Boston Flora

Tag: Bolton Fair

  • July & August – Massachusetts Summer Fairs

    Fair season in Massachusetts starts in mid-July and ramps up quickly through August. The western half of the state leads the way, with small agricultural fairs that feel more like Vermont than Boston.

    July: The Westport Fair (July 15–19) near the Rhode Island border is a classic agricultural fair with oxen pulls, horse shows, and a packed midway. On the same weekend, the Hampshire County 4-H Fair (July 18) in Cummington gives families a small, welcoming introduction to the fair circuit. The month wraps with the Barnstable County Fair (July 20–25) on Cape Cod — one of the few fairs in the state where you can smell salt air from the midway — and the Hampden County 4-H Fair (July 25) on the Big E grounds.

    August is peak fair month in Massachusetts. The Bolton Fair (August 14–16) in central Massachusetts is a local favorite — a traditional agricultural fair with demolition derbies, baking competitions, and a strong 4-H presence. The nearby Middlefield Fair (August 14–16) and Martha’s Vineyard Fair (August 13–16) run the same weekend, giving you options from the Berkshires to the islands.

    Later in August, the Littleville Fair (August 7–9), Heath Fair (August 21–23), Westfield Fair (August 21–23), and Hardwick Fair (August 21–23) all compete for your weekend. The massive Marshfield Fair (August 21–30) runs for ten days on the South Shore and draws some of the biggest crowds in the state.

    The month closes with the Cummington Fair (August 27–30), the Shelburne Grange Fair (August 29), the 3 County Fair in Northampton (August 29), and the Middlesex County 4-H Fair (August 28–30).

    For updated information check the websites of the organizing groups or visit Meet Me At The Fair.

  • Wednesday, October 27, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm – Planting Workshop: Indoor Bulbs for Winter

    Nothing brings spring to your home like a beautiful pot of blooming bulbs. In this October 27 Massachusetts Horticultural Society class at The Gardens at Elm Bank at noon, you’ll learn how to buy the correct bulbs for indoor forcing and how to plant and hold them for spring blooming. See a multitude of indoor bulb planting ideas – then plant and bring home a perfectly planted pot of blue grape hyacinth (M. Armeniacum).

    Workshop will be led by Melissa Pace. Melissa Pace is an award-winning horticulturalist who competes in numerous garden and flower shows, from Philadelphia Flower Show to the Bolton Fair. She has been a University of Rhode Island Master Gardener since 2003. Melissa has been a presenter for numerous garden clubs and civic organizations throughout New England since 1995. Melissa holds a master’s degree in teaching from Bridgewater University, is an artist and art teacher and is currently employed as a Garden Educator for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.

    $45 for Mass Hort members, $65 for nonmembers. Register at www.masshort.org

  • Wednesday, October 21, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Create Your Own Big, Beautiful Arrangements

    Do you throw away prunings from your woody trees and shrubs? Learn how to put them to work in bold indoor and outdoor arrangements. Participants will leave with their own beautiful, seasonal arrangement. The Mass Hort class will be held October 21 from 7 – 8:30 in the Putnam Building at The Gardens at Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street in Wellesley.

    Materials provided will be:

    * A decorative pot or container

    * Fresh greens

    * Interesting woody materials

    * Seasonal accent materials such as pine cones, dried pods, & berries

    * A list of ideal woody arrangement materials

    * A pruning trimmer (Feel free to bring your own if you have one) 

    Instructor Melissa Pace is an award-winning horticulturalist who competes in numerous garden and flower shows, from Philadelphia Flower Show to the Bolton Fair. She has been a University of Rhode Island Master Gardener since 2003. Melissa has been a presenter for numerous garden clubs and civic organizations throughout New England since 1995. Melissa holds a master’s degree in teaching from Bridgewater University, is an artist and art teacher.

    Interested in becoming a Massachusetts Horticultural Society member, click here for more information.

    $50/Mass Hort member $75/General Admission. Register at www.masshort.org