Hey Norwich, Come Party With Us

It turns out that Norwich is about as common a name as Bob. And, much like the annual Bobfest, where guys named Bob get together to celebrate their Bob-ness, Norwich, Conn. is inviting people from any town on the planet by the same name to celebrate what it means to be from Norwich. 

Why? Because of a guy named Stanley Taylor in England who asked people from all over the world to sign the guest book when visiting him home and another guy named Derek Bickford-Smith who traveled to the places named Norwich and Norfolk in that book. 

In Taylor's book, there were records of 10 Norfolk and Norwich communities. Then, Bickford-Smith packed his bags and set off to visit them all. From this, Norfolk-Norwich World Family gatherings came.

The first was held in 1996 in, you guessed it, Norwich, England and the fun has continued from there.

Combine that not quite annual occurrence with Norwich, Conn. reaching the ripe old age of 350, and bingo – recipe for a party. 

 

It’s called Norfolk-Norwich World Family Gathering and Norwich, ours, is inviting officials and others from every Norwich and Norfolk in the world to come to Connecticut this summer.

The bash is planned for the first week of July. There are activities planned everyday for the celebration, which runs July 1 to 5.
 

What will all of the Norwichers do? Attend a breakfast reception at City Hall and tour area landmarks.

 

A traditional New England clambake is scheduled for July 4 – yum. The city is also planning fireworks and a parade.

Want to get involved? How about hosting a family from one of the many Norwiches of the world?

The committee working on the celebration is also looking for volunteers.  The next meeting is planned for March 4.

Norwich, Conn. was founded in 1659 by settlers from Old Saybrook. Those settlers purchased the land that would become Norwich from the Native American Mohegan Tribe. The city was incorporated in 1784.