Joshua Smith 10/7/26 Joshua Smith 10/7/26

Seventy Years Later, Groton Still Knows the Value of Tradition

Vendors lined the village, families moved between booths, old friends stopped to catch up, and Route 302 was preparing to give way to the annual parade. The sky was nearly cloudless, the churches were busy, the fire department was out, and the Chicken Pie Supper still waited later in the day.

I grew up in Groton, so Fall Foliage Day has always felt like part of the calendar. As a kid, I did not spend much time thinking about why it mattered. It was simply what Groton did.

Joshua Smith 10/9/25 Joshua Smith 10/9/25

Groton’s 69th Annual Fall Foliage Festival: When the Town Dresses Up for Everyone

“It’s like coming home,” said Michelle Emerson Kalnins, BMU class advisor. “You get to see all the people you grew up with, you get to see all the buildings you grew up with. All the families come back. It’s a great time here in Groton.”

The Chicken Pie Supper isn’t just a meal. It’s an anchor. People plan their weekends, even their travel, around it. Proceeds from ticket sales support scholarships for local high school seniors, the library, and other community projects. It’s generosity served alongside supper.