LEOMINSTER — Plans are in the works for the city’s annual Starburst celebration beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Upper Doyle Field, and the Starburst Committee and the event’s main sponsor, All One Credit Union, would like to invite everyone to the city’s annual summer event.
This marks the 33rd year for this event and the call is going out for Citizens of the Year nominations, for awards that will be given out at Starburst.
Fireworks and music planned
The evening will feature a concert performed by local band Neurotic Gumbo, a nine-piece “powerhouse” show band. Organizers said they boast an amazing three-piece horn section and are eager to rock Doyle Field with their repertoire of classic rock tunes. Additional music will be provided by the Nashoba Valley Concert Band to accompany the fireworks display, which begins at about 9 p.m.
U.S. flags and light sticks, donated by the Leominster Rotary Club, will be offered to the children who attend. There will also be great food provided by food vendors on the field and on adjacent streets.
One of the highlights of the evening, other than the wonderful music and spectacular fireworks show, will be the naming of the city’s Citizens of the Year.
Each year the award is given to a deserving man and woman selected by the Starburst Committee and previous winners. Nominees for the award must be current Leominster residents, living in the city for at least 10 years.
Past honorees have given of their time and talents to make Leominster the wonderful city all of us are proud to call home; in 2025 Barbara LeBlanc and Tom Piper were recognized for their volunteerism and service to the community.
Nomination forms are available at the following locations: Leominster City Hall, the Leominster Public Library, and the Office of Emergency Management at 37 Carter St. Nominations may be left at any of these locations or can be mailed to the Mayor’s Office, City Hall, 25 West St., Leominster MA 01453. The closing date for nominations is July 1.
The co-chairs for the Citizen of the Year Committee are Nancy Koski and Diane Sanabria. Prime contributors to Starburst 2026 are the All One Credit Union and the Leominster Cultural Council. Most of the event’s sponsors and patrons are local merchants and businesses and the committee encourages everyone to support them. Starburst is, as it is every year, a free event. The rain date is Sunday, Aug. 23.