The community of Boston, Georgia just northeast of Thomasville may be small. But its residents know how to have big fun and everyone is invited to the community’s party that happens October 25th and 26th.
It seems Boston has always been associated with movement. The town began as a stagecoach stop in 1837. Then was physically packed up and moved to its present location when the railroad came through in 1861. Then, in the 20th-Century, it was the highway that moved, bypassing the town all together. Ann McCrickard acknowledged that remains a problem to this day.
“That is our biggest challenge is to pull people off of Rt. 84,” she acknowledged, “and to make sure they’re aware that there’s so much more to Boston than you see on 84 as you’re zipping through. Thankfully now, the speed limit is 55. It was 65 for a long time and we did petition the legislature to reduce the speed limit that went through the city limits.”
To increase the town’s visibility and attractiveness, off the beaten path though it is, a group of engaged citizens called the Boston Community Club is in charge of throwing the town’s signature annual party. McCrickard is a member and so is her pal Amanda Maxwell.
“It’s our 40th Annual Boston Mini-Marathon and Festival!” she exclaimed. “So we’re very excited. We have a lot going on this year.”
Maxwell said the party gets started the evening of Friday, October 25th with a cooking competition.
“If you are competitive with your cooking and think that you have the skills to win the ‘Boston Best Butt and Ribs,’ come to Boston. We also have this year for the first time three comedians coming. That will start at 7:30 p.m. that night and we also have the ‘band in the park,’ which is big and has a great draw performing for us.”
McCrickard said the next morning’s mini-marathon is just one of a number of running and walking options for those so inclined.
“We do offer a relay, so if you don’t feel you can quite make that 13.1 miles, you can have a relay team so you can pass off – and hopefully not pass out – to the next person. We also offer a 5K walk. And basically for the younger folks we have a one-mile fun run.”
All the athletics begins at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, the 26th and McCrickard said the Festival proper is underway soon after.
“At 9:00 a.m., our arts, crafts and food vendors are set up,” she explained. “And this year, Amanda, who is one of our festival co-chairs and committee have really focused on bringing in true arts and crafts.”
There will be a parade through the heart of town and lots of other activities.
“All of this is free. There is no fee for the kids’ carnival, the rock, pumpkin and face painting, access to the mobile lab; all of that is free. And all of the Friday night entertainment is free.”
And even though Boston’s everyday population barely tops 1,300, Maxwell said the Festival multiplies that figure several times over.
“And it’s just a great way for people who used to live in Boston to come back and get together. A lot of the area churches have their homecomings that weekend. So it really is a big homecoming for a lot of people.”
Check out the community’s web page: https://bostonga.com for an entire event run-down.
