Carnival Plans Halted

After a Charlestown Neighborhood Council meeting where young townie, Sean Boyle roused members and the audience by proposing to bring back the Charlestown Carnival, the town was abuzz with nostalgia. But just a couple of months later, the merry-go-round of plans has stopped spinning.

In a public letter, Boyle wrote: “I am sad to inform you that I will no longer be planning the carnival for Charlestown’s Bunker Hill Parade Week. Unfortunately, I called Dennis Kraez of Autoport today and he still did not have a definite answer for me. He said he still does not know when the shipment of cars will arrive during the month of June, and he cannot take a chance because he does not want to jeopardize his business. He said to call back on Tuesday (April 10th), to “remind him.” But time is running out and I cannot wait on false hope any longer. Unless something miraculous happens, I will still call him on Tuesday to see if he has an answer, which I highly doubt.

As much as I hate giving up, I feel as if it is necessary. This property was the Townie Association’s last option. There will be a lot of disappointed children, teenagers, young adults, and adults in the neighborhood of Charlestown as they were excited to see a carnival come to town. The sparkle of joy in people’s eyes and smiles when talking about the carnival planning or sharing their memories of carnivals past on the street was my motivation, and it will break my heart to tell them it will not be happening.

I also want to take this moment to thank you for giving us a chance. I have never planned such an event in my life and it truly was a learning experience. Although the outcomes were not what the Townie Association desired, maybe this will give the people of Charlestown a reason to continue to fight to resurrect the tradition of the carnival during Parade Week for future years to come.”

For now, the Charlestown Carnival will have to be kept alive through memories. But Boyle and his fellow members of the Townie Association will still forge ahead with plans to enrich the community. And while residents can’t turn back time, they can still look back to that joyous week in June, and maybe, just maybe, the painted ponies will once again go up and down on the painted carousel of time.

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