By Cynthia Whitty

The 8th annual Dragonfly Festival returns on Sept. 18, 1 to 5 p.m. The event will take place at two locations: the Ashland Historical Society and The Corner Spot. 

Organized by Arts! Ashland Alliance, the Dragonfly Festival features seasoned musicians, dance performances, entertainment for children, artisans, and food vendors. The family-friendly event is free to attend and offers a diverse community arts experience. Spanning a wide array of art forms, the festival brings people together to enjoy the cultural vitality of Ashland and artists from all over New England, some favorites and some new and emerging.

The musical lineup includes the popular Lori Diamond and Fred Abatelli and local bluegrass favorite, The Railroad House Band. Anelise Music, Joy & More will be a special treat at The Corner Spot. Other performers include Jonathan Campbell and the husband-wife folk duo, Anderson-Gram.

Festival organizers will offer young attendees a lot to choose from: Face painting by Gina, a dance performance by Annemarie’s Dance Centre, interacting with alpacas, regaling at the stilt performer, and Lisa Abbascia’s dancers from Backstage Dance Studio. 

Artisans include Iona who brings unique and sophisticated jewelry made from ecofriendly materials; Yulia Doshen will present intricate jewelry made from silver and tagua and other artwork; bee crafts will be offered by Luz Apiaries and handmade soaps made by Jennifer Hofmann. Two Foxes Farm Wood-Fired Pizza, Cousins Lobster Truck, and Refreshin’ Concessions ice cream truck will provide food.

Rajashree Ghosh, an event organizer, reflects on last year’s virtual event: “In 2020, we created a virtual Dragonfly Festival and curated a lineup of local artists and bands over a period of three-days. None of that would have been possible without our community partners, such as WACA TV, and the contributions of local artists, musicians, performers and volunteers. We thank Ashland Cultural Council and Mass Cultural Council for their grant awards.”

“Arts! Ashland is not engaging in fundraising this year,” Ghosh said. “We thank our local business donors and support them as they recoup post-pandemic. However, individuals who remain interested in contributing may visit our website and Facebook pages to do so.”

For up-to-date information on festival offerings and the schedule, visit the Ashland Dragonfly Festival Facebook page, www.dragonflyashland.org, or www.arts-ashland.org. Contact organizers by email, [email protected].