Strolling through downtown Westfield Saturday was like stepping into a bygone era of horse-drawn wagons, town criers and fifes and drums amid Colonial crafts and games, homemade baked goods and a bounty of freshly harvested produce.
The Marquis of Granby Ancient Fyfe and Drun Corps marches down Court Street in Westfield Saturday for the Eighth Annual Colonial Harvest Day. WESTFIELD – Strolling through downtown Westfield Saturday was like stepping into a bygone era of horse-drawn wagons, town criers and fifes and drums amid Colonial crafts and games, homemade baked goods and a bounty of freshly harvested produce.
For the eighth year, Westfield on Weekends hosted Colonial Harvest Day, a period fair that ran downtown along Court Street and featured 55 vendors and exhibitors from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
WOW President Robert A. Plasse said this year’s Colonial Harvest Day was one of the most successful yet, and owed that to the hard work and dedication of the city and volunteers who brought in the vendors and engaged the community in an event that touts the fall season and all that Westfield has to offer.
“This is our best year ever,” Plasse said, dressed the part in Colonial garb. “What’s special about it is that we’ve created a mall and have more community organizations than ever before. The event is filled with organizations doing good work.”
Gail H. Maciorowski, of Easthampton, left, and Marsha E. Molloy, of North Hatfield, both of the new Westfield Arts Guild coming soon to the city, are among the exhibitors at Saturday's Eighth Annual Colonial Harvest Day.
In addition to the food, craft and vendors booths, there was also a steady supply of live music provided by six groups, as well as a contest for celebrity town crier, won by former Greater Westfield YMCA Director Harry Rock, the Best Colonial Outfit competition and the first Westfield Olde Tyme Fiddle contest, followed by a performance from Sarah the Fiddler and her band.
While stopped at the Westfield Women’s Club booth to purchase homemade cookies, Westfield resident William G. Taylor said coming downtown to experience Colonial Harvest Day provided him with information about his city he did not know.
“I didn’t realize we have a whip museum,” he said of the Whip City, a nickname the city earned because of its history in manufacturing whips.
With something for visitors of all ages and interests, Colonial Harvest Day provided horse-drawn hay cart rides by Evans Farm of Granville, Civil War re-enactments, a beer tent run by Berkshire Brewing Company, face painting and crafts for young children and period games, such as the wooden stilts on which 15-year-old Christopher M. Crean Jr. walked.