What Makes Fitchburg Home

There are some days that remind you why you care so much about a place.

Saturday evening, I had the privilege of attending the final Coppia Concert performance of the season at Four Winds Farm here in Fitchburg. If you have never been to one of these concerts, they are something special. The setting alone is remarkable: a working farm tucked into the landscape, the sun beginning to set, people gathered together to listen to music. It feels intimate in a way that larger venues rarely can. I was lucky to also sit next to a couple who will be bringing their wonderful new business, The Hive, to our city later this year.

The ensemble performing was a chamber group from New York called Interwoven, and the name was fitting. Their music blended Asian and Western classical traditions in a way that felt thoughtful and deliberate. As an avid classical music fan, I was so pleased to be experiencing something novel and meaningful. At times the sound was delicate, solo, and meditative, and at others it surged with the energy of traditional chamber music. It was one of those performances where you could sense the audience quietly absorbed in the moment.

Experiences like that are part of what makes Fitchburg special. Ours is a community where you can spend the evening listening to world-class musicians on a farm surrounded by open land and neighbors who genuinely care about the cultural life of their city. It is a reminder that quality of life is not just about roads and budgets, but about the spaces and experiences that bring people together.

Then this morning, the priority shifted from music to civic life as I participated in the Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce candidate forum. These kinds of conversations matter. Local businesses, community organizations, and residents all have a stake in the direction our city takes over the coming years. I appreciated the thoughtful questions and the chance to talk about the issues that I believe will shape Fitchburg’s future: smart public safety, housing that people can actually afford, and protecting the natural spaces and character that make this community such a wonderful place to live.

What struck me most about the last few days is how they reflect the full life of a city. One evening we gather for music under the open sky. Another morning we gather to talk about policy and the practical work of governing. Both are important. Both are part of building a community that people are proud to call home.

As I said at the forum, my goal is simple. I want Fitchburg to remain the kind of place where people feel connected to their neighbors, where local businesses thrive, and where a child growing up here, like my daughter, can one day look back and feel proud of having called this city home.

I would be remiss to not also extend my thanks to Dawn Wohn and Jay Hutchinson for their kind invitation to their concert series. I would also like to thank the Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce for hosting this candidate forum. I truly look forward to the days ahead in the city we are lucky enough to call home.