Now that I have my license, I plan to go back for some more Go Kart racing for sure! Oh yeah, the kids love this place too!

Tri-State Speedway
35 Chase Ave.
Dudley, MA 01571
(508) 671-9030
Website: www.tristatespeedways.com

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Boomerangs Playland

We had heard from a few family friends that Boomerangs Playland was worth checking out, so we headed to Carver, MA this weekend to give it a whirl. Located in a strip mall off Route 58 in one half of an old supermarket (the other half is a gym), Boomerangs offers 12,000 square feet of play space, birthday party rooms, an arcade, and an adult-only relaxation room. The entry fee is $8.95

Monday through Thursday and $11.95 Friday through Sunday, with kids under 2 costing $6.95 and $8.95. In addition to the entry fee you will want to purchase some tokens. These can be used for the arcade games and cost 25 cents per token or 100 tokens for $20.00 and a bonus of 10 tokens. We went with this option as we had two uncles with us that wanted to shoot some hoops and play air hockey while their nephew had his fun. We’d recommend scoping out the games before making this investment though, as most games only require one or two tokens.

The first attraction directly behind the front desk, and something you can’t miss, is a large inflatable activity apparatus. An employee told us that the inflatable activity changes monthly. When we visited, an obstacle course called the ‘Boomerang Challenge’ was there allowing kids to race each other over and around a few obstacles, climb up about 20 feet and then slide/jump down to complete the course. This one would be best for kids 4 and up and all the kids we saw on it were having a blast.

To the right of the front desk is an Animaland factory (similar to Build-a-Bear), which lets your kid build their own stuffed animal, complete with an outfit and accessories. We didn’t partake in this, but noted that prices started around $24.95 for the base animals and go up from there.

The Paradise Lounge is the next area you arrive at when walking through the facility and is directly adjacent to the toddler area. This room is for adults only and features 5 massage chairs, computer work stations, and a flat-screen TV. With windows providing a pretty good view of the facility, this room is a great place to escape the craziness and wind down. This is an opportunity to take turns supervising the kids allowing the parents to enjoy the facility as well. We tested out the massage chairs, and after some tinkering with a very complex remote control, we got the kneading and shiatsu working our back, legs and feet.

The toddler area is sectioned off for the little ones and has a large and small ball pit, soft climbing blocks, push and pull cars and trucks, and other toddler-friendly toys. While this section does have a height requirement, we had to keep our eyes out as older kids couldn’t resist a quick flop into the ball pit.

The featured attraction of Boomerang’s is the Mega Climber, boasting three levels of soft and safe activities. With a loosely enforced height requirement of about 3 feet, this structure is geared towards kids 3 and up. Parents can go inside with their kids to help them navigate the corridors or to just play alongside them. The climber is fairly open, so you could track your kids from the outside, but there are several blind spots throughout the maze-like complex. Kids that can navigate to the top corner are rewarded with a trip down the 3-story spiral slide.

Buccaneer Bay is next to the Mega Climber and has several different themed areas encouraging creative play. Kids can dress as a pirate, mermaid, or surfer and create an adventure in four different play structures. These looks like the sets from a theatre production, allowing your kids to get creative and develop their own adventure. The dock area doubles as a stage where your kids can see themselves on TV.

The arcade stretches along the left-hand wall and features standard games such as Skee ball, basketball, air hockey, and several driving games. For the older kids (and adults) there is a decent selection to choose from in this small arcade. Tickets are rewarded by most of the games and can be exchanged for small toys and candy on your way out. Koala Kafe is at the very back of the complex in between the birthday party rooms and offers ample seating and standard kid food such as pizza, popcorn, cotton candy, and slushies. It wasn’t lunch time yet, so we didn’t dine, but the food looked pretty good.

Dad Says: Boomerangs was clean and just big enough to keep our kid busy for a couple hours, but not too big that you feel lost. If we lived closer, we’d definitely do a birthday party here. The adult lounge was nice for even a quick break from the madness that can occur at any playplace.

Aunt Says: I was put off by a big hole in the ceiling (construction in progress?) and some duct tape on the Boomerang Challenge. However, the little guy had a blast in the ball pit, which made the whole trip worthwhile, and Buccaneer Bay is a great opportunity for older kids to get creative. I would really like some stricter staff supervision in the toddler area, as some kids got pretty rowdy with the ball pit, which was annoying. And I could have spent a lot more time at the Paradise Lounge, although I had a tough time figuring out how to adjust the settings on the massage chair.

