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The second annual Plymouth Pickle & Fermentation Festival is on tap for Saturday, June 7, from 12 noon to 5 p.m., at 127 Camelot Drive – home of Independent Fermentations Brewing (IndieFerm). Rose Forbes and Paul Nixon, the brewery’s owners, have gathered a wide variety of vendors and exhibitors who each ferment or pickle…something.
“With a name like Independent Fermentations, we have a lot of latitude,” Forbes said. That’s why there are so many types of fermented foods, drinks, and even a composting process on display. She said people often don’t realize how many things are made with fermentation. Or that fermenting has been used to ensure food safety – such as when people used alcohol to kill off the bad bacteria in their beverages.
The festival is free, but there are hands-on workshops that come with a participation fee.
From 10 a.m. to noon, Briget Bride will offer a workshop on salsa fermentation. This longer class starts before the festival officially opens. It costs $50 and you can register for it here.
From 1 to 1:45 p.m. “Dr. Chocolate” (Lori Shapiro) will give a talk about her chocolate bars made with beans she helped to ferment from South America. Her workshop costs $30 and you can register here. (Yes, you’ll get to taste the chocolate.)
From 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Formaggio Kitchen cheese monger and former cheesemaker Jennifer Tolliver will deconstruct the process of cheese-making, and supply some of her own for tasting. Registration is $30, and you can sign up here.
Finally, from 4 to 5 p.m., Paula Marcoux will demystify the creation of sourdough bread. The session costs $30 and you can register here.
Along with the workshops, vendors will offer everything from pickles to coffee, beer, wine, and food. There will also be demonstrations including a sauerkraut “mob,” a bokashi anaerobic composting fermentation and compost tea demo with Peter Swanson; cooking with fire lit up by Marcoux; home brewing with Chris Ayers; and a science corner and sensory lab that will let people experience the tastes and aromas of pickled and fermented food.
Local bands The Shady Roosters and Thee Associates will perform, too. You can see the list of vendors, demos, and descriptions of the workshops here.
Monday, May 26
The annual Memorial Day Parade will start at Memorial Hall, 83 Court St., at 9:30 a.m. Here’s the parade route: East down Memorial Drive, left onto Water Street,
left onto South Park Street and left onto Court Street.
The parade will then proceed south on Route 3A, stopping at the Korean and Vietnam memorials on the lawn of
the courthouse, where a wreath laying ceremony will take place. From there, the parade will head to the Town Brook bridge WWI Memorial (Main Street Extension) for a wreath ceremony.
“Pride and Prejudice,” celebrating its 20th anniversary, will screen at 4:30 p.m. at Plimoth Cinema at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. The classic Jane Austen story follows the arc of an unlikely relationship between sharp-tongued, lower-class Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) and the haughty, upper-class Mr. Darcy (Mathew Mcfadyen). “The Way, My Way,” a film by Bill Bennett based on his best-selling book about his 800-kilometer trek through Spain on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, continues at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. “Lilly,” a drama starring Patricia Clarkson as working-class hero Lilly Ledbetter, will continue at 7 p.m. The films will screen at least through Thursday, May 29. Tickets are $12.50, $11 with a club card, $10 for seniors or members, and $8.50 for seniors with a club card.
Wednesday, May 28
Children eight and older can take part in a Zen Garden Craft from 4 to 4:45 p.m. in the craft room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Using a shoebox top and sand, participants can create a serene, calming space making patterns in the sand. Registration is required, and you can do so here.
The trustees of Pilgrim Hall Museum, 75 Court St., will host a ceremonial send-off for the Quadricentennial Guernsey Falcon cannon at 8 a.m. It has occupied the museum’s lobby for five years. The cannon was a gift from members of the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts (chartered 1638) and the Honourable Artillery Company of London (chartered 1537) to honor Plymouth’s 400th anniversary in the spring of 2000. The pandemic put a hold on the cannon’s installation on Burial Hill for five years. The public is invited to enjoy coffee and pastries as the cannon leaves the museum and makes its way to Burial Hill. The official dedication will be held on Saturday, May 31. For more information on the send-off, contact Donna Curtin at director@pilgrimhall.org.
Thursday, May 29
Cheryl Jones returns to the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., for a program titled “The Power of Stillness: Cultivating Clarity, Resilience, and Wellbeing” at 2 p.m. in the Fehlow Meeting Room. Learn practical techniques to slow down, quiet the mind, and embrace stillness. This immersive experience is designed for individuals of all backgrounds and levels – whether new to mindfulness or looking to deepen your practice.
Wear comfortable clothing and bring a journal and water bottle. Registration is required, and you can register here.
Sharon Udasin will present a talk at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 4 to 5 p.m., on how PFAS or “forever chemicals” have affected us. Udasin, a Colorado-based climate reporter for The Hill, will discuss the book she wrote along with co-author Rachel Frazin, titled, “Poisoning the Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America.” The book follows an “ugly history of corporate greed, military impunity and community devastation, based on original reporting in four highly contaminated places.” Registration is required, and you can do so here.
