12th Annual North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival
October 2nd & 3rd, 2010

Two solar powered stages of entertainment, including a family stage, all weekend. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

Voted the second best festival among hundreds of great local events in the Valley Advocate readers poll, the North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival is a fun (affordable) event to take the family too!  Enjoy and support the bounty of artists, farmers and organizations; Strengthen community by purchasing locally grown and crafted. Gain vision and skills for local living: learn to grow a garden, press cider, mill lumber, cook gourmet, go solar. Nourish yourself in the incredible food courts and experience the wondrous wood fired bread oven. Transform trash into compost (only three bags of garbage for 10,000 people); Kids of all ages enjoy fabulous art and nature activities and garlic games galore featuring the ever-popular raw garlic eating contest and all new garlic dance party.

Travel the garlic globe with celebrated local chefs and cooking demos. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

MUSIC: Two solar stages entertain all weekend. The musical line-up includes: Melanie and the Blueshots, Steve Crow, Kris Delmhorst, Cailte Kelley, Zydeco Connection, Marka Music, The Pangeans, and Incus. The family stage features Cabaret Attar, Inside Out Dance Company, Peter Siegel and Jay Mankita, Celtic Heels Dance, Dagen Julty, Mafanti, Dan the yo-yo man, Sugati Belly Dance, Dan the Airborne Comedian, and Gaia Roots.

FOOD: Travel the garlic globe with celebrated local chefs including Chez Albert’s Paul Hathaway, Ristorante DiPaolo’s Hilton Dottin and Sam Kochan of the Gill Tavern, plus fresh and local food artists Andy Sussman, Gail Beauregard, The Kitchen Garden, and Stockbridge Herbs.

WORKSHOPS: Energize your life with incredible workshops like solar electricity and zero energy homes in the renewable energy tent. In our healing arts area, enjoy a chair massage or Tai Chi, yoga and poetry presentations.

Follow your heart (and nose) to this fabulous fall destination at Forster’s Farm (60 Chestnut Hill Rd.) in Orange MA, where there’s something for everyone in the family. 

The Bridge is Out but the Festival is ON!!
Important NEW travel information: Take Route 2 to Exit 16, or Route 202 (intersection with 122 north) and follow the signs to the NEW improved Shuttle Lot at Hunts Farm to catch a free shuttle ride right to the festival entrance gate. Parking at the festival site for carpools of 3 or more, or those with limited mobility or young children. As always, on-site parking for vehicles with handicap tags, plus accessible port-o-potty. Visit www.garlicandarts.org for directions, pet policy, and the 2010 schedule of vendors, music, entertainment and games, chef demos, renewable energy and healing arts workshops, and all you need to know for Two Days of Peace Love and Garlic.

A fully volunteer committee of friends and neighbors, and Seeds of Solidarity Education Center, a non-profit organization, organize the North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival. Supporters include the Forster/Stewart Family, local businesses, and over 200 amazing community volunteers the festival weekend! Festival proceeds keep the event sustainable and affordable, and support the festival’s new community grant program for regional arts, agriculture, wellness, and energy projects.  Adults $5 per day, $8 for weekend pass. Kids 12 and under free.