Volunteers Nancy Bibeau (right) with Lucille Lavoie (left). Nancy portrayed “Grammy Fuller” and Lucille portrayed “Hannah Coolidge.” Submitted photo
Musicians Stephen Sanfilippo (left) and Jim Sherman (right) at Norlands Fall Festival, October 2018 Submitted photo
Mercy Lovejoy, a 19th-century town pauper portrayed by Willi Irish, stirs up the crowd at a recent Norlands event. Submitted photo
LIVERMORE — Celebrate the season and soak in the autumn beauty at the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center. A Fall Festival will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2019, 11 a.m. to 4p.m. at the Nor
lands in Livermore. Ongoing activities throughout the day include horse-drawn wagon rides, tours of the 1867 Washburn family mansion, blacksmith demonstrations, lessons of the past in the one-room schoolhouse, apple pressing and shingle making demonstrations in the barn, harvest cooking and living history in the farmer’s cottage. Children’s games on the front lawn and a craft activity takes place in the Washburn kitchen from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m..
Kids and adults can participate in a special Washburn-inspired pumpkin scavenger hunt and search for the twelve pumpkins hidden around the grounds. Match the pumpkins with the correct Washburn family members for a chance to win a treat.
Musician Stephen Sanfilippo of Pembroke, Maine, will play songs and tunes from the Civil War and many traditional American folk songs, mostly of rural life in the late Colonial and Early Republic period. Stephen plays a variety of instruments such as the banjo, guitar, harmonica, and accordion, and has performed throughout the northeastern United States and the coast of Maritime Canada. A frequent performer at Mystic Seaport and historic sites on Long Island, New York, he is a retired professor for maritime history at Maine Maritime Academy.
Another special guest, Mercy Lovejoy, a pauper who lived on the Town Farm (poor house) in the 1800s, will tell coffin-themed stories in the Washburn kitchen from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Mercy, born in Livermore in 1785, is humorously portrayed by Willi Irish, Norlands’ director of interpretation and training. She will share stories about cursed ponds and missing coffins – fitting spooky tales for the upcoming Halloween season.
New this year is a Barn Dance, to be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Norlands’ newly constructed barn. The dance is being held in memory of Nancy Bibeau, a long-time Norlands’ volunteer and Livermore resident. Nancy was best known at Norlands for portraying “Grammy Martha Fuller” during programs. The dance is the inspiration of Nancy’s granddaughter, Jessie Fortin, who fondly remembers volunteering at Norlands with her grandmother. Music for the dance is being donated by Paul Harnden and friends on keyboard, drums, and other instruments. Refreshments will be available. The dance is included with the price of admission to Fall Festival; otherwise it’s by donation ($5 suggested). People are welcome to attend only the dance. All proceeds benefit Norlands’ programs.
Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the beautiful grounds and autumnal colors. Warm up with a cup of soup or a piece of apple cake in the farmer’s cottage, for a donation and while supplies last.
General admission is $10 ($8 for members of Norlands); $6 ($4) ages 12 and under; $25 ($20 for members) family rate for 2 adults with up to 3 children under age 18. Children age 5 and under are admitted free. Members of Norlands enjoy a 20% discount on admission ($8 individual/$20 family rate). Visit www.norlands.org/become-a-member.html for details on membership.
The Norlands is located at 290 Norlands Road in Livermore. For more information and updates to the program schedule: 207-897-4366 or www.norlands.org.
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