Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/page/36/)
Pete Betsch visited the Granby Oak on Jan. 19 for this stunning photo.
After 56 years the Marquis of Granby Junior Ancient Fyfe and Drum Corps, a cherished part of parades and celebrations for generations, may end. Falling recruitment and loss of adult volunteers have played a large part in board members considering dissolving the group.
The February issue is so chock full of great articles after the holiday break we are adding online Bonus Pages so you don’t miss a thing!
Two years ago in this paper, I introduced myself to the community of Granby. In that introduction, I offered up a host of financial metrics on the Town of Granby.
In this Drummer article, I’ll refresh some of those metrics as an introduction to the coming FY27 budget process.
In its 90th year of operation, Beman Hardware was honored by the Granby Board of Selectmen at its Nov. 17 meeting. A proclamation was read and delivered to Joan Beman Russell, Dianne Beman Myers and the new owner of the store, Vinnie Pagano. Also present were staff members Charles and Patricia George.
When it comes to making a charitable donation, sometimes the value of the needed item exceeds the amount of money one donor organization can afford. That’s exactly the case the Granby Ambulance Association (GAA) recently faced.
The Granby Memorial High School Robotics Team (Granby GRUNTS) celebrated the start of their FIRST Robotics competition season with “Kickoff” on Jan. 10.
PFLAG Granby is pleased to offer a conversation about parenting trans youth and some of the issues these families face. There will be a presentation by Melissa Combs, followed by Q&A.
At the Jan. 20 Three Board Meeting, members of the boards of selectmen, education and finance shared initial projections for what fiscal year 2027— running from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027—may look like from their respective perspectives, and in aggregate.
If you’re skilled at sharpening knives, scissors, garden tools and more and are willing to volunteer your time—you are needed. Residents of Granby are welcome to bring household items to the Suffield Repair Cafe for free repair by volunteers.
Please visit granby-ct.gov/senior-services or check your Center Life Newsletter for a complete listing of health services, support groups, clubs and ongoing activities.
Registration is required for all library programs, except as noted. To learn more about upcoming programs, sign up for the library’s monthly eNewsletter. For the most updated information on dates and programs, refer to the library’s online calendar.
The Farmington Valley Quilters Guild will present From Fabric to Fabulous on Sept. 20 and 21 at the Kingswood Oxford School’s Hoffman Field House on Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford.
As the Salmon Brook Historical Society prepares to celebrate 80 years of preserving Granby’s history in 2025, it proudly reflects on the progress it has made—and the strong foundation it continues to build for the future.
By the time you read this, Chris Fisher’s photography exhibit at Lost Acres Vineyard will probably be closed, so you will have to go to the libraries in East Granby (September), Simsbury (October) or Avon (November) to experience it, but it will be well worth the drive. He started taking pictures on a seven-week summer Eurail trip in 1971 and hasn’t stopped since!
Seventy years ago, the state of Connecticut and the town of Granby experienced the worst flood in its history.
Collaboration and Community, Meet the Farm Crew!, and Upcoming Events
The Granby Public Library wrapped up another unforgettable Summer Reading Program, this year themed Mystery and Mayhem. More than 500 patrons of all ages took part in the excitement—solving riddles, cracking codes and getting lost in thrilling whodunits, all while earning raffle tickets for a chance to win great prizes, all for reading.
More than twenty-five years ago a group of people gathered with a desire to help more people know and grow with God. That group included Pastor Clark Pfaff and his family and dozens of families from the Granby and the greater Farmington Valley area.
In 2023 when Gabrielle Galiatsatos decided to expand her flower-growing hobby to better serve the community, she told her neighbor Michelle Neidermeyer, part owner of Lost Acres Vineyard with her husband Kevin Riggott, about her “crazy idea.” Neidermeyer enthusiastically offered the use of a segment of the Vineyard property and within a week, wood was delivered for the raised beds and a massive tulip bulb order was placed.
Granby Open Farm Day 2025 is September 6th.
For the second year in a row, Shirley Murtha has won an award in the Connecticut Press Club’s 2024 annual competition. Her article, How the loss of insect populations affects bird life, placed second in the Green/Environmental category.
How electricity is supplied to our town of Granby is not something everyone thinks about. But for Reinhard Maier, Granby resident for 37 years, the field of electricity is his bailiwick. He holds certification from the state of Connecticut as a licensed professional engineer with more than 50 years of experience in the electric power generation industry.
The Granby UNICO held its annual golf tournament June 6 at the Simsbury Farms Golf Club, which offered a challenging and fun day filled with raffles and prizes. A delicious buffet and beverages followed for all participants.
The Carroll Sisters Trio is set to release its much-anticipated second album, Radiance, as part of Granby’s beloved Salmon Brook Music Series on Sunday, Sept. 28, 4 p.m. at the Granby Congregational Church.
Dr. Douglas Tallamy may be doing more than anyone in our time to illuminate the crucial and imperiled interdependence of insects, birds, bees, plants, and the rest of us.
Golfers of all skill levels are invited to hit the links for a great cause at the St. Therese Catholic Church Charity Golf Tournament taking place Saturday, Sept. 20 at the beautiful Airways Golf Course in West Suffield.
A great spangled fritillary butterfly sips nectar from a native ironweed plant (a valuable late-season nectar source for a variety of pollinators) on the Mary Edwards Mountain Property in North Granby.
