Sensory garden
in Belchertown
to hold open house

BELCHERTOWN — An open house at the McPherson Sensory Garden in Belchertown on Saturday will feature a collection of local artists. The event at the Garden, 47 State St., will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and include music by Baby Driver, a local band, and by a woodwind duo, Mary Ellen Miller and Silas Holesvsky. Both groups are well-known Belchertown performers.

Renate Robinson, a local expert on dahlias from Pretty Pickins Flower Farm, will give a planting demonstration beginning at 11 a.m. She will be planting a variety of dahlias which will be featured at the Garden through the season.

Michael Melle, of Plainfield, is a multimedia artist. At the Garden’s event, he will be using hay and sticks to craft a lifelike figure for a garden.

In addition to an opportunity to see the work being done at the McPherson Sensory Garden, there will be activities for kids. A large old pine tree which fell in some storm, lies in the woods with root system up and exposed for touching and seeing. There will be rock painting, stories at 11 and after read by Jennifer Whitehead and Louise Butler, and a children’s scavenger hunt.

Benefit tag sale in Goshen

GOSHEN — The Williams-Boltwood House is joining forces with the Goshen Open Space Committee for a third annual tag sale. Sales will benefit renovations to the Williams Boltwood House and the Re-imagine Goshen Center Project.

This event will take place Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Memorial Day weekend, May 25 and 26, at the Williams-Boltwood House, 2 Williams Drive.

Donations of tools, small furniture, working appliances, housewares, toys, specialty items, gardening supplies, sewing supplies and more are welcome.

Those who have items to offer may contact Mel Lamere at 413-329-0002 or Lorraine Brisson at 413-268-3660. Email: WBHouseTrust@gmail.com or ReimagineGoshen01032@gmail.com.

Items may also be dropped off at the Williams-Boltwood House on May 18 after the Goshen Annual Town Meeting or on Friday, May 24, after 4 p.m.

Hadley Library to host bake, book sale on Saturday

HADLEY — An annual Bake & Book Sale, a fundraiser for The Friends of the Hadley Public Library, takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the 50 Middle St. location.

In addition to a bargain book donation room, there will be a large selection of better vintage and newer books on a wide range of subjects.

A story hour and crafts for children ages 3 to 8 takes place at 11 a.m.

Large canvas tote bags and new bistro mugs will be sold by the Friends, as well.

Anyone wishing to donate baked goods for the event should send email to Amanda Kirk at rowena28@earthlink.net.

Hadley Historical Society talk on Saturday

HADLEY — A talk by historian Elizabeth Cardaropoli takes place at the Old Hadley Cemetery, 12 Cemetery Road, Saturday at 1 p.m.

The talk, “Mourning and Monuments During the American Revolution,” and tour of the cemetery grounds, are sponsored by the Hadley Historical Society.

At the event, Cardaropoli will point out examples of grave iconography that were popular in the late 18th century and discuss how these symbols were used as a form of memorialization. She will also discuss how symbols on gravestones were used as a mobilization tool at the time of the American Revolution.

“This will be a very instructive program. It will help to further enlighten the history of Hadley and highlight the part that residents played during the Revolution,” Alan Weinberg, a member of the society, said in a statement.

Hadley was established in 1659 and historical records document that over 180 soldiers and sailors participated in the Revolutionary War.