WEST SPRINGFIELD — A huge block party on the Town Common is the culmination of West Springfield’s birthday bash for itself, celebrating its 250th anniversary as an independent town. From the entertainment section at the far east end of the common to its western end food-oriented center, more than 60 craft vendors and better than 10 food vendors vied for attention on the long grassy space. The idea for West Springfield’s Birthday Block Party came several years ago when Mayor Will Reichelt was brainstorming possible events.
“We wanted to do something that wasn’t like the Taste of West Springfield that ran last in 2017,” town Chief of Operations Carly Comassi said. Comassi and Sarah Calabrese-Dunphy also served as co-chairs of the event. “We wanted something that would attract people down here to enjoy our common and maybe get a bite to eat and have fun.
” The town had a long-running art show organized by the Arts Council on the common. It was associated with the Taste of West Springfield which ran until 2017, when it was determined that it was no longer working for the town. The taste concept had run its course in most communities up and down the Valley.
Jozirah Williams and Ramon Sanabria of Holyoke sample some onion rings on a bench by the fountain in the West Springfield common. Patrick Johnson / Special to The Republican The block party idea came up in the midst of the COVID pandemic, say about 2021. “We had nothing else to think about, and the mayor was li.
