Deerfield Fair

50 years ago, former curator of the Deerfield Memorial Hall Museum Tim Neumann proposed the idea of holding an annual craft fair in the town and hosted the first Old Deerfield Craft Fair in June of 1976.

Memorial Hall Museum primarily showcases the Arts and Crafts movement, a design trend in the early 20th century distinguished by colonial heritage and hand-crafted workmanship. The movement had strong roots in Deerfield, according to the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association (PVMA). 

According to Jennifer Fay, Event Coordinator for Old Deerfield Crafts Fair, the fair began as a gathering of traditional artisans and eventually became a fundraising event since it “lends to the mission” of the museum itself. Since then, the fair has expanded from 10 exhibition stands to over 100 this year, reaching over 200 vendors. At its peak, Fay reported that the entirety of Main Street and surrounding streets would be filled with cars and people. “There was not a square inch of space,” she remembered. 

Although the fair originally only hosted a small number of traditional artisans (weavers, spinners, etc.), it now hosts a wide variety of local artists, from woodworkers to photographers to jewelers. The craft fair also brings food trucks, a small petting zoo, and interactive craft demonstrations. 

Organizers of the fair work to make the event as family-friendly as possible; no sale of alcohol is allowed, nor are any offensive or obscene messages on anything sold at the fair. Fay noted that these elements are meant “to bring them in where it’s not just a commercial gimmick to keep them.” 

She also noted that their ultimate mission is to bring kids in and educate them “to create awareness of how these [crafts] are done, how long it takes and why it's worth it.” 

All of the proceeds from the fair go to the PVMA, which operates several museums and libraries in Deerfield. Earnings support the non-profit organization’s historical and educational programs.