The foundation of Discover West Concord Day is the annual birthday bash for Debra’s Natural Gourmet. “The party we threw after our first year of business was a big hit – with vendors partner-ing with us to give away food, product samples, and to do live demonstrations,” said Debra Stark, founder of the beloved neighborhood store. “It was so much fun that we have thrown a party again every year for 30 years. All great parties involve friends – so we invited our neighbors in West Concord to join in the fun, and Discover West Concord Day was born!”
Many people visiting Concord Center for its historical, cultural, and shopping attractions may not be aware of its little sister on the other side of Route 2, West Concord. Fairly recently, buildings on this side of town were falling into disrepair and there was little to tempt a curious traveler. When I encouraged an old friend of my mother’s to join us at a music festival, she remarked, “In West Concord? In my day, we only ventured over there on Sunday afternoons, for charitable work.”