May is Museum Month – Village Opening May 18

Our 2025 season is kicking off Sunday, May 18 and Monday, May 19 from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. The historic village will be open Sundays and holidays from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. until October 19.

May is Museum Month and in celebration Be A Museum Curator for the Day!

You can be a Curator for the day at Westfield when you visit on May 18, 19 & 25 from 12:00 – 4:00 pm and visit our “Life of an Artifact” interactive exhibit. Museums like Westfield collect artifacts to save them for the future.  Each artifact tells a story about the people who made and used it.  Learn how we acquire, document, store and display artifacts in our living history museum. Select your own item to take through the process and receive your Curator Certificate.  Fun and educational for all ages.

Collecting comes in many forms. Sometimes it’s collecting objects, but sometimes it’s collecting memories in the form of “scraps”. Have you ever tried your hand at “scrapbooking”? Come out on May 18, 19 or 25 to try your hand at making a scrapbook page. The concept of scrapbooking has been around for a very long time. Before the term emerged as we know it the technique was known as a commonplace book. The commonplace book was a way to prioritize and organize newfound flow of information. Commonplace books were a spot to record material studied in libraries, a spot to record inspirations, or simply to record a favourite recipe or quote.

As printing presses became mechanized it was easy to obtain greeting cards, calling cards and post cards to include in a scrapbook page. During the 1800s people started to fill blank, bound books with clippings, cards and printed memorabilia. Books were a mix of personal journal entries, hand-drawn sketches and watercolours. The first recorded use of the noun “scrap book” is 1821. The first use of “scrapbook” as a verb was recorded in 1879.

Come be creative with us this May and watch this space to find out what else we will be up-to as the season continues. There is always something to discover or simply come for a walk through our beautiful space. There are 8 kms of easy walking trails through woods and meadow spaces. The Conservation Area is open 7 days a week from sunrise to sunset.

 

 

 

 

 

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    August 2 and 3 Westfield is open from 10:00 to 4:00 p.m. for our Milk and Honey: A Dairy Delicious Event. Come find out about two delicious ingredients. Summit Dairy will be out to demonstrate milking a cow again. Their delicious milk will be available for purchase. Butter making and ice-cream making demonstrations will be part of the day. Have some fun playing our carnival games. Learn all about honey and those industrious bees. Make your own bee fan/thaumatrope.
    August 9, 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.: How did children spend their time historically? It usually involved, chores, school and leisure time with friends and family. Plan to spend some time playing games at the Bandstand and Inn Driveshed. Appreciate the hard work that went into making homemade ice cream at the Gillen House. Stop by the school to find out what the teacher has on the blackboard. Can you solve the math problems? The family craft is making a thaumatrope.
    August 16, 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.: Come tap your toes and swing your partner at the Bandstand. Westfield volunteer, Ian Bell, will be out to play his squeeze box and provide some tunes for our local country dancers. Come dance a reel or watch the fun. Stop by the General Store first to purchase a cool refreshment, sweet treat or a salty one like Saratoga chips and pickle on a stick. The family craft is making paper doll chain of dancers.
    August 23, 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.: The theme is “Be Well” and we plan to have some fun with period exercises on the Village Green. Visit the travelling doctor at the D’Aubigny Inn and discover how medicine has changed a 100 years later in the Drug Store. Come make a 3D Apple as part of our family craft.
    August 30, 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.: Fall Fairs are a big part of the harvest celebrations in local communities around Westfield. Learn about judging entries in a fair. Play some carnival games. Enter our “hobby horse” horse show! Family craft is making an animal using a pinecone.
    The historic village is open each Sunday afternoon from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Enjoy walking our accessible trails everyday from dawn to dusk.