Town picnic continues 250th festivities

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Staff photo by Bob Hammerstrom Eighteen-month-old Axel Gray was the life of the audience as he clapped for the band in style at Amherst's Town Picnic Wednesday, August 18, 2010.

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Staff photo by Bob Hammerstrom Eighteen-month-old Axel Gray was the life of the audience as he clapped for the band in style at Amherst's Town Picnic Wednesday, August 18, 2010.

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Staff photo by Bob Hammerstrom Members of the Amoskeag Strummers play oldies for residents at Amherst's Town Picnic Wednesday, August 18, 2010, on the Common.

Enlarge Purchase Photo

Staff photo by Bob Hammerstrom Members of the Amoskeag Strummers play oldies for residents at Amherst's Town Picnic Wednesday, August 18, 2010, on the Common.

Enlarge Purchase Photo

Staff photo by Bob Hammerstrom Eighteen-month-old Axel Gray was the life of the audience as he clapped for the band in style at Amherst's Town Picnic Wednesday, August 18, 2010.

Enlarge Purchase Photo

Staff photo by Bob Hammerstrom Eighteen-month-old Axel Gray was the life of the audience as he clapped for the band in style at Amherst's Town Picnic Wednesday, August 18, 2010.

Enlarge Purchase Photo

Staff photo by Bob Hammerstrom Eighteen-month-old Axel Gray was the life of the audience as he clapped for the band in style at Amherst's Town Picnic Wednesday, August 18, 2010.

Enlarge Purchase Photo

AMHERST – At last week’s event that celebrated the town’s ancestry and longevity, some of its youngest residents were the ones who stole the show.

Perhaps it was the lively beat of the always-entertaining Amoskeag Strummers that lured more than a few small fry from parental laps and beach blankets at the Old Fashioned Town Picnic, the latest in a yearlong series of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of Amherst’s 1760 founding. But whatever it was surely delighted their elders, who broke into big smiles as they clapped to some of their Ragtime favorites.

Scores of townfolk and bordertown visitors toting snacks, sandwiches, lemonade, potato salad, watermelon and other summer picnic staples set out chairs and blankets for the evening of music and socializing, ideally emulating a popular tradition that’s pretty much, well, gone the way of the horse and buggy.

On a blanket under an old oak tree, 3-year-old Cameron Conescu was perfectly content watching the Strummers and rocking back and forth to the beat.

“He’s been into music lately, so we figured this is a great chance for him and we can enjoy a picnic too,” said his mom, Sam Heighton, who’s lived in town “almost all my life.”

“We took him to the (Fourth of July) parade and he loved that, too,” added dad Rich Conescu, finishing up the BLTs they brought along.

For 250th committee co-chairwoman Carolyn Quinn, the evening marked yet another successful component to the celebration.

“We’ve had such a wonderful response to all our events so far,” Quinn said while taking a brief breather on a bench. “The weather’s been just great, which has helped a lot.”

Going forward, the celebration’s signature event – the three-day Amherst Heritage Days on Sept. 24-26 – is about to appear on the horizon.

In the meantime, a historical art exhibit is open through September at the Amherst Town Library, where the Friends of the Amherst Town Library have arranged an elaborate display of artwork in a variety of mediums.

And residents shouldn’t forget to show up at Spaulding Field on Saturday, Sept. 25, to be included in the town photograph that will be taken from high atop the Fire Department’s aerial platform.

More information and details on upcoming events will be forthcoming, Quinn said.

Meanwhile, at the Town Picnic, it was little Axel Gray, channeling “Spanky” of “The Little Rascals” fame in his slightly cocked cap, tie-dye T-shirt and bulky shorts that resembled knickers who was crowd favorite.

“We go to a lot of these town functions, he’s always the life of the party,” said Kristy Gray, Axel’s mom, an Amherst native, Souhegan graduate and teacher at Amherst Middle School.

“What do you put in his food?” a friend said with a laugh as Axel, bouncing about on chubby little legs, endeared himself to onlookers.

Dean Shalhoup can be reached at 673-3100 ext. 31 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.