SHELBURNE — If you’re looking for a dance (or life) partner, the village’s barn festival Saturday may be the way to go.
Becky Ashenden, founder of the Shelburne Falls-based nonprofit Fabric of Life that seeks to preserve and pass on traditional skills, said her sister met her now-husband about 30 years ago when the two decided to thrown a barn dance in the area.
“My sister recently split up from her relationship and she was looking for a husband, so we jokingly said, ‘Let’s put on a barn dance,’” Ashenden said. “They were dancing in a contra-line and then, you know, there was a spark and he asked her out.”
Ashenden has thrown a barn dance most years since then, she said, taking a short break before restarting the tradition when she founded Fabric of Life four years ago.
This year’s fourth annual Barnfest, located at 80 Bassett Road in Shelburne, begins at 1 p.m. and extends into the night, offering a packed schedule with music, food, crafts and dancing.
The festival will begin with demonstrations of traditional handcrafts, including weaving, spinning and rug-hooking. A “family dance” is scheduled for 3 p.m. At about 5 p.m., a “farm fresh” dinner will be served, accompanied by live music. At 6:30 p.m., there is a Balkan sing-along, before contra dancing at 7 p.m. A raffle and ice cream social will start at 8 p.m. with Balkan music and dance to follow, carrying on into “the wee hours,” a news release states.
The festival is free to enter though donations are encouraged, to be directed to Fabric of Life. Certain workshops cost $10 to attend and require advance registration.
Register for workshops at bit.ly/2Wt0CV7. With questions, contact jennifer@fabric-of-life.org or visit fabric-of-life.org.
Reach Grace Bird at gbird@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext 280.