Emily Klamm

Digital Marketing Manager

O: 508-347-0205

Sturbridge, M.A. – Old Sturbridge Village has an exciting calendar of new and returning events for July, including a Music and Art Weekend, a day of Baseball, BBQ, and Brews, and a Moving Forward weekend to highlight the advancement of social change in the 1800s. Recurring events like Dog Days and Garden Thyme are also back for OSV members during July. The Village has taken a robust approach to programming this year, bringing back several popular events and creating new programming that interprets life in the 19th century for the visitors of today. July also marks the beginning of a Kids Free Summer program at the Village this year, with up to three kids under the age of 17 admitted free when accompanied by an adult paying full admission.

This month’s events include:

There is so much to see, do, learn, and explore this summer at the Village and there’s more fun, stories, play and savings with Kids Free Summer. The offer admits up to three kids under 17 years old when accompanied by an adult paying full admission from July 5 through September 5. Visitors can explore the scenic two-hundred-acre campus, be inspired by craftspeople demonstrating skills, meet the farm animals and take a horse-drawn wagon ride. In addition to activities such as playing nineteenth-century games, visitors can also take part in the many summertime events included with standard daytime admission to the Village. Old Sturbridge Village will be open rain or shine, Wednesday through Sunday from 9:30am to 5:00pm. The Kids Free promotion is valid on standard daytime admission, and cannot be combined with other discounts or evening programming. Visitors are encouraged to purchase or reserve tickets online.

Enjoy the outdoors and spend a summer evening at the Village after the campus closes for the day. Visitors can stroll through the scenic Commons and Farm, take a horse-drawn wagon ride, and listen to live music by Quintebrass. Quintebrass is based in Northeast Connecticut and performs standard repertoire brass quintet music, from the Renaissance through the 20th century, with some non-standard arrangements included for good measure. There will be an evening bonfire and games for kids to play! Guests are invited to bring a picnic to enjoy. Snacks and drinks will also be available for sale at the Miner Grant Store. This event is held outside of normal OSV operating hours. Tickets are $15 for non-member adults, $10 for non-member youth, $10 for member adults and $7 for member youth.

What was music and art like back in the 1800s? At Music and Art Weekend, you will get to listen to music and see different pieces of art like portraiture, literature, and drawings popular from the time. There will be opportunities to learn about the history of violins and guitars as well as watch the talented artists of OSV at work. Live performances and demonstrations will be held, including watching the Old Sturbridge Village dancers and singers (on Saturday only), seeing landscape art, botanical watercolors, and Ruth Hanshaw Bascom-style pastel portraits come to life, listening to historical waltzes, and taking a tour of Village art. The event is held during OSV operational hours and is included with standard daytime admission or membership to the Village.

A full day of activities awaits when you spend your day at Baseball, BBQ, and Brews. Come for the Village Grill’s BBQ, learn about baseball history, listen to early 19^th century music, play early American games, and more for the whole family! Visitors will also get the chance to craft a baseball thaumatrope and meet Jake the Lion from the Worcester Bravehearts. The first 200 kids to come will get a free pack of Topps Heritage baseball cards, and craft beers from several breweries in New England will be available for purchase for guests 21 and older. The event is held during OSV operational hours and is included with standard daytime admission or membership to the Village.

This event will highlight some of the efforts, struggles, and triumphs of social change in 19^th century New England. Learn about 1830s gender and racial equity, efforts to end slavery, help the unfortunate, and promote peace, and how people would work to better education for the poor and mentally ill. Visitors will also be able to tour the gardens, enjoy live musical performances, and meet the animals on the farm. Moving Forward will focus on the topics and groups involved in social changes such as anti-slavery, local charity, the Industrial Revolution, women’s rights, and progressive agriculture and how they tie into social change today. The event is held during OSV operational hours and is included with standard daytime admission or membership to the Village.

Old Sturbridge Village extends to members the privilege of bringing their dog to the Village on select weekends throughout the year. July 9-10 marks the next members-only Dog Days event. Dogs must be leashed and vaccinated, with proof of rabies and license required. Dogs must be accompanied at all times. This event is held during OSV operating hours. This program is FREE for members of Old Sturbridge Village. Registration is required.  

July’s Garden Thyme is all about teaching propagation techniques by rooting and layering plant cuttings like rosemary, lavender, southernwood, sage, and scented geraniums. Participants will get to take home cuttings to practice their skills on their own. Led by Village horticultural and agricultural staff, these Garden Thyme programs are held at various sites at OSV throughout the year and deal with a variety of plant-related themes and topics. This program is FREE for members of Old Sturbridge Village and begins at 10:00am. Registration is required.

Webinar: Redefining American Patriotism: Identity and Military Service in 19^th-Century Massachusetts: July 28

In this exclusive webinar, Fort Ticonderoga’s Curator, Dr. Matthew Keagle, and the Museum of African American History’s Director of Education and Interpretation, L’Merchie Frazier, discuss the ways in which Irish-American and African American communities combined their own identities with patriotic service to gain broader acceptance and agency in Massachusetts society. This program is FREE for members of Old Sturbridge Village, Fort Ticonderoga or the Museum of African American History and begins at 6:00pm. Registration is required.

Standard daytime admission rates for the event are $28 for adults, $26 for seniors (55+), $14 for youth (4-17) and college students. The Village is free to children ages 3 and under. More information on July events and special programming can be found at: https://www.osv.org/events-experiences/calendar/.

For b-roll, images, and interview requests, please contact Sarah Martin at Sarah@BreaktheIceMedia.com.

Located just off the Massachusetts Turnpike and Routes I-84 and 20 in Sturbridge, Mass., Old Sturbridge Village is open year-round, but days and hours vary seasonally. Daily admission is: $28 for adults, $26 for seniors, $14 for College Students, $14 for children ages 4-17, with children 3 and under admitted free. Admission includes free parking. Village Members receive free standard daytime admission. For details, visit https://www.osv.org/plan-your-visit/.