Uncle Says: This would be a great place to have a birthday party and it looks like they have 4 different rooms for hosting parties. I must admit that I had a lot of fun playing the basketball game and air hockey.

Playland Boomerangs 160 N Main St Carver, MA 02330 phone: 508-866-2228 Website: www.boomerangscarver.com

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Green Thumb

Think it’s too late to start a garden? That your kids don’t want be involved? Think again. We all know how much kids love to be outside at this time of year, so it’s a perfect opportunity to show them the rewards of planting and nurturing a garden. Your first stop should be at the Green Thumb in Westborough, where you can pick out your plants while your kids play.

The Green Thumb just opened their new complex this spring. The old building and greenhouses were knocked down and they moved everything into their upper greenhouses and built a huge new main facility that resembles a barn. The aisles of flowers seem never-ending, so it can be fun for the little ones to look around at the possibilities of plants and pick out their choices. If that doesn’t sound like your kid, mom can browse aisle after aisle in the greenhouses while dad keeps the kids happy and busy… or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, there’s something to do for the whole family.

When you first pull into the parking lot you notice a huge swing set and grassy area. It advertises for the company that builds them, so you would think that you can’t play on it, but that is what it is meant for! Parents can sit and relax and watch their little ones burn off some steam. Be careful as you walk from here to the barn – the first thing the kids will notice is the windows for ice cream. You can order it at the window and sit outside or you can go inside, where they also have candy and popcorn. The seating area inside has a train that goes around the ceiling of the first floor and lots of flower gifts that you can buy, so it has a nice ambiance. The registers are also located here, so you can check out what other people are buying as they walk by. In the barn is a loft on the second floor, which provides for more exploring by the kids. Finish the afternoon in the petting zoo with the goats. Hand sanitizer is provided.

Now you may be thinking, what kind of plants do I buy? It depends on what kind of garden you want to make. When working with kids, try to keep it simple; you can always make the garden bigger next year, and the year after that, and the year after that… oh, wait a minute, that’s my yard! If you don’t have a yard you can still plant in pots on any balcony or deck you may have. First, choose the type of garden you want, vegetable or flower. Throughout the day watch the area where you plan on planting the garden and write down the hours of sunlight it gets. You’ll need this information when buying your plants or seeds. If you still aren’t sure when you get to the nursery/store, someone is sure to help you.

If you plan on buying seeds and have a young child that is helping you, you may want to buy a plant that has bigger seeds; they’ll be easier to manage with their little hands. Let your child help choose the plants that are going into the garden. If they choose something that won’t fit in well (for example, a plant that needs more sun than it would get in that spot), take a moment to explain why it won’t work, then remind them of the types of plants you are looking for. You may even want to indulge them and buy something that wasn’t in your master plan. Keep reminding yourself to be a little lenient – your idea of a garden may not be the same as theirs, but they will be more involved in the process if you let them have a little artistic license.

Some ideas for vegetable gardens: sunflowers, tomatoes, peppers, beans, and pumpkins. Easy to manage flower ideas: sunflowers, impatiens, petunias, morning glories, zinnias, and geraniums.

A few safety measures to keep in mind:

• Use tools that are the right size for children; it’ll be easier for them to hold a tool that fits in their hand, not yours
• Leave the pesticides and chemicals in the shed/garage and out of your child’s reach
• Watch out for poisonous or toxic plants. You may already have some in your yard! One great resource I found is linked here
• Test the soil for lead, especially if your house was built before the 1970s
• Check for ticks

Gardening teaches many great virtues, the first and foremost being patience. It takes time to plant everything, water it, weed it, and feed it. It can be frustrating at times, but imagine the look of joy on your child’s face when he/she picks their first flower or vegetable that they grew. The best part about gardening: no batteries required! This is a great time to get outdoors and work together as a family, so leave the iPods on their docking stations.

Mom Says: If the garden doesn’t quite hold their attention, try incorporating some bird feeders into your yard and buy a bird book for your child to identify the birds they found. This may help pass the time as you are waiting for those seeds to sprout…

Green Thumb
185 Turnpike Rd. (Route 9)
Westborough, MA 01581
Phone: 508-366-7478

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