SOUTHWICK — It took getting through a global pandemic, a one-year delay, and a little bit of last-minute legwork, but the town of Southwick was finally able to celebrate its 250th anniversary Oct. 16.

Though the weather forecast in the days leading up to the celebrations looked grim, Southwick residents were met with a beautiful day to celebrate their town’s founding, 251 years later.

Southwick 250th Anniversary Committee Chair James Putnam II said that he was “very pleased” with how many people turned out to celebrate.

“I was very pleased with both the parade and the 250 fair. Obviously, the weather took a wonderful Southwick bounce in our favor,” said Putnam.

The only minor hiccup was that the fireworks planned for 8 p.m. had to be launched a half hour earlier to avoid storms that were heading toward the area.

Southwick 250 was meant to take place in 2020, but when the COVID-19 pandemic began to take hold, it quickly became clear to 250th organizers that they would not be able to bring together crowds of people for the celebrations. The committee voted to push all celebrations to 2021 in the hopes that vaccines would be available by this October, which they were.

Even as the 2021 celebrations drew close however, Putnam said that there was a “moment of truth” over the summer when organizers found that they may not have enough volunteers. He said many of them had moved, made major life changes, or were involved in other things that took their time away from the 250th. He credited Select Board Chair and 250th Committee member Joseph Deedy with helping to make sure the event happened.

“We found, for a variety of reasons, some of our volunteers were no longer able to help us at that time,” said Putnam, “So Joe Deedy and I stepped up and said, ‘We are going to do this.’”

What resulted was a little less structured than the original plan for 2020, Putnam said. As late as the day before the parade, he said he was getting calls from people who wanted to be in it, which he obliged. Even on the day of the parade itself, some people had shown up for the Farm Parade portion who organizers didn’t even know would be participating.

“It was very much a spontaneous event,” said Putnam.

Putnam said the next step will be to look toward the 275th anniversary in 2045, which he said one way or another, he will not take part in organizing.

“I'm hoping to be sitting in a lawn chair at the Congregational Church watching that one. I don't anticipate planning it or anything, as I will be 94 when that happens,” said Putnam.

To Putnam, the 250th came at the right time. At a time of great divisiveness, on top of the ongoing pandemic, he said people needed a reason to celebrate together.

“The community needed this. We needed to give the town a good celebration,” said Putnam.

In addition to the parade and fireworks, the Southwick 250 celebration included a free fun fair at Whalley Park that included band performances, a craft table, food vendors, carnival games and an “old-time base ball” game between a Southwick team and the Westfield Wheelmen.