Residents of Montague, Gill and Erving won’t have to look far to find a fall festival this weekend, with abundant activities planned on Saturday, Sept. 28, and Sunday, Sept. 29.

Gill Community Contra Dance and Fall Festival

The second annual Gill Square Dance & Contra Dance Night will be held Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. at Town Hall, followed by the fifth annual Gill Fall Festival on Sunday starting at noon on the common outside Town Hall.

According to a post in the Gill Recreation Department’s Facebook page, calling the dance will be Andy Davis, with music from Andy Davis and Friends. At 7 p.m., there will be a 20-minute introduction to the dances that Davis will call throughout the evening.

Gill Recreation Committee Chair Isaac Bingham said the contra and square dance is in its second year after a successful inaugural event in 2023.

“We had about 40 people or so, so enough for four squares,” Bingham said about the 2023 square dance. “We did it again this year because people liked it.”

This evening of dancing will serve to kick off the Fall Festival the next day, organized by the Agricultural Commission.

“It’s a chance for the people of Gill and of the surrounding towns to come and celebrate the tradition of agriculture in Gill, and there will be representatives from many of the small farms,” Bingham said about the Fall Festival.

Representatives from Flagg Farm will offer hayrides. There will also be a children’s sawdust coin hunt competition and farm stands will sell their products from noon to 3 p.m. The event is free to attend.

On Sunday, Oct. 6, the Recreation Committee will offer another Gillbilly Paddle on the Connecticut River, providing a chance to see fall foliage from the water. Town Administrator Ray Purington wrote in an email, “Boaters should arrive at the Northfield Mount Hermon School docks (19 Speer Way, Gill) at around 9:30 a.m. The boats will launch at 10 a.m. Those paddling are expected to reach the finish around noon.”

The sign-up form and waiver are available at gillmass.org/g/15/Recreation-Committee.

Montague Community Fair

A Montague Community Fair, hosted by the Montague Public Libraries, will be held Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. at Unity Park in Turners Falls. The fair seeks to share information on nonprofits and town programs with residents.

Montague Public Libraries Director Caitlin Kelley said the idea for the community fair came from wanting to see residents connect with each other while also performing outreach for services.

“There’s so many great activities happening in the fall, but we thought we’d put together something nice and fun that’s also completely free to the public, and can let people know that there is really cool stuff happening,” Kelley said.

The fair coincides with National Good Neighbor Day, a national campaign to connect neighbors and neighborhoods to facilitate community connection. Although the fair coincidentally fell on this day, the fair will be a chance for people to participate in Good Neighbor Day in Montague.

“We wanted to give people the opportunity to meet other people and their neighbors,” Kelley said, adding that town representatives and nonprofit representatives will be there.

Additionally, there will be live music from the father-daughter duo Rocking Puppies. Wildlife on Wheels, an educational outreach program that brings animals to young children and their families, and Brie’s Balloons, offering balloon twisting, will also be in attendance. The event is free.

Erving Fall Festival

The annual Erving Fall Festival will be held at Veterans Memorial Park on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

According to a Facebook event post by the Erving Recreation Commission, 20 local vendors will be selling their products, and local and state organizations will provide demonstrations and information. Rock climbing, a bounce house and a toddler scavenger pool will be available to entertain children, and Erving Police Officer Laura Gordon will bring her bloodhound, Ziva. The event is free.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.