GREENFIELD — It was 10 Bee Fests ago that organizer Sandy Thomas went to her church’s pastor and asked who Lorenzo Langstroth was and why there was a memorial for him in front of the Second Congregational Church on Court Square.
When she learned that not only had he been a pastor of the church in the mid-1800s but is still 124 years after his death known as an American apiarist who is considered the father of American beekeeping, she said she knew she had to do something.
That’s when the first annual Langstroth Bee Fest was born.
Thomas said she and others planned a small gathering on the Town Common that lasted a few hours. About 25 children showed up, some dressed as bees, to do arts and crafts and learn a little about Langstroth.
This year, during the festival’s 10th anniversary, two days of celebrations will still include crafts for kids, but they will also offer other children’s activities, a parade, performances, participation by local businesses, and the “unveiling of the bees,” a surprise project by artist Rachael Katz, owner of The Greenfield Gallery.
“Rachael has created several large-scale bee sculptures that will be creatively painted by professional artists and installed throughout town,” Thomas said. “These sculptures will mark the continuing impact and relevance of Lorenzo Langstroth’s modern beekeeping practices.”
The bee crosswalk that spans Court Square from the Town Common to Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center will get a fresh coat of paint before June 1, Thomas said.
There will be everything from prizes, bee crafts, a pinata, face painting and more for children. There will even be a Honey Bee Tea Party and Pollinator Parade led by the Expandable Brass Band of the Pioneer Valley.
Mark Hoffman will take the stage inside the Second Congregational Church for a time-travel interview as Rev. Lorenzo Langstroth. He will share Langstroth’s 19th century views on beekeeping and the environment, and Dan Conlon of Warm Color Apiary in Deerfield will compare and contrast today’s realities with Langstroth’s views. There will also be a honey tasting with honey from Georgia, Hawaii and many local apiaries.
Linda McInerney, artistic director and founder of Eggtooth Productions, will be the interviewer for for the event with Langstroth and Conlon.
“Linda always brings such fun and professional skills,” Thomas said.
Lynn Adler, a University of Massachusetts Amherst bee researcher, will share her recent research on bee health, which has had an impact on pesticide use in Europe, and the annual Bee Space Garden Awards will be given to those who have environmentally friendly gardening practices around the area.
Katz will explain the process she used in creating fiberglass bees as she unveils the original one.
Exploded View will present its installation “HIVE” at the Pushkin Gallery on Friday and Saturday, May 31 and June 1, respectively. The group of five inter-media artists have created an audio-visual immersive installation inspired by the life of bees.
“HIVE” also includes large-scale floral paintings by Alison Williams and Susan Valentine. The exhibit opens with a reception with a cash bar on Friday, May 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. It will reopen from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 1. There will be an artist talk and question and answer on Saturday at 1. Admission is free.
Some local restaurants will offer at least one item made with honey that weekend. Those participating will have a Langstroth Bee Fest logo in their windows.
“I’ve loved watching this event grow,” Thomas said. “Bees are so important, so critical. We want everyone to understand just how much – and that they’re not to be feared. I’ve seen people who were kids when this all began come back and say attending the Bee Fest really changed how they see bees now.”
Thomas said about $2,400 worth of gifts will be raffled off. And, they are all bee-related. She said there will also be sample-size gifts given out until they run out.
“Our congregation at Second Church feels a special calling to raise awareness, in a fun way, about the important role bees play in our environment,” Thomas said. Against the backdrop of a serious worldwide bee die-off, we have a rich history with these hard-working pollinators, and we want to share that history with others.”
For more information, go to BeeFest on Facebook.
You can reach Anita Fritz at: afritz@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 269.