As summer winds down, fairs and festivals are popping up all over Western Mass. Last weekend, hundreds came out for the Heath Fair. This weekend, Thursday August 25th through Sunday, August 28th, 2022, marks the 154th Cummington Fair in Cummington, MA. The Fair was started in 1869 but was initiated in 1883 as the Hillside Agricultural Society. Today, the Cummington Fair remains true to its agricultural roots with events based around livestock and tractors, such as the livestock shows, horse draws, and antique engine and tractor shows. 

The event begins Thursday, August 25th at 4 pm with the Antique Engines and Tractor Show, Dan the Pirate, and the Rock-n-Circus. The Midway and Rides will also open up, as well as the Craft Barn. Friday is Children’s Night and Cruise Night with the car show and Youth Dairy Judging Contest. Then, all weekend long on Saturday and Sunday, there will be plenty to see and do, such as Comedy and Juggling by Bryson Lang, livestock shows, tractor pulls, square dancing, live music, games, food, and more.

Whether you are a resident of Cummington, or the Pioneer Valley, or you are traveling from surrounding areas, you won’t want to miss this huge event. Purchase your tickets ahead of time at cummingtonfair.com to receive a discount and save time waiting in line. Also visit their website for a full listing of events and other information such as directions and parking. Hope to see you at the Cummington Fair!

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.

The Heath Fair is one of the few country fairs still around that stays true to its agricultural roots. For over 100 years, it has offered events such as the ox draw, sheep shows, and various trade demonstrations to teach the community about agriculture in an engaging way. Every year the residents of Heath and visitors from surrounding towns [...]

Many tag sales have sprung up in front yards across Franklin County, as people do their spring cleaning. It can be a lot of fun to drive around on a Saturday morning and find your own treasures out of other people's old belongings. However, for the best finds in the county, head to the Franklin County Tag Sale on June 4th, 2022 at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield.

Over a hundred tag-salers and vendors will be present for the largest tag sale in Franklin County, which will open at 8:30 am and run until 2:00 pm.

Grab a bite to eat from one of the food vendor booths, while you take a break from shopping. Enjoy delicious barbecue from Cliff’s Smokin’ Backyard BBQ, hot dogs from Hot Diggity Dogs, and other fair food from the Marine Booth. 

There’s no fee to enter the fairgrounds - just pay $5 for parking, which will benefit the Franklin Agricultural Society to help maintain the fairgrounds.

More information about the Franklin County Tag Sale here.

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.

Moonlight Magic returns to Shelburne Falls to kick off the holiday season in a joyous way. Moonlight Magic is held on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) every year as a way to bring the community together in excitement for the holidays, while supporting our local shops, businesses, and artisans. This Friday, November 26th, 2021 the events start at 4 pm, when shops stay open later, vendors line the streets, and the holiday lights turn on throughout the village. 

The events continue through 9 pm with a Moonlight Magic Parade through downtown, plus a boat parade on the river! There will also be a special lighting of the community tree, visits with Santa, carolers, and performances. Especially fun this year will be Mo’s Fudge Factor’s Truffle Shuffle, a truffle scavenger hunt through the village! Be sure to buy tickets in advance for the Truffle Shuffle as there are only a limited number available.

Moonlight Magic is a great opportunity to do your holiday shopping. Be sure to stop by the book sale at the Arms Library, the craft fair at the Eagles Club, and the Makers and Artists Pop-Up Shop at The Mill on Conway Street. Not to mention, all the vendors and shops to explore throughout the village.

And of course, it wouldn’t be Moonlight Magic without lots of delicious food. Be sure to visit the many food vendors along the street or check out the local restaurants and eateries. 

For the full schedule of events and other information, go to shelburnefalls.com. 

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.

The Old Deerfield Holiday Sampler Craft Fair is back again this weekend. Head to the Eastern States Exposition’s Better Living Center on November 20th from 9 am to 5 pm and 21st from 10 am to 4 pm. You can browse over 200 artisans’ creations and check off your holiday shopping list. Plus, enjoy specialty foods and live music, visit Santa at a social distance, and create your own crafts at the free family craft table. 

Entrance for the Old Deerfield Craft Fair is $8 for adults and free for children 12 and under. Proceeds from The Old Deerfield Craft Fairs benefit the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, a local non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of crafts and the history of our surrounding Deerfield area. 

For more information go to deerfield-craft.org or follow Old Deerfield Craft Fairs on Facebook.

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.

The Big E is back! Also known as “New England’s Great State Fair,”  the Big E is the sixth largest fair in the nation. The events kick off Friday, September 17 and will run until October 3rd at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. 

There are so many fun activities at the Big E - you’ll find something for everyone. Originally created as an agricultural fair, the Big E stays true to its history by continuing to host agricultural events. These events include livestock shows, 4-H demos, and craft/skill demonstrations. View the agricultural events schedule here.

