North Quabbin Garlic & Arts Festival

The family friendly “festival that stinks” is renowned for exceptional art, local farm products, fabulous food, endless entertainment, and inspiration for a hopeful future. Held on a historic farm amid fall foliage, the event attracts and unites many thousands locally and across New England.   

Great music, entertainment, and spoken word emanates from three stages and the rolling fields. The line-up of performers is testimony to the culturally diverse and abundant talents of the region. Over 100 bountiful booths feature regional artists, farmers, community organizations, and healing arts; everyone can strengthen the economy by purchasing locally crafted and grown! Participants travel the garlic globe in the chef demo tent, and filled their bellies with farm fresh and savory cuisine in four food courts.

Over fifty engaging workshops and demos, activities and performances will be scheduled throughout the weekend. Garlic games abound on the main field, including the famous raw garlic-eating contest. Kids love the free art-making tent! Orange is the New Green: trash free (less than three bags for 8,000 people!) with everything else recycled or transformed into fertile compost to make gardens not garbage. Free drinking water is provided, and souvenir refillable water bottles are sold, along with an artist-designed festival tee shirt. The ‘Portal to the Future’ at the North end of the festival site is the place to visit for all things renewable energy, with inspiring local living workshops all weekend. Electric Vehicles (EV) from cars to tractors to bikes will be scheduled through the weekend. Get excited and get ready!