During the 2004 Labor Day weekend, there was a soft opening of the newly built Fred E. Briggs Pool located at 36 East Street in Attleboro. To celebrate the occasion, City Councilor Peter Blais contacted the president of the Recreation Commission, Leo Johnson, to suggest having a cookout. Burgers, hot dogs, chips, etc. were purchased and the neighborhood families were treated to a festive Labor Day weekend cookout.
Initially, this event was called the East Side Cookout. Over time it has transitioned to the Briggs Pool Family Fun Day, hosted by Peter Blais. Growing up on the east side, this section of the city has a very special place in Peter’s heart. Peter spent much of the time working behind the scenes to ensure the pool was constructed and opened on time in order to benefit the many families living near this neighborhood pool. Over the years there were numerous volunteers that assisted in this event and still volunteer their time each summer. These volunteers include current and former recreation commissioners, city councilors and mayors of Attleboro.
Since the first cookout in 2004 to today, the cookout has been an annual event. We are very grateful to our sponsors which have included: