Celebration of Westfield’s history returns to Court Street Sept. 24

Date: 9/21/2011

Sept. 24, 2011

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Editor

WESTFIELD — After a construction-caused hiatus, the city’s seventh Colonial Harvest Day is returning to the grounds of the Athenaeum and sidewalks of Court Street on Sept. 24.

“I think there is some pent-up demand and people are really looking forward to it this year,” Colonial Harvest Day Committee Co-Chair Christopher Lindquist, said, adding that despite disappointment, most people understood why the popular fall festival was cancelled last year.

According to Lindquist, if the weather is good, the committee expects 2,500 to 3,000 people to visit the event, which will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Only steady rain would cancel the Saturday festivities, which would then be rescheduled for Sunday, he said.

Both children and adults are encouraged to wear Colonial costumes to the event, and Lindquist said prizes would be awarded to the best examples in both categories.

Harvest Days Co-Chair Pamela Leigh said that among the day’s many attractions would be approximately 50 artists, craftspeople and non-profit organizations, all showing their wares along Court Street.

On the performance stage in front of the Athenaeum, Lindquist said visitors will be treated to a variety of music during the day, including a performance by the Continental Fife and Drum Corps from Colchester, Conn., the old fashioned tub-band sounds of Washboard Slim and the Bluelights and young and old fiddlers bowing up their best songs as members of the Pioneer Valley Fiddlers. The accomplished style of fiddler Sarah Michel and music by local favorites Woodward Way with Kyle Mangini will round out the entertainment.

For the children, there will be an opportunity to make colonial crafts, courtesy of the Boys & Girls Library at the Athenaeum, play period games — including stilt walking — and paint quilt squares to support a charity raffle sponsored by the Westfield Women’s Club Courtly Quilters. Kids will also be able to get a peek at Revolutionary War life with a visit to encampments by the 10th Foot Regiment — a group of Redcoats from Lexington and the 25th Continental Regiment from Southampton.

“This is the first time we’ve ever had a group reenacting the Redcoats,” Lindquist noted.

He added that Massachusetts-based children’s author Gregory Mone, this year’s recipient of the Athenaeum’s Carol Otis Hurst Children’s Book Award, would also be reading from his book, “FISH,” and leading young — and young at heart — pirates on a mid-day treasure hunt.

Children and adults will also be able to watch Colonial-era craft demonstrations by two spinners, a basket weaver and a quilter at Lydia’s Gathering Place on upper Court Street. Lydia’s will also be serving luncheon during the event and selling sweets from her famous baker’s rack.

Lindquist said attendees would also be able to enjoy, Harvest Ale, specially packaged for Colonial Harvest Day by the Berkshire Brewing Company in the company-sponsored Beer Garden.

Other popular events will include the return of the celebrity Town Crier contest, where Lindquist said local notables such as Mayor Daniel Knapik, his brother State Sen. Michael Knapik, members of the Sullivan family and others would compete for the title of “Town Crier Champion of 2011.”

There will also be an antiques appraisal, a used book and tag sale behind the Athenaeum, hay rides, and two performances of an original play, “Silent Meadow,” written by area resident Kathleen Palmer.

“She wrote this play especially for Colonial Harvest Days,” Lindquist said. “It’s about a real event, when Lt. Richard Falley a secret armory on Mt. Tekoa” during the Revolutionary War.

Visitors are reminded that Court Street will be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during Colonial Harvest Day. Free parking will be available in the Berkshire Bank and Westfield City Hall parking lots, with additional parking in Reader Lot 1 abutting park Square Realty, Lot 2 behind School Street Bistro, Lot 3 on School Street and the Arnold Street lot between Church and Arnold streets.

Debbie Gardner can be reached by e-mail at debbieg@thereminder.com