Wlliamstown Historical Museum's Hay Day Fair on Aug. 28

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Williamstown Historical Museum invites the public to their fourth annual Hay Day Fair on Sunday, Aug. 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the grounds of the Museum.

Admission is $10 for immediate families and $5 for individuals. All proceeds go to support the Museum's mission of preserving Williamstown's history. 

“Come one, come all, bring friends and children and enjoy. Thanks to the generous lead sponsorship of MountainOne Bank, our outdoor old-fashioned celebration of the end of summer will be full of fun for all ages,” said Patrick Quinn, chair of the Museum’s Programs Committee. “There will be games to play, animals to pet, a silent auction, live music, and delicious food aplenty. Nobody will leave without a smile."

Visitors can see the recently dug foundation for the 19th century Dolan-Jenks Barn which the Museum recently acquired and moved from Green River Road. Members of the Barn Committee will be on hand to answer questions with a display of photos and plans for the reconstruction.

The field behind the Museum will be the site of races such as the egg-and-spoon, sack, and three-legged competitions. The petting zoo will feature a pony, two sheep, an emu, and more. Visit with the Williamstown Police Department’s K-9 officer, Shelby, and her handler, Officer Duprat. Kids can get their faces painted and admire the 1971 Rolls-Royce Corniche. 

At the Silent Auction, you can bid on great family-friendly gift certificates for goods and services from local businesses.

Museum Board members making hot dogs and veggie dogs. A lemonade stand and fresh popped popcorn supplement a large bake sale full. 

Woodworker Norm Jolin, Chenail Farm Stand, local artisans Bonnie Haig, Denise Davis, Sue Clairmont, and Alison Case will be on hand, along with community organizations including the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of the Mohicans, Rural Lands Foundation, and the Store at Five Corners Stewardship Committee. Live music will be provided by Rosin the Beaux and Accordion Al.

There is limited parking at the Museum, with additional parking available across Rt. 7 at Bloeded Park.

Williams Grads Reminded of Community that Got Them to Graduation

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
05:14PM / Sunday, June 02, 2024

The graduates heard from two speakers — Phi Betta Kappa speaker Milo Chang and class speaker Jahnavi Nayar Kirtane. The keynote speaker, Lonnie Bunch, the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, was unable to attend and recorded his speech for playback. See more photos here.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williams College said goodbye Sunday to its graduating seniors.

 

And a representative of the class of 2024 took the time to say goodbye to everyone in the community who made students' journey possible.

 

Milo Chang, the Phi Beta Kappa speaker for the class and one of two students to speak at Sunday's 235th commencement exercises, explained that the term "Williams community" applies to more than those who get to list the school on their resumes.

 

"It includes everyone who has shaped our experiences here, from loved ones back home to the dedicated staff members who make campus their second home," Chang told his classmates. "During our time at Williams, we've seen this community step up in remarkable ways to support us."

 

Chang talked about the faculty and staff who gave their time to operate the COVID-19 testing centers and who greeted students before they could take their first classroom tests in the fall of 2020, and the dining services personnel who kept the students fed and somehow understood their orders through the masks everyone was wearing when this class arrived on campus.

 

And he shared a personal story that brought the message home.

 

"We often underestimate the power of community until we experience a taste of its absence," Chang said. "I remember staying on campus after our first Thanksgiving at Williams, after most students went home to finish the semester remotely. I remember the long hours sitting in empty common rooms. I remember the days you could walk through campus without seeing another student.