A brief ceremony celebrating the HyArts Cultural District and the latest additions to the Kennedy Legacy Trail is scheduled for Tuesday, August 14.
Town Manager Tom Lynch will be joined by State Senator Dan Wolf, HyArts Cultural District Partners and other town and business leaders.
"I look forward to joining the celebration of both Hyannis and the Kennedy family's local legacy," said Cape and Islands Senator Dan Wolf. "From the family compound in Hyannisport to our superb museum on Main Street to the armory downtown, where President Kennedy held his very first press conference after election, Hyannis occupies a unique place in Kennedy lore, and our nation's history."
In May, the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) Board of Directors voted unanimously to name the downtown Hyannis HyArts Cultural District as the Cape’s first state designated cultural district, sixth to be named in the state. The concentration of cultural, economic and historic resources in downtown Hyannis, coupled with a strong community commitment easily lends itself to this designation which will help to enhance and grow the already successful arts and culture programs and events in the District. The Town of Barnstable, Cape Cod Art Association, Hyannis Area Chamber of Commerce and the Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District worked for several months on the extensive application process.
The Town of Barnstable has a long-established commitment to making arts and culture an important facet of the town’s economic development strategy as the Arts are often undervalued for the contribution they play in a stable, vibrant community. The benefits of the state designation are numerous. In addition to state-wide and national marketing opportunities, the HyArts Cultural District will work with the MCC and community partners to further develop arts-related economic development strategies including encouraging business development and job growth and expanding tourism.
The Kennedy Legacy Trail, located in the heart of the HyArts Cultural District, celebrates the significant role the Kennedy’s played in shaping the history of Hyannis and Cape Cod. The 1.6 mile trail consists of 10 informational signs that are placed at key locations from Main Street to the harbor, finishing up at the JFK Memorial at Veteran’s Beach. Each stop provides a brief history of the site and its significance to the Kennedys and their life on Cape Cod. Visitors along the trail can retrieve additional information by accessing the QR code or dialing the number on each sign. Brochures and maps are available at the JFK Hyannis Museum, on Main Street, Hyannis. New to the trail, sailboat stencils now guide walkers to each stop and two large photographs of the Kennedy Family are installed on the wall of Sturgis Charter Public High School on Pearl Street
The Kennedy Legacy Trail was created with funds from a Gateway Cities Program grant issued by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to the Town of Barnstable and in collaboration with the JFK Hyannis Museum, Hyannis Area Chamber of Commerce and the Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District.
Information from a press release.