A 1964 Fire Engine Is Back on Medway's Parade Route. Here's the Thanksgiving Week Around It

In late August, the Medway Fire Department put Engine 1 back "in service." It is a 1964 Maxim S, and it had not been in service for 36 years. The town did not buy it back. Byron Vinton, a retired member of the department, donated the truck to the Town of Medway five years ago, and according to MyFMToday's report on the restoration, that gift is what made the restoration and its return possible.

On Saturday, November 28, the engine's first big public outing is the Medway Christmas Parade. That fits, because nearly every part of Medway's Thanksgiving week runs the same way Engine 1 got home. Residents give the money, the time, and the food, and the town shows up to enjoy what comes of it.

The Engine Came Home Through Local Hands

Engine 1 comes from a company close to home. Maxim Motor Company was based in Middleborough and built more than 3,000 fire engines between 1920 and 1989, MyFMToday reported in September. Medway's engine is listed as a 1,000-gallon-per-minute pumper that carries 500 gallons, and its job now is parades.

Several people worked on it. Sturgis Hauling and Restoration did the full restoration. Gregg Heger did the gold-leaf lettering and striping. Specialty Vehicles did the finishing work. When the town welcomed the engine home, it thanked Sturgis Restoration and the Vinton family for the generosity behind the project.

The parade's Grand Marshal will ride on the engine. This year that is Carol Pratt, who recently retired as Medway's Finance Director. Pratt retired after 20 years with the town. She started as Assistant Town Accountant on December 20, 2006, and served as Finance Director for about the last ten years. It's a fitting pairing for a parade the town doesn't pay for: the person who kept Medway's books for a decade, riding in an engine that came back to town as a gift.

The Parade Has Always Been Paid For by Neighbors

The Town of Medway's 2026 parade notice says it plainly. The Medway Christmas Parade Committee is all volunteers, the event is privately funded, and it depends on donations from individuals and businesses. The parade has been running for more than 30 years. The town called the 2024 parade the 32nd celebration.

The money also stays in town after the parade ends. Millis Medway News reported last fall that the committee welcomes donations of any amount and spends what's left on lights and ornaments for Choate Park. Last year, groups could enter a float with a $100 donation and entry fee. In other words, the lights at Choate Park this winter are paid for by the same donations that pay for the parade.

Mailing addresses for donations have changed over the years, so check the committee's current instructions on its Facebook page or with the town before you send a check.

Thanksgiving Morning Starts at the Same School

Two days before the parade, Medway High School hosts a different crowd. The Medway Turkey Trot starts at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 26, from the school at 88 Summer Street.

The race follows the same pattern as the parade. Its organizers say on the Race Roster registration page that the race raises money for the Medway Public Schools Athletic Department, and that it draws more than 1,000 runners and spectators a year from Medway and nearby towns. The 5K is listed at $30 plus processing fees under early-bird pricing, which comes to $34.09. The 18-and-under 5K is $20 plus fees, or $23.39.

A few race-morning details to know ahead of time:

• Day-of registration opens at 6:45 a.m.
• Runners enter the cafeteria from behind the school, then follow signs to the start on Adams Street.
• There's no awards ceremony. Medals are mailed to the top finishers in each age division, which run from Junior through Super-Vet, 70 and over.

The race also runs a food drive with the Girl Scouts of Medway, and the donations go to Medway's food pantries. You can drop off non-perishable food in the high school lobby on Saturday, November 21, from 9 a.m. to noon, or Monday, November 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. Race-morning donations are taken in the cafeteria from 6:45 to 7:30 a.m. You don't have to run to give.

The Week, Day by Day

Here's how Medway's Thanksgiving week lines up, including a few smaller events already on the library and Parks & Recreation calendars.

On Saturday, November 21, both events are free and short, so you could drop off canned goods at the high school and still make the Morning Mend at the library the same morning.

Where Engine 1 Will Roll on November 28

The parade starts at Medway High School at 5:30 p.m. Here's the route the town published:

1. Leave Medway High School and turn left onto Summer Street
2. Left onto Milford Street
3. Straight across onto Franklin Street
4. Left onto Village Street
5. Left onto Holliston Street
6. Left onto Main Street
7. Finish at Choate Park

Fireworks follow at Choate Park around dusk. If weather pushes them back, the rain date is Sunday, November 29. The 2026 notice also lists photos with Santa and treats for sale at Choate Park. Any money spent on treats that evening stays in town.

The Weeks Before Thanksgiving

The rest of November is quieter, and much of it is free or costs little.

On Wednesday, November 11, Medway holds its Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. at 123 Holliston Street, the former VFW that now houses Medway Parks & Recreation.

The Medway Public Library's November calendar has a mix of talks, a storytime, and a hands-on workshop, and each one requires registration:

• Monday, Nov. 9, 6 p.m.: Wendy Leeds on "Solving the Anxiety Equation."
• Saturday, Nov. 14, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: "Winter Pysanky: The Art of Ukrainian Egg Decorating," in the Makerspace.
• Monday, Nov. 16, 6 p.m.: Jenn Bouchard on writing about coastal New England and getting published.
• Wednesday, Nov. 18, 5:15 p.m.: Kristi Mahoney reads "Owls Make Terrible Teachers!" in the Story Room.

The Parks & Recreation fall 2026 brochure recommends registering online. Its November programs include:

• Walk This Way: Tuesday mornings, November 3 through 24, 8 to 9 a.m. on the Trails of Medway, $10
• Sugar Club turkey cake class: November 10, 4 to 5 p.m., $30
• Scavenger Hunt Hike at Choate Park: November 19, 4 to 4:45 p.m., $10

The last one is a good way to see the park nine days before the parade crowd arrives.

If you're new to Medway, or you'd like to talk about anything else in town over a cup of coffee, I'm happy to hear from you. I'm Eileen Mason, and I hope to see you along the route on November 28. Let's Connect.