Having been incorporated in 1810, Orange, Massachusetts is celebrating its bicentennial this year.  The year of celebrations kicked off on December 31, 2009 with the town’s New Year’s Eve celebration — Starry, Starry Night — and will end at the 2010 Starry, Starry Night celebration, with many events in the months in between.

Orange is the easternmost town in Franklin County.  The town’s elementary school students attend the Orange Elementary School, while teenagers attend Ralph C. Mahar Regional School.  Some students also choose to attend the Franklin County Technical School located in nearby Montague, MA.

Orange also has several popular tourist attractions.

One such attraction is the annual River Rat Race, a five-mile canoe race described by some as “the world’s zaniest canoe race”.  The River Rat Race also features a parade and a 5K for those who prefer running to boating.

Also on the water is Orange’s own 112-acre Lake Mattawa, a spring-fed lake that offers swimming, boating, fishing and ice fishing.  Trout are abundant in the lake, as the state stocks Lake Mattawa with rainbow and brown trout each spring.

Perhaps the most unique attraction in Orange is Jumptown, the first commercial skydiving center in the United States.  The skydiving club and dropzone offers both tandem and accelerated free fall training.

If you’re looking for outdoor fun, Orange is the town for you!