NEWFANE — Once again this Columbus Day weekend, tents will blossom on the Newfane Common as Historic Newfane Village hosts another Heritage Festival, celebrating community, crafts, food, and entertainment from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8 and 9, rain or shine.
Visitors return year after year for this signature event in southeastern Vermont. Hundreds of people from all over New England and beyond will gather on the Newfane Common for a quintessential Vermont experience during the beautiful fall foliage season, according to a news release.
“There really is something for everyone,” Carleen Pelsue, one of the Festival's coordinators, said in the release.
Over 90 juried craftspeople will display their work in the tents set up in front of the Windham County Courthouse in the center of Newfane Village, a Registered National Historic Landmark. Amid the autumn leaves, people will display and sell quilts, ironwork, pottery, furniture, photographs, jewelry, clothing, and specialty foods.
The popular “flea tent” will feature attic treasures, toys, collectibles, and used books. The “super raffle” will offer many chances to win quilts, books, and crafts for the price of a $5 ticket.
Entertainers will play music, sing, and tell stories.
There is food galore. The Church deli volunteers make lunches and snacks, highlighting local food, including seasonal soups prepared with care. The “big tent” on the Common offers hamburgers and hot dogs. And there is a popcorn vendor.
Along the side of Union Hall, nonprofit organizations will sponsor activities for children, such as bean bag tosses and face painting.
The Museum of the Windham County Historical Society in the center of the Village will open during the Festival for people to visit.