Kick off your summer fun in Nashua at … where else?

NASHUA – The Nashua Parks and Recreation Department’s annual SummerFun events will kick off Saturday, June 9. The first events will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Greeley Park. Admission is free; there is no rain date. At 10 a.m., the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps will perform, followed by an introduction of the SummerFun Committee by Mayor Donnalee Lozeau at 10:30. Marcus Gale will perform children’s music at 11, and L’il Iguana will perform a children’s safety demonstration at noon. At 12:45 p.m., there will be a demonstration by the Independent Karate School, followed by “Rise Above Hate,” an anti-bullying performance by students from Nashua High School South. The children’s safety demonstration and “Rise Above Hate” are new additions to the event this year. Tom Dwane, recreation program manager, said that thanks to local organizations, there will be free games and giveaways, sandwiches from Chick-fil-A, a live remote by 95.7 WZID Radio, face painting, a caricaturist, popcorn, snow cones and bounce houses throughout the day. Dwane said he expects about 1,500 people on opening day. “It’s one of our four major events we do, and it kicks off the whole summer theme,” Dwane said. “It’s important because the whole event allows people to stay close to home and enjoy different activities, all for free.” Not only is SummerFun economically convenient, but it’s also a useful outlet for local organizations, such as the Nashua Public Library, to display what they have to offer. “Thousands of people come, and it’s a great way for people to get library cards and to get children and families reading,” said Carol Eyman, the outreach and community services coordinator for the library. “We like to offer cultural and art activities to the public.