Foxboro Archive

Foxborough Fire & Ice: Winter Events That Warm the Town Square When winter hits Foxborough, the cold doesn’t keep people indoors—it brings them together. The annual Fire & Ice celebration in the town square has become a seasonal favorite, lighting up downtown with a mix of glowing flames and frozen artistry. It’s not just an event; it’s a snapshot of the town’s spirit in the colder months. Bonfires roar safely behind barriers, inviting families to gather around with hot chocolate in hand. Local restaurants set up festive booths, offering everything from chili tastings to roasted mar…

The Day Before: Patriot Place Thanksgiving Eve Crowd Returns The night before Thanksgiving has long held a special kind of energy—and in Foxborough, that energy finds its center at Patriot Place. With the Gillette Stadium lights dimmed between games, Thanksgiving Eve offers a different kind of excitement. It's the unofficial reunion night for college students returning home, friends catching up over dinner, and families beginning their holiday weekend together. Local restaurants and bars see some of their highest foot traffic of the year. Taverns like Bar Louie and Six String Grill & St…

Tiny Homes, Big Questions: The Foxborough Pilot Program That’s Stirring Debate A new pilot program aimed at exploring the potential of tiny homes as part of Foxborough’s housing future is generating buzz, curiosity—and controversy. The initiative, introduced by the town’s planning board earlier this year, proposes allowing a limited number of compact, energy-efficient dwellings to be constructed on a town-owned parcel as a way to address affordability without changing the character of existing neighborhoods. Supporters of the plan argue that tiny homes could offer a flexible housing solutio…

Foxborough’s Orpheum Theatre has long been a cultural cornerstone, tucked quietly downtown and lined with stories of plays past and performances that have drawn neighbors together for decades. Now, this beloved building is being reimagined—not to replace its history, but to revive it. While many residents remember the Orpheum as the backdrop for school plays or local concerts, the stage has seen less activity in recent years. That’s changing. A new local initiative, backed by volunteers, performers, and town officials, is giving the Orpheum a second act. Crews have already begun subtle but…

Behind the Scenes at Gillette Stadium in the Off-Season While Gillette Stadium may be known for packed Sundays during Patriots season, its impact on Foxborough doesn’t fade when the crowds go home. In the quieter months, the stadium transforms into a hub for off-season activity—supporting a wide network of jobs, local vendors, and unexpected economic benefits. Staff who usually handle game-day logistics pivot to event coordination for everything from corporate conferences to local fundraisers. Maintenance crews remain busy upgrading seating, lighting, and field infrastructure in preparation…

Zoning Debate Heats Up in North Foxborough Foxborough’s north side, known for its quiet charm and long-standing neighborhoods, is now at the center of a heated zoning debate. As the town evaluates proposals to rezone sections of the area for commercial development, residents and officials are weighing the future character of the neighborhood against potential economic growth. For years, the north side of town has remained primarily residential, with pockets of open space and woodlands that provide a buffer from the commercial bustle closer to Route 1. But developers have begun eyeing the ar…

Patriot Place may be best known for the waves of fans it attracts on New England Patriots game days, but the real story lies in what happens between the touchdowns. On weekdays and quiet weekends, this sprawling entertainment and retail destination in Foxborough transforms into something else entirely—a lifestyle hub that has found ways to thrive even when Gillette Stadium sits silent. While a game can bring in tens of thousands of fans in a single afternoon, business owners and managers across Patriot Place say non-game days are their true test of sustainability. And many have passed that t…

The spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and well—and getting younger. In schools across the region, high school students are launching businesses, selling products, and offering services that are gaining real traction in the community. From handmade jewelry and streetwear clothing lines to tutoring services and app development, students are turning ideas from class projects and weekend hobbies into full-fledged business ventures. Some operate through Instagram or Etsy, others create websites or partner with local stores for shelf space. At Mansfield High School, a group of juniors started a…

Beneath the quiet neighborhoods and wooded trails of Foxborough lies a story few residents know but one that’s slowly being unearthed, piece by piece. Thanks to recent archaeological efforts and accidental discoveries during development projects, a new understanding of Foxborough’s earliest years is beginning to emerge—and it’s sparking fresh interest in the town’s long-buried past. Foxborough is often associated with modern landmarks like Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place, but just beneath its surface are clues to a much older timeline. Recent digs near town-owned parcels and forest edges…