Due to weather conditions on Saturday, NEPM made the difficult decision to postpone the NEPM Asparagus Festival. We will see you back on the Hadley Town Common in 2026.
Learn more at nepm.org/asparagus.
Known as “the asparagus capital of the world,” western Massachusetts is still home to hundreds of working farms and many more locally-owned restaurants and breweries. Now in its 11th year, the NEPM Asparagus Festival returns to the Hadley Town Common to celebrate the region’s legacy of agriculture and community.
The family-friendly NEPM Asparagus Festival features a full day of fantastic local food, drink, music, games, and fun for everyone.
Skip past the line with your registration today, and you'll be entered to win a VIP package to the Green River Festival, June 20-22 in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The NEPM Asparagus Festival is free and open to all with a suggested donation of $5 per person or $20 per family to support public media in western Mass.
Festival map
Schedule
10 a.m. - 3 p.m. — Fun and games for the whole family! Asparagus Valley Pick Game, arts and crafts with Wild Garden of Childhood, NEPM Kids scavenger hunt
10 a.m. - 7 p.m. — Farmers & Makers Market, food trucks
10:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. — Meet Curious George and Nature Cat from PBS Kids*
11 a.m. - 7 p.m. — Beer, wine, cider and more in the Provisions Beer & Wine Tent
11 a.m. — Eddie Forman Polka Orchestra on The Fabulous 413 Stage
12:30 p.m. — Wally Hibbard Memorial Asparagus Bunching Contest with Plainville Farm on The Fabulous 413 Stage
1 p.m. — Splendid Torch on The Fabulous 413 Stage
2:20 p.m. — Monte and Kaliis of The Fabulous 413 with U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern and state Sen. Jo Comerford on The Fabulous 413 Stage
2:45 p.m. — Le Fever on The Fabulous 413 Stage
3:45 p.m. — Asparagus Festival Comedy Show preview on The Fabulous 413 Stage
4 p.m. — The Greys on The Fabulous 413 Stage
5:45 p.m. — Paul Beaubrun on The Fabulous 413 Stage
*Appearances by PBS Kids characters will be staggered and are subject to change.
Vehicle & bicycle parking
The festival is on the south side of the Hadley Town Common, between Route 9 and Bay Road. Follow signs for free parking. Accessible parking is available via Bay Road. No parking on East or West Street.
The Hadley Town Common is on the Norwottuck Rail Trail and attendees are encouraged to ride bikes to the festival and lock up at our convenient bike parking.
The Fabulous 413 Stage
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 Eddie Forman Polka Orchestra, Splendid Torch, LeFever, and The Greys.
Farmers & Makers Market
Stroll through this section of the festival to find arts and crafts, get info from local organizations, pick up some delectable goodies, and meet farmers. Don’t forget to buy a bunch or two of asparagus!
Family fun
There’s no shortage of fun for kids, 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 join Wild Garden of Childhood Nursery for arts and crafts.
Provisions Beer & Wine Tent
The Provisions Beers & Wine Tent will feature local craft breweries including Abandoned Building Brewery, Leadfoot Brewing, Bright Ideas, Amherst Brewing, Ginger Libation, Katalyst Kombucha, Berkshire Brewing Company, Headwater Cider Company, Glendale Ridge Vineyard and Provisions.
In addition, the festival will offer a wide selection of food trucks serving up delicious food from asparagus fries to asparagus flavored ice cream. Food trucks include Wake the Dead Donuts, Holyoke Hummus Company, Esselon Café, Vibesman's Jerk Shack, Dean's Beans, Ginger Love Cafe, P'frogi, Crooked Stick Pops, Bruisers BBQ, Vegan Pizza Land, Thai Chili Food Truck, Masa Mexicano, Bueno Y Sano, Flayvors of Cook Farm, Skinny Pancake, Mycoterra and All Things Maple.
After-party: Asparagus Festival Comedy Show
Right after the NEPM Asparagus Festival, catch some of the best touring comedians in the country at the Hadley American Legion for a stand-up comedy show to benefit NEPM and its efforts to keeping public media alive and well in the Pioneer Valley!
Produced by Hadley native Tony Sykowski (Time Out NY, Second City), the show will feature performances from Tony, local comic Alex Paquin, Caitlin Reese (HBO Women in Comedy Festival, Sirius XM) and Rob Christensen (“The Problem with Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central). Get tickets.
Sponsors
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, Provisions, 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.
Suggested Donation
The NEPM Asparagus Festival is a free event for all to enjoy with a suggested donation of $5 per person or $20 per family to support public media in western Massachusetts.
NEPM will be recording video and audio for future use at this event.