From food trucks to football, there is a lot happening in and around Leominster over the next several days.
Things get started Thursday night at 7 when the Leominster High School football team opens the 2022 season at Crocker Field in Fitchburg with the first of two meetings against rival Fitchburg High.
According to Worcester Telegram & Gazette high school football historian Bill Ballou, both the LHS Blue Devils and the FHS Red Raiders could reach milestones this season. Fitchburg wants to avoid its 500th loss in school history, while Leominster sits eight games away from the 800th victory in the program’s history.
Friday night features a pair of events: The Leominster Food Truck Festival from 5-9 p.m. in the downtown area, and the first night of the annual Family Bazaar from 5-10 at Our Lady of the Lake Church on Route 13 in North Leominster.
The Food Truck Festival will include offerings from the Birds Nest Italian Street Food Manicotti and Panini Trailers, Mike and Ant’s Ice Cream, Moe’s Sweet Eats, Pops Sweet-Harts, Potato Potato, S’aMoreRay’s & Sons, Simmy’s Polish Express, Thee Taco Dude, Trolley Dogs, Twizted Pickle, Uncle Joey’s Cannoli, Wacky Candy Shack, The Whoopie Wagon and more. Live music will be provided by Runaway Dogs, and Sterling Street Brewery will offer a Beer Garden.
In case of rain, the Food Truck Festival will instead be held Friday, Sept. 16 from 5-9 p.m.
Dating back to 1975, the Our Lady of the Lake Church Family Bazaar will include games, prizes, shopping and food at affordable prices, including:
The Family Bazaar will continue on Saturday, Sept. 10 from noon to 10 p.m.
Also on Saturday is a PKD Awareness and Donor Drive from 1-5 p.m. at Conrad’s Drive-In Seafood on Route 2A in Lunenburg.
The event is being organized by Lainey Barry of Leominster, who has polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and is looking for a kidney because her kidneys have deteriorated to 11% of their usual functioning capacity.
The drive will raise awareness about PKD, a hereditary disorder that causes cysts to develop in the kidneys. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the cysts can make the kidneys grow in size and become unable to filter waste out of the blood. PKD can bring about kidney failure, high blood pressure, and problems with blood vessels in the brain and heart. PKD affects around 500,000 people in the United States.
Along with information about PKD and how to become a kidney donor, Saturday’s program will include a chicken barbecue dinner, online raffles (chances are $2 each, or seven for $10), a bounce house, and music by Ron and Hannah Robuccio. Conrad’s will also offer its regular menu, for people who wish to order that instead.
Each person who attends or orders a meal throughout the day will get a free entry into the raffles — a regulation-size cornhole set, a gift bag from New Outlooks Spa in Lunenburg, and a gift basket with fall decor, glasses and a $50 gift card to Il Forno in Lunenburg.
To sign up to become a prospective kidney donor, call 978-514-2538 or email LaineyNeedsAKidney@gmail.com. More information on Barry’s kidney donor campaign is available at laineyneedsakidney.com or through the “Lainey Needs a Kidney” Facebook group.