May 12, 2025, SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — With less than a month to go, the spirit (or, perhaps, “spearit”) of asparagus will once again be the focal point of the NEPM Asparagus Festival. Known as “the asparagus capital of the world,” western Massachusetts is still home to hundreds of working farms, and many locally-owned restaurants and breweries.
Now in its 11th year, the NEPM Asparagus Festival returns to the Hadley Town Common on Saturday, June 7 to celebrate the area’s local businesses and organizations and spotlight our agricultural heritage.
What: The NEPM Asparagus Festival
When: Saturday, June 7, 2025, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Where: Hadley Town Common, Route 9, Hadley, Massachusetts
Hosted by: New England Public Media
Each year, the NEPM Asparagus Festival brings people together in celebration of our region’s diversity, beauty, and bounty. The event brings over 7,500 people to the Hadley Town Common to enjoy the best of western Mass. flavors, agriculture, music, and, of course, Hadley grass. The festival is free and open to all with a suggested donation of $5 per person or $20 per family at the gates. Proceeds from the NEPM Asparagus Festival public media in western Mass.
Attendees are encouraged to before the festival to skip the line at the gates. Everyone who s early will be entered to win a VIP package to the Green River Festival, June 20-22 in Greenfield, Massachusetts.
The popular Farmers & Makers Market will be open for the full day (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.) so attendees can have more opportunities to explore and connect with more than 75 local vendors and artisans featuring crafts, cultural items, nonprofit initiatives, agricultural products, and more. In addition, the festival will offer a wide selection of food trucks serving up delicious food from asparagus fries to asparagus flavored ice cream. The Provisions Beers & Spears tent will feature local craft breweries including Amherst Brewing Company, Bright Ideas and more.
Musical guests taking the Fabulous 413 Stage throughout the day include headlining Haitian musician Paul Beaubrun, known for his impeccable guitar skills, rich vocals, musical ingenuity, and deep cultural roots, who will deliver a smooth mélange of English, French, and Creole. Also performing are local bands Splendid Torch, LeFever, and The Greys.
Plus, there’s no shortage of children’s fun, including a chance to meet PBS Kids characters Curious George and Nature Cat. Families can find out how fast they can pick asparagus with the Asparagus Valley Pick game or Wild Garden of Childhood Nursery for arts and crafts.
Sure to be a fun time for the entire family, this is an unmissable opportunity to enjoy one of the first festivals of the season, highlight this remarkable vegetable, and gather in a community celebration of all western Mass. has to offer.
The NEPM Asparagus Festival is sponsored by Greenfield Savings Bank, PV Squared, All Energy Solar, Valley Solar, The Campus School, Amherst Innovative Living, Northeast Solar, River Valley Co-op, Applied Mortgage, Hope & Feathers Framing and USA Waste and Recycling.
The Springfield Republican, El Pueblo Latino, Reminder Publications, Hilltown Families, and Yankee Magazine are media sponsors.
A special thank you to the Town of Hadley.
For all event details and activities, visit nepm.org/asparagus.
ABOUT NEW ENGLAND PUBLIC MEDIA
New England Public Media enriches people’s lives in western Massachusetts and beyond by nurturing curiosity, inspiring community engagement, and reflecting the unique joys of living here. NEPM is the region’s source for PBS and NPR programs and for locally produced news, video, and music content. For more information, visit nepm.org or follow NEPM on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
MEDIA
Vanessa Cerillo
Senior Director, Marketing, Communications and Events
New England Public Media
413-735-6605
[email protected]