Through bouts of pouring rain, the 2025 Discovery Day attracted thousands of Lexington residents along Massachusetts Avenue on May 24. Those who braved the rain visited booths from local businesses and organizations, sampled food from local restaurants, enjoyed live performances, and — perhaps most importantly — connected with their neighbors and community.
Eric Michelson, owner of Michelson’s Shoes and President of the Lexington Retailers Association, has led the planning efforts for Discovery Day since the organization took over the event in 2001.
Although Discovery Day takes place in late May, planning for the event starts as early as January with committee meetings.
“We lay out the different tasks, and that mostly comes down to recruiting people for booths,” Michelson told LexObserver.
Neighboring towns like Belmont and Waltham have similar community events. However, Michelson believes what makes Lexington’s version unique is its focus on the community itself.
“Unlike other towns which allow outside business to participate, Discovery Day is special in the fact that it is only open to Lexington-operated businesses,” Michelson said.
Since its inception in 1980, Discovery Day has seen immense growth. In 2001, the first year Lexington Retailers Association headed the event, there were just 41 booths. This year, over 100 businesses and organizations were in attendance. Along with the rise in participation, the Lexington Retailers Association has added various experiences to entertain a wider audience.
“We started to include the kid zone in front of the visitor center. We brought in a beer garden. Every year, we are looking to do things to give people more reasons to come down,” Michelson said.
State Representative Michelle Ciccolo, a lifelong resident of Lexington, has also witnessed the growth of Discovery Day.
“We also didn’t have as many cultural organizations back in the day when [the event] was much smaller. The number of them has grown quite a lot,” Ciccolo told LexObserver.
Although the event has expanded, both in terms of the number of participating groups and attendees, the goal of Discovery Day has remained the same: “To create a community event where people can come and discover what Lexington is,” Michelson said.
For residents, Ciccolo views the event as an opportunity for the entire Lexington community, from active participants to newcomers, to come together.
“Our most active and engaged citizens are there at booths, sharing what they do generously with the community. But then you also have people who don’t know as much about Lexington who are there to learn, explore, and discover,” Ciccolo said.
Discovery Day not only provides an opportunity for residents to explore Lexington, but also allows shops and organizations to attract future customers.
“[Discovery Day] is a way for businesses to get exposure and in the eye of the public,” Michelson told LexObserver.
Ciccolo emphasized that these community events have helped residents of various backgrounds to feel included, and she hopes that representation at these gatherings will foster connections among attendees. For example, including booths from Royal Indian Bistro and the Chinese American Association of Lexington (CAAL) that reflect the town’s cultural and social diversity.
“When you come to a fair, and you see people that look like you and people who are interested in similar things, or people that love like you, then you know that there’s a place for you, and you feel a greater sense of belonging and connection,” Ciccolo said.
William Tang is an editor at The Musket, Lexington High School’s student newspaper.