I wish I had known about that.”
We hear that a lot this time of year. Local groups put on some wonderful free events, yet some still seem to fly under the radar.
Colonial Craft Day at the Old Chelmsford Garrison House caught my eye. Churning butter, dipping candles, making soap, and quilting. Demonstrations of spinning, hearth cooking, blacksmithing, cider pressing, and basket weaving. Then tours of the 1716 house and the barn dating to around 1830, with the wagon barn open, too. All free!
That’s the kind of afternoon I would have loved. You can read about how people lived, but watching someone work at a forge or cook at a hearth brings it to life. Everyday things we buy without much thought took skill, time, and hard work. What a cool way for kids and adults to connect with history right here in Chelmsford. The post even described it as a preview of the third-grade field trips.
I was working that day, but even if I hadn’t been, I think I would have missed this one. I only happened to see it while scrolling through a Facebook feed.
It was advertised on the Garrison House website and the public schools’ community events page. But it wasn’t in the town manager’s “Dates of Interest,” and I didn’t find it on the town’s October events calendar or in Macaroni KID’s October 4 listings.
That search did lead me to something worth putting on everyone’s radar. One of the best calendars I’ve found for Chelmsford events is based out of Lowell:
We can only post two links a month in our stories, and this calendar is worth using one of them. The information is that good!
Chelmsford Library programs are listed there alongside events in Littleton, Dracut, Billerica, Groton, and other nearby communities. It’s easy to use, with a lot in one place.
I think we’ll start adding our events there and help other 501(c)(3) groups learn how to post theirs. Maybe we can put together a weekly roundup of free Chelmsford events, too. We’ll only share free events. That’s our mission!
If we don’t have what we need here in town, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with looking to our neighbors. It works on my street, so why not at the town level? Who does it doesn’t matter to me. How well it works and how easy it is to use does.
Our local groups put real time and effort into these events. Let’s help that work reach more people. Facebook helps, but it doesn’t reach everyone, and catching the right post can come down to luck.
You learn something new every day. This calendar is worth a visit, and if you’re planning a family-friendly event, take a look at posting it there, too. More people should get the chance to go, instead of saying afterward, “I wish I had known.”