Rain Did Not Dampen Spirits At 44th Annual Victorian Fair
Written By Ellen Putnam and Patrick DeVivo
Photographed by Nancy Clover and Ellen Putnam
Photo Credit: Nancy Clover
Despite rain on Sunday morning that was heavy at times, hundreds of Melrosians went out to Main Street to enjoy the Victorian Fair.
While the Victorian Fair does have a severe weather date in case of dangerous storms, Melrose Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stephanie Nelson noted that the fair involves so many moving parts - city staff closing Main Street for the event; rentals of tents and tables; vendors; and so on - that rescheduling it is nearly impossible.
And fairgoers ultimately didn’t seem to mind the rain. For the first half of the fair, Main Street was a sea of umbrellas. Then, eventually, the rain let up and Main Street grew more crowded.
The fair opened with a dedication to the memory of Joan Bell, a lifelong Melrosian who served as Superintendent of Parks for over two decades before she passed away suddenly earlier this year, just a few months into her retirement. With Bell’s family present, Chamber of Commerce board members reflected on her impact on Melrose, and opened the fair in her memory.
Main Street was lined with booths occupied by a huge number of organizations and vendors: city departments, nonprofits, political organizations, school clubs and sports teams, food vendors, and more. Center Stage hosted a wide variety of performances, including live music, dance and theater groups, and even an illusionist.
Our reporter, Patrick DeVivo, spoke with several fairgoers:
Photo Credit: Nancy Clover
Kathleen Mckenna and Liz Lombardozzi represented the Malden-based not-for-profit food bank and food distribution center. They said Bread of Life participates in the Victorian Fair to help stay in touch with the community and its food insecurity needs. The Fair also helps them educate the community and fundraise. “Being here is a chance to promote our fundraising activities,” says Lombardozzi, “We have a fundraising walk and a bowl-a-thon and other events that help to educate the public on the available services.”
Members of the Melrose High School Student Council participated in the Fair for the first time this year, specifically to promote school unity by raising money for a costume for the MHS school mascot, The Red Hawk. Steven Mally, faculty advisor, noted, “The Student Council is a lot about bringing people together, and the school logo and now the mascot also promote this theme of school spirit and unity.”
Friends of Memorial Hall Board Member Bruce Kearnan explained their purpose for having a booth at the Fair: “In the past, we have been at the Fair to try to raise money to help refurbish Memorial Hall above and beyond what the city can do. But now the danger is that the hall may close. We’re trying to raise awareness of Memorial Hall as a civic resource and encourage people to vote yes on the override because there’s a debate that Memorial Hall would be closed permanently if the override fails, and we feel that would be a tragic loss for the city.”
Photo Credit: Nancy Clover
Andrea Maguire represented the local accounting firm Hughes and Company, PC, located two floors up from the Chamber of Commerce on Main Street. She explained that Hughes and Company has been around for 40 years, and that she has worked there for the past 19 years. Two years ago, she and a colleague bought the firm. She explained that, as relatively new owners, their participation at the Fair is important for business. However, she added, “as a long-time Melrose resident, it’s also a nice community thing where people stop by and say ‘hi.’ And we get to see our neighbors. Melrose is a nice community, and I’ve lived and raised my kids here. Sure, it might bring some business, but it’s not my sole purpose for doing this; really, it’s more to participate in a downtown community event.”
Henry Casey represented Black Dog Design, a building and design company that has been in business for 36 years, focused mainly on home remodeling. Their business is mostly in northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. However, they have completed several Melrose jobs and are working on some now. “We love Melrose,” says Casey, “we have been coming to the Fair for about a decade, and it definitely helps business. We’ll probably get three or four jobs from this event.”
Zack LaFlamme, Environmental and Outreach Coordinator for the city’s Department of Public Works, said he was spending time at the Fair explaining to residents the schedule for recycling events for the rest of 2025. He’s also talked to residents about the new curbside compost program called Garbage to Gardens. He was also letting people know about the new city yard schedule and recycling guide. “Basically,” says LaFlamme, “I’m here to promote the city’s environmental outreach program initiated by the DPW.”
Mayor Jen Grigoraitis reflected: “This is a beloved event in Melrose. It’s a huge event that the Chamber puts on, and it’s a day when residents can come down and learn about their city, hear from non-profits, support the boosters of all our sports teams, and meet some political candidates. So, I think it’s a great opportunity to come together. And in an election year, it’s especially great for people to learn what’s on the ballot, meet some of the people who are running, learn about all sorts of issues in town, talk about Memorial Hall, talk to the Disability Commission - it’s a chance for people to one-stop shop.”
