The following content is sponsored by the WGBY Asparagus Festival.  Each year as spring unfolds into summer, thousands of locals and visitors descend on the town common of historic Hadley, Massachusetts, to celebrate all things asparagus at the WGBY Asparagus Festival. Tucked into the Connecticut River Valley, Hadley is known as the “Asparagus Capital of the World” and boasts more active farmland than anywhere else in the region.

WGBY Asparagus Festival | What to Expect

Journeying to Hadley for the festival, we passed farms and town centers, taking note of stops to make on the way back north: an intriguing antiques shop, a historic home turned museum, a place to see preserved dinosaur tracks. In a region that exudes history, the Asparagus Festival aims to celebrate the community and traditions that continue to thrive in Hadley today.

In addition to asparagus stalks around every corner, the festival brought together a number of local farmers and makers selling everything from rainbow displays of produce to linen aprons and hand-crafted jewelry. A quick demonstration in the Get a Grip tent sold me on some handmade salad servers, and I was mesmerized by the muted colors and fluid shapes of Level Studio Arts’ clay creations. As the day began heating up, a stop in the WGBY Beers & Spears tent allowed us to cool off with a cold beer, a hard cider, and some tasty snacks. As we sipped on our local brews, we watched as children twirled and danced by the Rooted in the Valley stage, grooving to the music of Mister G, a Latin Grammy–winning musician. (With songs like “Pizza in the Morning,” I could hardly resist jumping up there myself.) Elsewhere on the festival grounds, families lined up to meet Curious George, get artistic in one of the many craft booths, and try their hand at agricultural-themed games.

In the demo tent, WRSI’s Monte Belmonte hosted the asparagus bunching contest, where competitors fought it out to see who could most perfectly bunch asparagus. The demo tent was a hub of educational opportunities throughout the day, as experts from UMass stopped by in the morning to share their ideas on university dining, and U.S. Representative Jim McGovern and Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner John Lebeaux spoke about local agriculture in the afternoon. We scored seats at the coveted Chef’s Spearit Lunch and got to indulge in some unique asparagus-inspired dishes from local chefs. The meal included creations ranging from smoked pork tacos with an asparagus slaw to a creative and surprising take on creme brulee — made with asparagus, of course! With each course came a brief word from the chef, explaining his or her approach, along with perfect wine pairing from Northampton’s Provisions.

Each year the Asparagus Festival proves to be among the best agricultural events in the region. With local farmers and makers, delicious food, creative brews, and a number of activities, WGBY creates an environment perfect for celebrating the local community. As a first-time visitor to Hadley myself, I could clearly see that the area has a lot to celebrate.

Scenes from the WGBY Asparagus Festival

Have you ever been to the Asparagus Festival in Hadley, Massachusetts?

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