The Ninth Annual Margaretville Cauliflower Festival will be held rain or shine Saturday, Sept. 29 from 10 to 4 in the Village Park, Margaretville.
Space is still available for vendors, community organizations and artisans. Visit www.cauliflowerfestival.com to find forms, or call 845-586-3300 for information. Artists who prefer to be in the large tent must reserve their space with payment by August 25.
This free festival, sponsored by the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, was canceled in 2011 as Margaretville was still reeling from the heavy blow dealt by Hurricane Irene. The 2012 festival will not only celebrate local foods and the region’s agricultural heritage, but also the resilience of this community and the Catskill Mountain spirit.
Bushels of cauliflower and other locally produced items will be for sale. Festival fare will range from cauliflower soup to pulled pork. Highlighting the entertainment offerings this year will be the popular Catskill Mountain Boys, and the Blue Ribbon Cloggers.
A variety of children’s activities will be offered. A Tractor Parade, showing off vintage and modern day tractors, will roll around festival grounds at 11:30. And Catskill Outback Adventures will have the zipline ready for a quick trip across the East Branch of the Delaware.
The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown will host “Barn Yesterday,” an exhibit of photographs and brief histories of some of the remaining barns in town. The exhibit will be displayed in the History Tent, which will also feature photos, artifacts and memorabilia from the heyday of the cauliflower industry in the Catskills.
Craftsman Wayne Ford of Denver will demonstrate the art of timber framing, a specialized version of post and beam construction that uses mortise and tenon joinery, held in place with wooden pegs. There will also be speakers on farm and garden topics.
Many fine artisans, a variety of vendors, and several area environmental and civic organizations, will fill the Village Park for the festival, which is supported by Coldwell/Banker Timberland Properties; MTC; Directive, Inc., and HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley.