Excursions: Hancock Shaker Village Holds a Country Fair
Lots of towns in our region have Country Fairs to celebrate the harvest, and they are all charming and valuable in their way. But for ambience—sheer aesthetic perfection—it’s impossible to beat the Country Fair at Hancock Shaker Village. The agricultural demonstrations, the wagon rides, the farmers’-crafters’-and-artisans’ marketplace take on a whole different luster in this incomparable setting.
At the 12th Annual Country Fair this weekend, vendors will fill the Village with delightful fresh produce, finished farm products, and crafts of all sorts. The Farmers’ Market tents will offer vegetables, flowers, maple sugar treats and hand-made cheeses. Artisans will be selling furniture, Shaker-style oval boxes, original paintings, candles and hand-woven textiles. As usual, a juried show of antique and newly-made quilts will fill the ell of the Round Stone Barn. New this year, daily demonstrations of quilting techniques. Area restaurants will supply the food-and-brew tent with far-better-and-healthier than-usual fair fare.
For weeks, amateur and professional cooks throughout the region have been fine-tuning their recipes and technique in anticipation of the 4th Annual Shaker Baker Pie-Making Contest. Judging will be held on Saturday afternoon, September 26th, starting at 1:30 p.m., with winners announced at 3 p.m.. This year’s judges include New Yorker writer Susan Orlean, Berkshire Living editor Lesley Ann Beck, Berkshire Eagle executive editor Tim Farkas, and me, RuralIntelligence.com co-founder-and-co-editor, Marilyn Bethany. Yum.
12th Annual Country Fair at Hancock Shaker Village
Route 20, Pittsfield
GPS location:
1843 W. Housatonic Street, Pittsfield
(proceed to parking lot approx.1/2 mile further west on Rt. 20)
Saturday & Sunday, September 26 & 27, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Adult/$16.50; 13-17/$8; members and 12 & under/free
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Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 09/22/09 at 11:15 AM • Permalink
