Community Voices for Health

By: Rachel Venura

I love a bargain. There’s nothing that gets my adrenaline pumping more than getting a good deal on something. I love shopping at Kohl’s and seeing how much I saved at the bottom of the receipt.

And what’s even better than a great bargain? Getting something free! Even though they tend to be crazy crowded, I’ve been known to take advantage of an event or two during the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays.

One of my favorite places to check out is Patriot’s Place in Foxboro. Luckily for my family and I, it’s only about a 20-minute drive from our home. This is especially helpful since we go there a few times a month! Not only do they have a ton of shops and dining options, it’s also a great place just to walk around. And, to top it off, they have many (FREE!!) events and fun things for kids.

Every Tuesday, they have Storytime at Showcase Cinema de Lux, featuring a different character each week. My kids and I attend this fun outing quite often – it’s a blast! We’ve met Dora, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Spongebob, Elmo, and more. Each child gets a piece of pizza and participates in a few small activities, such as coloring, before the event even begins. They read a story on the big screen starring the guest of honor and when the story is over, the character comes out to meet and greet the children. While they do this, they show an episode or short movie of the character. It’s a really great way to spend an hour or so before naptime!!

During the summer months, they have jumpy houses on Tuesday and arts and crafts on Wednesdays, in addition to outdoor movie nights! They also have a wonderful Summer Concert Series that features many great bands.

We pretty much never visit Patriot’s Place without stopping at Bass Pro Shops. We sometimes spend an hour or more walking around inside. My kids love to check out the huge fish tank, where you can sometimes catch the live fish feeding, and discover all the wild animals inside! And don’t forget about the adventure hidden behind the Bass Pro Shops.

The Nature Trail/Cranberry Bog is such a fun time! We love to take a nature walk to find turtles and frogs, geese and ducks, and whatever else may be hiding in the beautiful landscape.

And if you haven’t been at Christmas time, you don’t know what you’re missing! I won’t get too into it, since it is only August, but Bass Pro Shops transforms into Santa’s Workshop, and it is truly beautiful! They have games, activities, crafts, and what my kids and I are pretty sure is the real Santa from the North Pole! You get to meet him and take a picture to bring home with you. It’s magical!

All of this, and more, is free!! You can be pretty sure that any day of the week, you can check out something super fun to do at Patriots Place. Did I mention that they also have an outdoor ice skating rink during the cooler months?! A few of my other favorite stops at Patriots Place include Charming Charlie, Kidville, Cupcake Charlie’s, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grille, Ulta and Trader Joe’s. We haven’t been yet but one of these visits I plan on stopping in The Hall, an interactive museum honoring Patriots history. They have something for everyone at Patriots Place and you should stop by!