Daily events are subject to change.
Sunday, March 5, 2023
Welcome to Old Sturbridge Village, a recreated 1830s rural New England town! For many at Old Sturbridge Village, the first whiff of spring is not the aroma of freshly sprung flowers – it is the smell of wood smoke and maple syrup, a sure sign that the sap is rising and spring is on the way. See the entire sugar-making process, from tapping the trees to “sugaring off,” and learn why maple sugar was more commonly used than maple syrup in early New England. Our farmers are industriously preparing for the spring season, and of course, our farm animals always enjoy a visitor too. Enjoy your visit!
Maple Days Programming
Sugar Camp See how maple trees are tapped and how the sap is collected and boiled down to syrup. Learn from the farmers about how to choose the right trees and recognize the right season to begin sugaring (at the Goods from the Woods exhibit, Building #48).
Households
Small House (Building #5) Making syrup is only half the work! Stop here to see how maple syrup was cooked down into more desirable sugar loaves.
Fitch House (Building #21) Visit to see a hearth cooking demonstration and to learn how families might have incorporated maple sugar into the foods they prepared.
Trades
Cabinetmaking Shop (Building #8) The cabinetmaker will typically be working with wood from maple trees. Explore the different uses of maple, a hardwood, in furniture building.
Performances
10:30 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. A Guided Tour of the Towne House: Tour the home of a prosperous farmer (meets in the hallway of the Salem Towne House, Building #16).
11:30 a.m. & 3:00 p.m. Excerpts From a Letter By 19th Century Activist Sarah Grimke: Her response to a letter about women speaking publicly (in the Richardson House, Building #13).
Music Performances
10:00 a.m. Music at the Tavern: Hear a sampler of 1830s music (in the Bullard Tavern, Building #3).
11:00 a.m. A performance on the New England Bass Viol: Listen to and learn about the church bass or bass viol, an instrument which has not been played in nearly one and a half centuries (in the Center Meetinghouse, Building #7).
1:30 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. Ballroom Etiquette: Learn about the forms of ceremony or decorum used in the entertainment of dancing during the 1830s (in the Bullard Tavern, Building #3).
2:30 p.m. Historical Woodwinds: Learn about common woodwind instruments from the Village period. With a flute & clarinet, listen to a selection of historical songs performed on period instruments (at the Fitch House, Building #21).
The Carryall (weather permitting)
We offer a horse-drawn carryall ride included with the price of admission. From 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. you can board behind the Bullard Tavern (#3) or in front of the Blacksmith Shop (#39) about every 40 minutes for a ride around the Mill Pond.
Dining & Shopping
Bullard Café (Building #3) (on the Ground Floor)
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. A variety of lunch options and beverages.
Miner Grant Store & Bake Shop (Building #19)
9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Stop in to buy our famous chocolate chip cookies, Joe Frogger cookies, and treats. Shop for Village-made wares, heirloom seeds, historical children’s toys and gifts, too!
Ox & Yoke Mercantile (Building #1)
10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Take home a traditional rural New England treasure or locally made gift. Village-made crafts and kits, home décor, books, and more await! We stay open a bit later than the rest of the Village.
The Environmental Point of View
Woodland Walk (#47) A short hike along Pogus Brook to a wooded viewing platform.
Pasture Walk (#49) Takes you to the top of Powder House Hill, offering views of the pastured landscape.
River Walk (#50) Best views of the Wight Dam and a peaceful setting to enjoy the Quinebaug River.
Please note all walks are open but are not maintained.
Icy conditions may be present.
Old Sturbridge Village’s new exhibit
Needle and Thread: The Art and Skill of Clothing an Early 19th Century Family highlights the responsibilities held by rural New England housewives in constructing new garments, patching, mending, and darning worn items, and repurposing old items into new wardrobes. The exhibit features over a dozen garments and accessories, along with other textile and clothing objects from the Old Sturbridge Village Museum Collections (in the Dennison Building, #28).
Upcoming Events
Celtic Celebration – March 18th, 2023
Join us as we celebrate their cultural heritage through music, dance, storytelling, and poetry!
Women’s History Weekend – March 25 & 26, 2023
Join us as we acknowledge and celebrate extraordinary and everyday women in the early 19th century. Learn how they ran their households, managing clothing construction, cooking, laundry, gardening, and more.