The Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachusetts has released its event schedule for 2009, and as always it has an ambitious program for the summer and fall. Here is just a selection of events scheduled for this year.

The season at Hancock Shaker Village runs from Saturday, May 23 through Sunday, October 18, 2009. Situated on an expanse of farm, field, and woodland, the restored Village includes 20 historic buildings, heirloom medicinal and vegetable gardens, 22,000 examples of Shaker furniture, crafts, tools, and clothes that depict daily life at the Shakers’ City of Peace through its 225 years.

Events also include heritage breed farm animals and gardens and hiking trails.

There are daily tours, craft and cooking demonstrations, lectures, and a variety of activities for children and families, as well as a Museum Store and Shaker-inspired cuisine at the Village Harvest Café. The Discovery Room offers hands-on opportunities for kids of all ages to try their hand at chair seat weaving, working at a loom, trying on Shaker-style clothing, or milking a life-sized replica of a cow.

Currently exhibited in the Chace Gallery of the Center for Shaker Studies through Labor Day is Gather Up the Fragments. This is the last season to see Gather Up the Fragments in the Berkshires, as the exhibit will travel nationally in 2010.

New This Year:

Chef Michael Roller, formerly of the luxury resort Blantyre in Lenox, MA, has revamped the Village Harvest Café with inspired interpretations of rustic Shaker cuisine utilizing fresh produce grown on sight.

The Museum Store now features an expanded section of hiking books and walking sticks for visitors to take advantage of on Village trails, as well as in the adjoining Pittsfield State Forest. Hikers are welcome to park for free at the Village; maps to the Pittsfield State Forest are available at the front desk. Beginning in July, the Village will introduce a new audio tour that will be available free with admission, details about which will be announced later this summer.

Mt. Sinai Guided Hikes:

On June 20, August 22, September 19, and October 10, 2009 hike into history on a three-mile trek to the site of the most intense spiritual activities of the Hancock Shakers. During the 1840s, the Shakers established a “feast ground” atop a holy hill they dubbed Mount Sinai.

Here they received spirit messages, dances, visions, and songs. This hike retraces their pilgrimage, pausing to see the Shaker reservoir and North Family mill sites, with reenactments of songs and testimonials from the “mountain meetings” in the Shakers’ own words.

This is recommended for experienced hikers, and each hike will begin at 9:30am and conclude with a picnic lunch. Admission to the Village grounds is included, and advance registration is required. Rates: Members $28/Non-Members $35

“Mr. Lincoln’s Chair: The Shakers and Their Quest for Peace”:

On July 11^th, 2009 at 2:00pm there will be a lecture and book signing with author Anita Sanchez. “Mr. Lincoln’s Chair” presents the Shakers against the backdrop of the Civil War, contrasting their peaceful lives with the carnage of America’s bloodiest battles. The Shakers’ struggle to obtain conscientious objector status led them all the way to the White House for an audience with President Abraham Lincoln.

This lecture is for anyone interested in the Shakers and their unique way of life, as well as for those fascinated by the life of Lincoln. It takes a look at Lincoln from a different point of view: the Commander-in-Chief of the Civil War as seen through the eyes of America’s early conscientious objectors.

This event is free with regular admission and is part of Lincoln Trail in the Berkshires, a collaboration of 14 historic sights and museums organized by Chesterwood. See www.lincolntrailintheberkshires.com for more details.

Oval Box Workshop:

Students will make a nest of four boxes and learn about carving swallow tails, bending the box, and installing tops and bottoms. Students will also have the opportunity to examine some samples of fine Shaker craftsmanship from the HSV collection.

This is a chance for woodworking beginnings to get a great start, and for more experienced woodworkers to develop a new skill. No previous experience required. Rates: Members $190/Non-Members $210 on August 8 and 9, 2009, 9am to 4pm.

16th Annual Age of Iron Weekend:

Make a date on August 15 and 16, 2009 to attend a session with iron men and women from throughout New England who’ll demonstrate the art of blacksmithing and metalwork.

Craftsmanship techniques dating from the 17th through the 21st centuries, Japanese hardware, tool making, engraving, and Viking and Shaker forging will be on display.

Hand-wrought creations from participating blacksmiths will be for sale and those who make custom ironwork for the home will be available to discuss specific commissions.

Many participants will be dressed in period costumes. Forges and workshops will be set up around the historic Village for family activities, demonstrations, and opportunities for visitors to try their hand at being the Village “smithy.”

Co-sponsored with the Berkshire Blacksmith’s Association. This event is free with regular admission.

Timberframing Workshop:

Participants will learn September 23-27, 2009 the craft of timber frame construction using 18th and 19th century tools and techniques, completing the parts and assembling the frame of a small building.

Instructional demonstrations and discussions supplement the hands-on learning activities. Tools and materials provided. Rates: Members $430/Non-Members $475. Register directly with the instructors, Jack Sobon (413.684.3223) or Dave Carlon (413.684.3612).

Hancock Shaker Village Country Fair – 12th Annual:

Fall is finely in the Berkshires when the 12^th annual Hancock Shaker Village Country Fair is celebrated this year on September 26 and 27. There will be a kid’s tent filled with Shaker-inspired games, a farmers’ market with samples of heirloom vegetables to taste, vendors and demonstrations of old-time farm-related crafts and trades, wagon rides, and more.

This year’s pie contest will be judged by New Yorker writer Susan Orlean and Berkshire Living editor Lesley Ann Beck.

The farmers’ market will be judged by WAMC President Alan Chartock and MCLA professor Roselle Chartock. The crafts will be judged by Red Lion Inn owner Nancy Fitzpatrick and photographer Lincoln Russell. This event is free with regular admission.

Spinning and Weaving Week:

As part of National Spinning and Weaving Week, Hancock Shaker Village highlights Shaker textiles October 4-10, 2009. Visitors will see historic demonstrations and have opportunities to try a hand at tasks that would have been accomplished by Shaker Sisters at Hancock.

Fiber artists from the Village and local guilds will bring traditional cloth-making to life-flax processing, spinning, dying, and weaving. Shaker textiles from the Village collection will also be on display. This event is free with regular admission.

Renewable Energy at the City of Peace: Shaker Water Power Archeology Tour:

There is a two-hour tour of the history of the Hancock Shakers’ 19th century water power technology on October 4, 2009, 3pm to 5pm. The tour includes a demonstration of the 1858 water turbine in the Laundry and Machine Shop, a tour of other history renewable energy sites and topics within the Village (hydro, solar, wind, biomass, architectural features, sustainable/green town planning), and an easy to moderate level hike up Shaker Brook to view archaeological sites of Shaker mills and dams.

Co-sponsored by the Upper Housatonic Valley Heritage Area and Massachusetts Historical Commission Archaeology Month. Tour included with regular admission. Free for Housatonic Heritage Walks participants.

These events are in addition to all the exhibits and artifacts on display every day with admission. For more details on each event and on visiting the Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, check out the official web site at: www.hancockshakervillage.org

Massachusetts offers the visitor and resident a rich assortment of museums and outdoor adventures and for more ideas and suggestions of things to see and do in the state check out our special Massachusetts Vacation section here.

Another New England post by one of our writers is being prepared right now so be sure to visit again or just subscribe to our RSS Feed here and get notified automatically of events and news.

Cliff Calderwood
Publisher
New England Online Magazine

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