Friday, May 30
Public Works Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Department of Public Works facility, 159 Camelot Drive. At this free family-oriented event, you can meet the men and women who work for the DPW, explore equipment, and enjoy hot dogs and snow cones. There will also be giveaways and more surprises.
The Busted Jug Band will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. The band reflects the street bands of the early 20th Century, featuring kazoos, washboard, mandolin, banjo-uke, washtub bass, harmonica, accordion, jug, rhythm bones, national guitar, slide whistle and bicycle horns. Band members wear top hats and derbies and play the music of Black jug bands and string bands of Memphis and Mississippi, as well as music made by small swing bands and vocal groups of New Orleans and the urban north. Tickets are $29.20 and $32, and you can get them here.
Saturday, May 31
The official dedication of the Quadricentennial Guernsey Falcon cannon will take place, starting at 10 a.m. on the Town Hall Green, 26 Court Street, and proceeding to Burial Hill for the unveiling ceremonies. For more information on the official dedication, contact town communications coordinator Casey Kennedy at ckennedy@plymouth-ma.gov.
Reiki Master Brittany O’Leary will provide stress relief from 10:15 to 11: 15 a.m. in the Dr. Richard M. Shiff Garden at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. He’ll lead participants through a gentle and restorative group session. There will be chairs available, so yoga mats are not required, but comfortable clothing is recommended. This event is for those age 15 and older. Registration is required, and you can do so here.
To complete “Grace Trail Month,” join Anne Jolles for a guided Grace Trail walk from 7 to 8 p.m. Meet at 6:45 at the beginning of Grace Trail at the Nelson Park parking lot, 235 Water St. and walk and talk together, ending up at an inspirational point overlooking the harbor. This event is free and you can just show up, weather permitting. Contact Jolles at anne@gracetrail.com for more information.
Mass Audubon, the Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens Alliance, and Plymouth Public Library are hosting a photo contest for the pine barrens ecoregion, the unique and globally rare forest ecosystem of Southeastern Massachusetts. The deadline for photo submissions is 11:59 p.m. Anyone may submit any photos of pine barrens wildlife, landscapes, or conservation activities in the ecoregion. The ecoregion itself encompasses the southern borders of Kingston and Duxbury, stretching south and east to include Plymouth, Wareham, Bourne, Rochester, Mattapoisett, Marion, and all of Cape Cod and the Islands. Find more information, the rules, and a link to submit your photos here.
Monday, June 2
Adults are invited to see and learn about museum-grade mineral specimens at a presentation in the Fehlow Meeting Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 6 to 7 p.m. The specimens on view will include petrified wood, meteorites, amethyst, ore minerals, and a large variety of gemstones including emerald, rare quartz specimens, and turquoise. Registration is encouraged for this event, and you can do so here.
Thursday, June 5
The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra will present “An Evening with Executive Director Kara McEachern,” at 7 p.m. at the Spire. McEachern will sing, accompanied by pianist Eric Brown. The program will showcase songs that have shaped McEachern’s artistry and personal story. “It’s a chance to share a part of myself while raising vital funds for an organization I deeply believe in,” she said in a press release. The fundraiser will benefit the orchestra’s mission to inspire, engage, and enrich the community through live orchestral music, education, and outreach. Tickets are $100 and include the performance and a post-concert reception with the artist. Buy tickets or make a donation here, or call 508-746-8008.
Friday, June 6
Total Strangers with the Fey Family will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. The show will be a trip through the musical history of the local musical family, featuring original songs by Tom Fey (T-bird) and his children. Tickets are $29.20 and $32, and you can buy them here.
Saturday, June 7
Join Dr. Patrick Browne, executive director of the Plymouth Antiquarian Society, for a free Burial Hill tour titled “Patriots & Loyalists: Plymouth’s Political Rivals,” from 1 to 2 p.m. The group will meet at the top of the hill for this one-hour tour. Wear appropriate shoes, as there might be some steep and grassy slopes. No registration is required, but the tour could be canceled in case of bad weather. Check the society’s Facebook page if you’re in doubt.
The Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Bark in the Park Festival” will have a new home at Stephens Field, 126 Sandwich St., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature more than 40 pet-friendly vendors, activities for people and pets, and adoptable dogs, there will also be live music by local musicians. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., licensing will be available for owners who bring their pets’ rabies vaccination paperwork. (All dogs in attendance must be vaccinated and friendly.) Pastor Paul Jehle will conduct a blessing of the animals from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. At 12:30 p.m., check out the Plymouth County Sheriff Department’s K-9 demonstration. Just Around the Corner Pet Sitting will announce the America’s Hometown Hound winner at 12:45 p.m. Area 4H demonstrations will take place at 1:15 p.m. And don’t miss the Doggy Costume Contest starting at 2:30 p.m. Find out more here.
The second annual Plymouth Pickle & Fermentation Festival will happen at 127 Camelot Drive, from 12 noon to 5 p.m. See the lead item in this column for more information.