WGBY Asparagus Festival

Celebrate All Things Local & Agricultural!

Admission is free and open to the public. (Suggested donation $5.)

Live Music

Don’t miss headlining bands from Signature Sounds. Wear your dancing shoes.

Farmers’ & Makers’ Market

Support the local slow food movement by visiting the booths hosted by area farmers. In addition, see the craftsmanship of some of Western Massachusetts’ most talented artisans along with the displays of other “makers,” businesses, and community groups.

Craft Beer

Ales and lagers galore, all curated by State Street Wines & Spirits. Come thirsty, as Artifact Cider Project, Artisan Beverage Cooperative, Berkshire Brewing Company, Brewmaster Jack, Building 8, Lefty’s, The People’s Pint, and other local breweries will all be serving up some of their best pints.

Local Food

There will be plenty of food on hand, too. Tasty festival favorites at the 2016 WGBY Asparagus Festival included Flavours of Cook Farm’s asparagus ice cream, Hadley Swaz Fried Potatoes, Barstow Burgers, Spoletos, Hillsides Asparagus Pizza, and fare from Wildwood Barbeque. Also were “farm-to-truck” food trucks representing The UMass University Club, Simple Gifts Farm, Wheelhouse Farm. Locally produced beverages were also served.

Really want to get a taste of the Valley?

Check Out Our Farm-to-Table Chef’s Spearit Lunch »

Kids Fun ‘n Games & Curious George

In a kids’ area WGBY is called the Asparagus Sprouts section, children enjoy:

PBS Characters—In 2016, it was a meet ’n greet with Curious George.

Activity Stations—Engaging displays hosted by numerous community partners.

Outdoor Games—Active learning games, including Asparagus Pick, which tests a child’s ability to pick asparagus as their grandparents did, and Valley Scramble, an agricultural-themed spinoff of PBS Kids’ Kart Kingdom.

Whole Foods Cooking School—Whole Foods Market Hadley help get young ones capable in the kitchen during the 2016 WGBY Asparagus Festival with a free-admission event called Valley Kids Cook. Children will enjoy working hands-on with locally grown crops.

Agriculture & History

In 2016, farmers’ displays and a WGBY tent also presented information and documentaries about the agricultural history of our region, and the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association showcased its Jurassic Roadshow of rocks, tracks, and fossils from the western New England.

Festival Sustainability

With a nod toward environmentalism in agriculture, WGBY’s Asparagus Festival served its food and beverages using compostable serveware from Alternative Recycling Systems. The West Hatfield, Mass.-based waste management company will also handle all waste and recycling at the event.