Editor’s Note: SOURCE and the MetroWest Chamber have formed a partnership. The Chamber’s column will run on Tuesdays on the digital news media outlet. The Chamber donated their space to DFI & Hold Fast Productions this week and their plans to bring a music festival to Farm Pond in Framingham this August.
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Something big is coming to downtown Framingham this August! Hold Fast Productions, formerly Boston Stream Party, has spent the last year producing free online streaming concerts to a Massachusetts-centric audience.
As we enter into summer, the company is planning on bringing live music back to the MetroWest area with an open-to-the-public music festival. “Hold Fast has always been about embracing the local communities and celebrating their art and culture, and we can see no better way to further that mission than to welcome everyone back to live music than a music festival,” said founder Mike O’Donnell, the creative mind behind Hold Fast Productions.
O’Donnell, a long time vet within the production & operations team for most major New England music festivals, has also participated as a driving force behind many other public and private events around the greater Boston area. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company’s mission pivoted it’s efforts to build a growing online community for their streaming concerts, which have been a resounding success (and much needed morale boost). They have also worked with Framingham community members such as Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing, Avidia Bank, and many local musicians.
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Besides the obvious joy of seeing live music again, the festival hopes to encourage the economic recovery of downtown Framingham’s small business. Hold Fast will be partnering with the non-profit organization Downtown Framingham, Inc to get small businesses and artists involved from downtown and the surrounding area. “A public music festival is the perfect community-oriented gathering to help stimulate the local economy, put an eye on the city, and show that Framingham is the destination city we all know it has become,” said O’Donnell, a native of the MetroWest area.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for residents, business leaders, and artists to celebrate being together again while sparking economic growth and recognizing Framingham’s numerous attractions for folks to visit and enjoy,” said Anthony Lucivero, the Executive Director of
Downtown Framingham, Inc (DFI). DFI has endeavored to make downtown Framingham a place where people want to live, work, and play, and this music festival “certainly aligns with that mission. I have missed concerts tremendously, and I am proud to be helping Hold Fast
Productions make this project happen,” Lucivero added.
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Hold Fast Productions is hopeful that their fundraising goals for the event will be met so that this festival can materialize.
“The City of Framingham has been supportive of the project across all of its departments, and we are seeking sponsors to put this plan in motion. This is an opportunity for businesses and organizations to get in front of a huge audience and help make a positive impact on the community,” said O’Donnell.
The organizers of the event are actively seeking local business sponsorship and can be contacted by interested sponsors via email at FraminghamFest@Gmail.com
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Hold Fast Productions has spent the last year producing free online streaming concerts, and now the company is planning on bringing live music back to the MetroWest area while sparking economic activity. How? With an open-to-the-public music festival! Local musicians, artists, event companies, brewing companies, and food vendors will all be involved in the festival, which will attract both Framingham locals and folks from outside the city as well.
“We don’t expect this to be realistic until the end of the summer, but an event like this takes several months to plan at the least, so we are ready to dive into it fully with the hopes that we can provide a benefit to the City of Framingham and local businesses as soon as is safely possible,” said Mike O’Donnell, one of the partners at Hold Fast Productions, “What we do need are sponsors to make this festival a reality! This is a fantastic opportunity for businesses and organizations to get in front of a huge audience and help make a positive impact on the community.”
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The A Cappella Singers 
MetroWest Medical Center 
J And Company