Committee debriefs Newbury Town Day; raises power, staffing and storage questions

Committee members reported that Newbury Town Day was a major draw with roughly 1,000 attendees and many local booths; they praised staff and inspectors for last-minute work and fence repairs. Members said event logistics—especially access to reliable electrical hookups—created problems for vendors and performers.

A member described how organizers had to improvise power: "They wound up actually running stuff off of a EV, like, off a Tesla," highlighting that better electrical infrastructure or a plan for staging and hookups would reduce risk. Members also discussed tent rental costs, storage for town-day equipment and the need to clarify who pays for police and fire details associated with large events.

The committee agreed to document lessons learned and to explore options for permanent power hookups, tent purchases or cooperative rental agreements to improve next year’s planning and reduce ad-hoc workarounds.