Due to the overwhelming popularity of the 2015 and 2016 block parties, the City of Chicopee Department of Planning & Development will again host a two-day event in Chicopee Center, the Summer 2017 Downtown GetDown. In September of last year, 15,000 people flocked to Chicopee Center for two days of music, food, arts and culture, interactive activities, athletic feats, and summer fun. Participants, performers and guests alike enjoyed the opportunity to mingle with friends and neighbors and celebrate all that the Greater Chicopee community has to offer while doing so in its own unique downtown setting.
The Downtown GetDown will take place on August 25th and 26th, 2017 in the heart of Chicopee. The partnership of the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, Chicopee Fest Of All and the Planning Department will again be responsible for bringing the block party festivities back to Chicopee Center. This year’s event will feature a new activity for the first time: the Downtown GetDown 5k Race, which will take place on Saturday August 26th at 9:00am.
The Downtown GetDown will feature entertainment for everybody. The music entertainment lineup for Friday will feature headliner country cover band Trailer Trash, acoustic three-piece band Sky Highway, local polka legend Lenny Gomulka and the Chicago Push, and the acoustic rock and roll and blues sounds of Livio Gravini and John Catalini. Saturday’s music entertainment lineup will feature the fun, high energy show of headliner also featured on VH-1’s Cover Band Wars, Darik N’ the Fun Bags, the recently reunited Reverend Ken Sterling and The Mighty Radiators Rhythm & Blues Revue, premier oldies cover band Decades, local alt rock group The Hard Wait, and the Central Bible Church Band. The Downtown GetDown will also feature local artists live painting, a bike rodeo, martial arts demonstrations, dragons, and many other kids’ activities!
The Downtown GetDown will also feature over 70 vendors including 18 food vendors! New to the GetDown this year are Gypsy Joe Coffee, Friskie Fries, The Roving Lunchbox, Bruiser’s BBQ, Glory of India, Sidecar Bakery, Hot Oven Cookies, Bernat’s Polish Deli, and Tower Theaters.
The City of Chicopee and the Downtown GetDown Planning Committee would like to thank this year’s sponsors for their support of this year’s event. Support from Westfield Bank, Polish National Credit Union, Chicopee Electric Light, DownRight Productions, Blue Seal, BETA Group, Inc., Tighe & Bond, Mercedes Benz of Springfield, and First Central Bible Church allowed for the continuation of this wonderful community event.
For more information, including sponsorship opportunities and pictures from last year, please visit the event website at www.chicopeegetdown.com. This website will be updated with a full two-day schedule of entertainment and events as details become available.
For those interested in being a Sponsor of the 2017 Downtown GetDown, please contact Jack Benjamin, Assistant Planner, at (413) 594-1485 or jbenjamin@chicopeema.gov for a sponsorship package.
We look forward to seeing you at the GetDown!
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