The Hilltown CDC’s 7th Annual Hilltown Spring Festival will be on Saturday, June 1st, 2013 at the Cummington Fairgrounds from 10am-5pm! 2,000 people are expected at the Hilltown Spring Festival this year and entertainment will include musical performances and workshops, exhibits by artists and craftspeople, displays by local businesses, food from local vendors, kids-made craft bazaar, children’s activities and much more.

MUSIC STAGES

From Hot Day at the Zoo to Mister G, there’s a great line up of local & regional musical acts scheduled on two stages.  Musical performers include percussionist Tony Vacca, acoustic string band Appalachian Still, singer-songwriter Heather Maloney, the Lonesome Brothers, Hot Day at the Zoo, the Walkin’ Blues Band, and Dan Hales and the Frost Heaves.

Music for children of all ages will be performed by Mister G, David Grover and Terry A La Berry.

MUSICAL WORKSHOPS

There will be four musical workshops for children and families!

• At 1pm, Aimee Gelinas of Gaia Roots will lead an intergenerational, interactive West African and Caribbean percussion and song workshop.
• At 2pm, Mariam Massaro of the Gaea Star Band will lead musical play with creative crowns, wands and whimsical costumes, for ages 1 to 12.
• At 3pm, Jim Armenti of the Lonesome Brothers will tell the stories behind some of the songs he has written for kids, teach the audience the lyrics, and then lead the audience in singing the songs (ages 4 to 10).
• And at 4:15pm, percussionist Tony Vacca will lead an intergenerational world music percussion workshop.  All ages and skill levels are welcome.  The instruments, which will be provided, usually include djembe drum, balafon, tuned bells, shekere, talking drum, gongs and drum set.

Also at 1pm, at the Hilltown Spring Festival there will be an OPEN MIC for anyone who has family-friendly music to share with their neighbors.  The sign-up for the open mike begins at 12noon.  Young people are especially welcome to perform.

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES

There will be children’s activities all day long, dancing around the Maypole at noon, eight foot tall puppets, Morris dancers, and much more.

This will be the 4th year the Kids-Made Craft Bazaar happens at the festival, spearheaded by Hilltown Families founder, Sienna Wildfield in 2010. Children up to the age of 12 are invited to sell and barter their hand-made crafts and arts… and each year it’s a huge success! The Kids-Made Craft Bazaar allows children to participate directly in the Festival, rewards them for their creativity, and gives them some real-world experience showing and selling their work.

AND MORE!

The Festival also features vendors of sustainable living products and services, farmers selling starter plants, local craft vendors, horse-training demonstrations, displays by local organizations, food and much more.

The gates will open at 10am; the music begins at 11am. Admission is $8; children 12 and under are free.  Free parking is available on the fairgrounds. More information is available at www.hilltowncdc.org. – Proceeds go to support Hilltown CDC programs that support low and moderate income hilltown residents.  These programs include small business support, housing rehabilitation, child care subsidies, and social services for families and the elderly.