From Firehouse to Arts Hub: Pineland Arts Center's Grand Opening!
The former Taunton Firehouse is reopening in a whole new way. Join Pineland Arts Center on June 13 for its grand opening celebration featuring live music, crafts, pottery demos, movement activities, studio tours, and family fun.
If you’ve driven past the old Taunton Volunteer Firehouse on Fairview Road over the last few years and wondered what exactly has been happening there, the wait is over. After nearly three years of renovations, the building is officially reopening to the community in a completely new way.
The Pineland Arts Center will celebrate its Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting on Saturday, June 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 31 Fairview Road in Medford, transforming a familiar piece of local history into a new home for art, movement, music, and creativity for all ages.
For longtime Medford residents, the building is instantly recognizable. Once home to the Taunton Volunteer Fire Company, the space has been thoughtfully reimagined by the art center while still honoring its history.
The project grew from the vision of Medford resident and former elementary music teacher Marisa Manion, who many locals may remember from a few years back when she bought "The ARTery Studio" on Main Street. As programming continued to grow beyond what the original location could support, the opportunity arose to breathe new life into the former firehouse and expand into a true multi-disciplinary arts center.
Today, the renovated building includes three dedicated creative spaces: an Art Studio, Movement Studio, and Clay Studio. The clay space also becomes the second home of Say It With Clay, a nonprofit that has spent nearly two decades creating inclusive clay experiences for the community.
And if you’re wondering what exactly to expect at the grand opening, organizers are planning a full community celebration with plenty happening throughout the morning and early afternoon.
What to Expect at the Grand Opening
🎶 Live Music
- 10:00 a.m. – Welcome music by The Brass Consort Quintet
- 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Live music by The Steve Dee Band
✂️ Ceremony & Historic Dedication
- 10:30 a.m. – Official ribbon cutting ceremony with Medford Town Council
- Dedication of the building’s original fire hose drying tower, complete with historic fire equipment and memorabilia honoring the Medford Township Fire Department and EMS
🎨 Arts, Activities & Family Fun
- Pottery wheel demonstrations and hands-on clay experiences with Say It With Clay
- Community collaborative painting and drawing wall
- Make-and-take crafts for all ages
- Custom pin-back button making
- Movement games and interactive activities in the new Movement Studio
- Guided tours of the Art Studio, Clay Studio, and Movement Studio
- Outdoor lawn games and family activities
- Touch-a-Truck experience with the Medford Township Fire Department
🍦 Food & Refreshments
- Complimentary hot dogs
- Mister Softee ice cream truck
- The Mindful Mug espresso cart
🖌️ Interested in Classes or Camps?
Attendees can also learn more about upcoming summer camps, workshops, movement classes, and recurring programs. Organizers say there will be exclusive one-day-only registration discounts available only during the grand opening event.
The event is free and family-friendly, and if weather doesn’t cooperate, a rain date is scheduled for Sunday, June 14.
For a building that once served the community in one way, it’s pretty neat to see it getting a second life serving the community in another!
Have something happening in Medford or Medford Lakes? We’d love to hear about it. Businesses, nonprofits, churches, neighborhoods, and residents can now submit events to Destination Medford for consideration. Yard sale? Fundraiser? Class? Big event? Send it our way here.