City of Groton Day returns this weekend
Groton — City of Groton Day will return Friday after last year’s hiatus, with activities for families, food, information booths and a vaccination clinic.
On Saturday, a second event will return to the city: Groton Heights Open House Day, which will showcase the history of Groton Heights and historic sites from Fort Griswold to the Submarine Vets WWII Memorial East.
City of Groton Day
City of Groton Day, a longstanding event to "give back to the people that live and work in the City of Groton," will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at Washington Park, said city Mayor Keith Hedrick.
"We didn't do it last year, and we recognize that people want to try to get back to some sense of normal, and we're trying to do that with City Day," said Hedrick.
The tradition has been going on for more than 40 years, said Parks and Recreation Director Mary Hill.
The event will feature a DJ, information booths from each of the city's departments; food, such as hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and sodas; and activities for kids, including laser tag, mini golf and an inflatable slide. New for this year, there will be cornhole and kickball tournaments. The food is at reduced prices, and everything else is free.
Ledge Light Health District also will have a clinic at the event for people to get vaccinated, Hedrick said.
Hedrick said the city will announce the Jacqueline B. Nixon Community Service award for both last year and this year at the event.
This year, the city is holding the event across the ball fields in Washington Park to provide a larger area for people to spread out than in past years and there also will be an area for eating, said Hill.
The city is asking people who have not been vaccinated to wear a mask, even though the event is outdoors since it will be crowded, and implementing some distancing requirements, such as for when people are waiting in line for food, Hedrick said.
More information is available at: https://cityofgroton.com/residents/city-day/
Groton Heights Open House Day
Groton Heights Open House Day, a collaboration among historic sites on Groton Heights — Fort Griswold, Avery-Copp House Museum, Ebenezer Avery House, Bill Memorial Library, Groton Congregational Church, Submarine Vets WWII Memorial East, and Thames River Heritage Park — will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
The event has been held in years past but was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The idea behind the open house is to introduce people to the rich history that exists on Groton Heights, also known as Groton Bank, from the Battle of Groton Heights through shipbuilding, whaling, submarining and "all the different things that have left their mark on Groton Heights," said Marian Galbraith, treasurer of Groton Bank Day Inc.
The free event will feature activities, from tours of historic sites to children's activities at the Avery-Copp House Museum, she said. Free boat tours are available at Thames River Landing, on Thames Street at the intersection with Fort Street, by advanced reservation.
People can find more information and make a reservation for a boat tour at https://grotonbankday.org.
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