NEWBURYPORT — Yankee Homecoming hit the road Wednesday with a series of concert performances at nursing homes across the city.
Two Yankee Homecoming bands made stops at Atria Merrimack Place, Brigham Manor, Opportunity Works, Advina Carey and Port Healthcare starting at 10:30 a.m. and continuing until 2:30 p.m.
Around 10:30 a.m. the music came to Storey Avenue’s Atria Merrimack Place.
“We are part of Newburyport, and Yankee Homecoming is a big thing in Newburyport,” Atria Merrimack Place’s Brianna Neely said. “Our residents may not necessarily be able to get out to enjoy all the festivities, so it’s nice to have the group come here and include our residents in a way that they may not be able to enjoy otherwise.”
Yankee Homecoming is set to run through Sunday with a theme of “Home Sweet Home.”
Music came courtesy of Jim Catesb singing and playing guitar and Roy D’Inocenzo strumming the banjo. The duo performed classics such as “Sweet Caroline,” “For Me and My Gal,” and “Take Me Out To The Ball Game.”
In between the aisles of chairs, a few seniors began to get up and dance, inviting others to get up and join them.
Event founder Lucien LaCroix eventually addressed the crowd.
“I started this in 1992, but I haven’t gotten any older yet,” LaCroix said. “I won’t say any event at Yankee Homecoming is better than the other. I’ll never say that. But for me, this is the best one. I’ve got five places to be today. Luckily, I don’t have to walk.”
He gave a shout out to Yankee Homecoming Chair Carole Appleton, who was seated toward the back of the room and shared a quick word with the crowd.
“I’m just grateful to be here and happy to meet everyone,” Appleton replied. “Thank you so much.”
He ended teasing that the crowd had heard enough from him, turning things back over to the band and asking if there were any special requests.
“No 1812 Overture, I didn’t bring my cannon,” LaCroix said, drawing a laugh from the audience.
Neely said her residents love feeling involved and also getting a free show.
“I mean, who doesn’t love music,” Neely said. “Our residents love music, and they love being involved. They love being a part of things that go on in Newburyport. It’s a way to just include them.”
Dressed in cowgirl attire as part of Spirit Week at Atria, Neely said that she does her best to provide diverse programming to keep residents engages as part of their overall wellness.
“Programming engagement is very big,” Neely said. “It’s a focus of ours on the whole being. We have our care team, and that is very important, but we also have our socialization piece, and that is equally as important for the entire wellness of a senior.”