|
In any place in the world (and certainly in any place as wild as the Berkshires once were), whether where the original Americans lived off the land, or where their successors did the same with more familiar modern tools, to anywhere there still exists a thriving agrarian economy, as in Berkshire County, there will be harvests. And, luckily, where there are harvests, there are festivals! These festivals are directly descended from the Druidic traditions of the pre-Christian Celts, marking all the seasons with ritual (as wall calendars were in short supply). However, don’t expect ritualistic chanting, smoldering incense and madcap dancing around giant stone runes (well, not much anyway). What you can expect is “new and old fashioned fun for the entire family!” The curators of one of this country’s oldest public display gardens and not-for-profit educational & cultural institutions wish to invite you to join them for the 66th edition of the Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Harvest Festival. Delight in such merriment as the “What Not Tag Sale,” a silent auction, food, rides, games, workshops, even a petting zoo and a Haunted House! The children's activities are too many to list, hay jumps, fire engine rides, sack races and more. This year will also feature the upgraded Musician’s Tent at Harvest Festival 2000 with down home music starting Saturday with Alan Chartock, host of the popular WAMC radio show "Me and Mario", and his smokin' Ramblers. Later there is square dancing with caller Cliff Brodeur and The Housatonic Philharmonic, a great band featuring Tim Gray on Hammered Dulcimer, Paul Rice on fiddle and Andy Gordon on 5-string banjo. Stolen Thunder, featuring Anson Olds, Tom Ingersoll and David Broad will finish the day. Sunday's musical schedule starts at 11:00 am with a new set of music, which will astound and amaze you all over again. The whole event, paying tribute to nature’s endless Season Cycle, is staffed and produced by 450 volunteers for two beautiful Fall days in the Berkshires. Kids and their parents will have a blast! And for those whose day is made by wandering amidst the vendors. Shopping is available from one end of the festival to the other. This year's festival has taken a turn toward the unique and interesting, showcasing the most gifted (and reasonably priced) crafters from five counties. According to the web site, "if you can't get it here, its not worth having". By shopping at Harvest Festival you will support the educational programs of the Garden and also support your neighbors during the holiday season. Come and lend a hand to your community's economy and make some new friends while you are at it. Since 1934, Berkshire Botanical Gardens, the only one of its kind in the area, has been making the wonder of nature accessible and understandable on 15 acres of intimate landscapes, historic herbal gardens, perennial and vegetable gardens, woodland trails and two ponds. Picnickers are welcome, and may enjoy visiting the Garden Gift Shop. From May to October, there are many interesting offerings; last year featured a unique and artistic melding of fauna and statuary sponsored by the Renaissance Guild. Call the Botanical Gardens for more information on lectures, workshops and demonstrations. But whatever you do, visitor or local in Berkshire County, bring the whole family to the 65th Annual Harvest Festival. Click here to continue or here to return to the introduction.
| 
Click here for
|
The 66th Annual Harvest Festival