The streets were filled with lemonade stands on Saturday as the second annual Boston’s Wicked North Shore Lemonade Stand Marathon kicked off.
Kids from across the area were sitting outside serving up ice-cold lemonade, snacks, popsicles, and bubblegum.
Some raised money for different charities, while others were saving up for toys and other fun items. There were 56 stands in total across 19 communities.
On a sunny afternoon, two young entrepreneurs set up shop on their Lynn neighborhood street corner, selling lemonade, snacks, and plenty of good cheer.
Siblings Enrico Cacciatore, age 6, and Mariah, age 3, eagerly welcomed customers to their stand, offering cold drinks to neighbors passing by. Their reason for setting up? A goal any kid can relate to: saving up for new Legos.
“We wanted to do a lemonade stand today,” Enrico explained proudly. With a big smile, he added that the best part was not just the lemonade, but the excitement of earning money and meeting neighbors.
The stand, decorated with handmade signs and filled with cheerful energy, has already drawn a steady stream of customers. Some even left tips and donations through Venmo to support the kids’ efforts.
The stand also offered cupcakes, popcorn, and chips.
When asked if they were having fun, both Enrico and Mariah answered enthusiastically: “Yeah!”
The kids’ mom shared that in just a short time, the stand has raised more than they hoped for, a big success for their very first venture.
Between serving drinks and chatting with neighbors, the young siblings were excited to see two Lynn firefighters who happened to stop by.
For these two, the lemonade stand isn’t just about refreshing summer drinks; it is also about Legos.
Ty Morin and his dad, Greg, set up shop in Swampscott with a view of Fisherman’s Beach and the Boston Skyline stretching into the sky behind them.
Ty said the experience was “fun,” and Greg explained they were inspired to join the fun after seeing it happen last year.
Within five or six minutes of having set up shop along Fisherman’s Beach, Ty had already sold 16 lemonades at the custom-built stand, which took Greg and Ty two weeks to build, with plans to keep going in the future, they said. The stand was also selling gumballs and popsicles.
“It’s the first time, but it won’t be the last time,” Greg Morin said.
Ty said he thought meeting cool people while selling lemonade was his favorite part. Proceeds from his stand will go to the MSPCA, Ty said.
Over in Saugus, William “Billy” Donahue III was excited to be outside selling lemonade to the neighborhood.
He added that while it was his second time selling lemonade, he was having lots of fun in his next endeavor. “I did it last year, but now we’re doing it again.”
When asked what his favorite part of the lemonade stand was, Donahue III said, “That I get to fill up the cups and give it to customers, and definitely get the money.”
Donahue III’s cause will be going to Bags of Hope, an organization that looks to support women affected by trafficking, prostitution, addiction, and homelessness.
Also in Saugus, Kendra Webber had a tent and lemonade stand set up outside her home for the neighborhood to rally around.
“It’s going good so far,” Webber said. “We’ve already had a few customers come by, which was really good.”
While it’s her first year doing so, Webber thought it was fun. “My favorite part of doing the lemonade stand is just the joy of having someone come up to you and buy some lemonade,” she said.
Proceeds from Webber’s lemonade stand will be donated to the Humane Society for Animals. “Thirty percent of all proceeds go to the Humane Society, along with everything I’ve collected in the tip jar.” The stand was also selling an assortment of snacks for those looking for something salty instead of sour.
Jordin Nuzzo and her mother, Jenna, of Saugus, were doing something a little different than the other lemonade stands.
Their lemonade was, in fact, freshly-squeezed right on the spot. While Jenna Nuzzo squeezed the lemons, Jordin Nuzzo got a spoonful of sugar ready to sweeten up the sour liquid.
Jordin confirmed this is her second time doing the lemonade stand, with the simple aim of looking to have fun and collect money for toys and clothes.
Nuzzo said she was having a lot of fun helping her mother make the lemonade. When she was asked what her favorite part of the day was, she said, “That I get to help my mom make it.”
Brothers Asher and Shia Donahue were set up along the corner of Salem and Winchester Street in Lynnfield, aiming to raise money for the Jimmy Fund.
Asher said it was his and his brother’s second year running a lemonade stand, as last year they ran one also to raise money for the Jimmy Fund.
Asher explained there was a personal connection with their mission to raise money for the cause. “My grandfather passed away from cancer,” Asher Donahue said. He also plays on a Jimmy Fund Little League baseball team.
He said the best part of taking the initiative to sell lemonade was “raising money.”