Many people love to travel to the Big E for the exciting activities and entertainment it has to offer. The midway rides have all sorts of thrilling experiences. Check out the Big Parade, the Circus Spectacular, live concerts, and more. 

You can’t have a fair without delicious food and the Big E does not fall short. Of course there is the classic fried food, baked potatoes, and corndogs. But you can also find a variety of cuisine from around the world and some sit-down venues to dine as well. Then go for a drink at one of the several bars, saloons, beer garden, and cocktail bar.

Check out all the Big E has to offer at thebige.com. 

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog. 

The 45th Annual Old Deerfield Fall Arts & Crafts Festival is this weekend! This craft fair comes as one of a three-part series of fairs organized each year to benefit the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association and is the only outdoor show of the three. Head to the show this Saturday and Sunday, September 18th and 19th to browse the creations of over 100 artisans, and enjoy delicious specialty food under the food tent. You’ll also have a chance to create your own crafts at the free family craft table.

The Old Deerfield Fall Arts & Crafts Festival is located in Old Deerfield, just off of Route 5 in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Park your car for free and take a free shuttle bus from one of the marked lots off of Routes 5 and 10 at Yankee Candle Corporate Headquarters. Admission to the show is just $5 per person and children 12 and under go for free. Proceeds benefit the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of crafts and the history of our surrounding Deerfield area.

Follow the fair on Facebook for a chance to enter to win free tickets and shopping certificates. You’ll also see which artists are attending this year’s show on their page. 

For more information, visit deerfield-craft.org.

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog. 

This weekend marks the 172nd Franklin County Fair in Greenfield, Massachusetts. From Thursday, September 9 through Sunday, September 12 the Franklin County Fairgrounds will be filled with fun for the whole family. This year’s fair features a great lineup of entertainment events and agricultural and craft shows. Be sure to check out the parade, power wheel demo, and demolition derby. Also returning this year is the Coleman Brothers Midway which offers fun and thrills. 

The Franklin County Fair started in 1848 with the purpose of providing agricultural education to the community at a time when many immigrants were fleeing cases of famine in European countries. The fair offered a way to both demonstrate skills such as quilt-making, pie-baking, or cheese-making, as well as flaunt new agricultural innovations or breeds of sheep. Many of the events from the original county fair still continue today, with livestock shows and a display of handmade works at the Roundhouse and Youth Hall.

For the full lineup of events and to purchase your tickets, visit fcas.com.

Photo credit: Franklin County Fair Facebook Page

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog. 

The last weeks of August are a great time to explore the agricultural fairs around Western Massachusetts. The Cummington Fair, a local favorite country fair, is happening this weekend. The events kick off Thursday, August 26 for a weekend full of shows, workshops, entertainment, food, music, and more, finishing Sunday, August 29. 

On Thursday, fair-goers will be welcomed back with antique engine and tractor shows, a craft barn, a performance by the Shelburne Falls Military Band, and more - all leading up to a magnificent fireworks show. Then, all weekend long there will be a variety of events such as the Classic Car Show, Magic by Christopher, Sarah the Fiddler, the Youth Lawn Tractor Pull, Demolition Derby and more. Check out the full schedule of events here.

The Cummington Fair was started in 1868 but was initiated in 1883 as the Hillside Agricultural Society. Today, the Cummington Fair remains true to its agricultural roots with events based around livestock and tractors, such as the livestock shows, horse draws, and antique engine and tractor shows. 

For more information and to purchase tickets go to cummingtonfair.com.

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog. 

The Green River Festival has been a staple event of summer for Franklin County and Western Mass for over 30 years. After skipping last year due to the pandemic, music-lovers across the region are excited for the festival’s return this year.

The Green River Festival is known to always have a good lineup of artists and this year is no different. This year’s headlining musicians are Jon Batiste, Shakey Graves, Ani DiFranco, Drive-By Truckers, and Valerie June. There will be plenty of other amazing performances as well by artists from near and far including Son Little, Twisted Pine, Kimaya Diggs, Appalachian Still, and more. 

As usual, there will be lots of vendors serving up delicious fresh foods, such as vegan dishes, Latin American foods, craft ice cream, craft beer, and more. The Maker’s Market will also be back with an assortment of craft vendors offering unique crafts and products for sale, such as glassworks, jewelry, CBD products, artwork, and more. 

The Green River Festival returns this year on a new date in a new location! Normally, this annual event occurs in mid-July at the Greenfield Community College lawn. However, this year the Green River Festival returns at a later date to allow more opportunity for festival-goers to get vaccinated and in a new space to maintain a safe environment for all.

This year’s festival is this weekend - Friday, August 27 - Sunday, August 29th at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield, MA.

Check out the full lineup of artists, vendors, and information on tickets, camping, and more at greenriverfestival.com. 

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.