An evening of bubble wands and face paints, homemade chokeberry jam, and farm friends. A sizzling grill, live music, and cold drinks on tap—and plenty of families and neighbors to enjoy the fun. These were the simple pleasures of the most recent installment of Thursdays on the Common.
Thursdays on the Common is a newly established, monthly event held on the Harvard General Store patio and the Common. It grew from a mutual appreciation by The Harvard Family Association (HFA) and the General Store for shared traditions, connections, and inclusivity, and while the HFA and the General Store serve the town in different ways, their mission in this project was aligned: to bring the community together.
“Both the HFA and the [General Store] believe there is something special about creating opportunities for neighbors to spend time together, meet someone new, and feel connected to the town they call home,” Nicole Holub, co-chair of the HFA, wrote recently in an email. “People value opportunities for face-to-face connection.”
During the Aug. 20 event, Holub elaborated on her drive to strengthen a sense of community in Harvard, one that includes both established residents and families new to town.
“I moved to Harvard in 2021 and struggled to break into the community in a social way,” Holub said. She joined the HFA to meet people and volunteer, going on to write newsletters and plan events. Holub has since taken on the role of HFA co-chair.
According to its website, the Harvard Family Association is “a volunteer, caregiver-run organization working to connect, inform, support and engage local families.” Holub emphasized the importance of volunteerism to the success of the association and to events like Thursdays on the Common.
Tasmin Din is a member and one of the crucial volunteers Holub spoke of. Din’s family moved to Harvard from Jamaica Plain a few years ago, and creating more opportunities to gather as a community has been a priority. Din’s eight-year-old daughter, Alya, also expressed a need for experiences where school-aged kids can meet up in the summertime.
Previously, the HFA partnered with the General Store in popular events like Movie Night, though Meredith Greayer, a Harvard General Store manager, said they all wanted to do more. “There is a new wave of families coming to Harvard who want community events,” Greayer said, recognizing an area where they could have an impact.
While helping at the General Store food tents on the newly renovated patio Thursday, Greayer reminisced about watching her mother work hard to organize the Harvard Farmer’s Market she founded in 2009. Greayer wishes to revive that kind of experience for the town through the monthly event.
July’s installment of Thursdays on the Common, the first in the series, was more popular than organizers were expecting. Holub said she painted the faces of 30 children, and the General Store food was in high demand.
“We were really shocked by how many came out to the first one,” Katie Croyle, a General Store manager also involved with planning the events, said in a phone interview. Anticipating similar numbers, both the HFA and the General Store prepared in advance of Thursday and were ready for the crowds.
While this month’s event started out a little grayer (and a little buggier) than July’s, it was well attended. As music played and food was served on the patio, children and families frolicked on the green, visiting with friends or the tents of local vendors, organizations, and community members.
Mikki and Josh Tollinger manned one such tent with their young children, Jubi and Knight. The Tollingers, newer residents to Harvard, brought batches of homemade bubble solutions and plenty of bubble wands to share with all. When asked what brought their family out, Mikki Tollinger said, “Our family just wanted to contribute.”
Good Spirits Farm owners René and Christiane Turnheim also wanted to contribute, hosting attendees at their farm’s table. There, people young and old could watch honeybees at work and enjoy a dollop of their perfectly sweet-tart chokeberry jam.
Future Thursdays on the Common events are scheduled for Sept. 17. and Oct. 15 with potential plans for events to be held throughout the rest of fall and into winter.
