LEOMINSTER — It’s the most wonderful time of the year at Sholan Farms, as the apple blossoms take on a celebration of their own, welcoming spring and the community back to the orchard after a long barren winter.
And to celebrate these important blossoms, and the community they beautify, the Friends of Sholan Farms will host its 22nd Annual Sholan Farms Apple Blossom Festival.
The festival will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday, May 20, at the farm, located at 1125 Pleasant St.
This popular and free event will feature amazing food trucks, local crafters, raffles, auctions, children’s activities, free wagon rides, and a scavenger hunt.
The annual Butterfly Release Parade will be held at 2:30 p.m., where visitors will have the opportunity to celebrate spring or honor a loved one. A butterfly will cost $6 and can be purchased at the farm.
“Now in our 22nd year, I am in awe and amazement as the orchard goes through a type of metamorphosis throughout each year with our four seasons and true transformation from dormant, blossoms, fruit set, and the apple and produce harvest.,” said Joanne DiNardo, president of the Friends of Sholan Farms. “This festival is an opportunity to connect the entire community to nature and to this special place. It gives us the opportunity to teach everyone the importance of agriculture and how people can get involved by volunteering. Behind the scenes volunteers, staff and honeybees put in a massive amount of time to maintain and pollinate the orchard.”
Roxanne Chamberlain, chair of Festivals, and member of the Friends of Sholan Farms has volunteered at the festival for many years and is thrilled to be organizing this year’s festivities and to welcome the community back to the farm.
“As chair of Festivals, it is my responsibility to coordinate the Apple Blossom Festival in May and the Harvest Festival in October,” said Chamberlain. “It is important for me to be organized and to follow-up as there are many moving parts to planning a festival.”
This year, Chamberlain said, the Apple Blossom Festival will feature “ten food trucks, over 50 crafters, a Kids Fun Zone, new to the festival this year, featuring two bouncy houses, face painting, and oversized games with prizes for the winners, an ATM truck, seven community organizations tables, two business sponsor tables, Tavern 13, Central Mass. goats, an adult and children’s scavenger hunt, six themed baskets for the silent auction, a 50/50 raffle, Balloon Ben creating his balloon sculptures, and a visit by mascots Launch as well as Andy the Armadillo.”
Music will fill the air with a performance by the Northwest Bulldog Band at noon, the Northwest Belle Boce Chorus at 12:15 p.m., and music by a DJ all day.
“Also new this year, we will have some of our volunteers dressed up in costumes for the benefit of the children,” added Chamberlain. “And don’t forget all the goodies in the farm stand, where you will find delicious homemade cider donuts, cider, coffee, and other beverages for sale.”
Sholan Farms is owned by the City of Leominster and operated by the Friends of Sholan Farms, which is a community-supported, non-profit organization.
And as each year passes, DiNardo said one thing stays constant, “the dedicated volunteers who give up their time to keep this orchard sustainable.”
“Volunteers are the heartbeat of Sholan Farms,” DiNardo said. “The festival volunteers will be the face of Sholan Farms, providing tours, greeting guests, running the raffles, selling butterflies for the Butterfly Release, selling cider, coffee, cider donuts, and parking cars – just to name a few. We are grateful for the help of Leominster Emergency Management and Leominster Access TV, the Sentinel & Enterprise and Freedom’s Way for their help, as well.”
Throughout the season volunteers help with planting, weeding, maintenance work, mowing, and staffing the farmstand.
“We also have a great ‘boots on the ground’ leadership team that includes Brian Senecal, Orchard Manager, and Ashley York-Aronovich, Garden Market Manager,” DiNardo said. “We also are fortunate to have a strong and hardworking Board of Directors. They work tirelessly throughout the year to plan, fund raise, write grants, and implement best management practices.”
The farm also relies on donations, membership dues, and sponsorship for the entire season and the Friends are grateful to the following sponsors: Diamond Sponsors: Central Mass Oral Surgery, Fraticelli Oil Company, NorthStar Construction Company, and Power Home Remodeling. Platinum Sponsors: GFA Federal Credit Union and NewPro. Gold Sponsors: D.J.’s Auto Repair, DeCarolis Insurance, Digital Federal Credit Union, Enterprise Bank, and M.F. Albert Corporation. Silver Sponsors: Avidia Bank, Montachusett Vending Company, and Rota Springs. Bronze Sponsors: Atlantic Tent Rental, Roxanne Chamberlain, Cutie Patuties, Dr. Mark Fontaine, Joanne and Richard DiNardo, Joanne Lanza, Joe and Patricia LaGrassa, Liberty Supply, M.P. Crowley Company, Parkview Wealth Management, Pipe Plus, Piper Electric Company, Rollstone Bank & Trust, Schuster’s Plumbing & Heating, and Whitcomb Travel.
Situated on a hilltop with panoramic views of surrounding hills and even of Boston on a clear day, the farm provides cross-country skiing, walking trails, bird watching, a picnic area and a variety of cultural and folk events throughout the year.
In season, visitors are welcome to pick from a large variety of spectacular native apples, raspberries, blueberries, and even the perfect pumpkin for Halloween.
“This is the people’s farm,” said DiNardo. “The Friends of Sholan Farms has been operating the farm since 2001, and it’s just amazing to think that volunteers could invest so much time and talent to keep the property in tip top shape. I take personal pride in being part of this organization that can take credit for saving, restoring, and maintaining this incredible and magical orchard.”
DiNardo added that the farm is protected by the Agricultural Preservation Restriction and Conservation Restriction programs.
“It is with pride that we envision this orchard/farm will be here for years to come – long after our generation is gone,” DiNardo said. “Our legacy of saving the farm and connecting people with nature will be written in time – and history is being made by our many generous volunteers and supporters.”
For more information on Sholan Farms, visit sholanfarms.com.
