ATHENS — The Athens Brick Meetinghouse Committee, in conjunction with the Athens Historic Preservation Society, will host a series of events at the 1817 Brick Meetinghouse.
The first event is a spring open house on Saturday, May 25, featuring the second annual Plant & Bake Sale with help from the newly formed Athens Garden Club. This event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the Meetinghouse will be open for tours.
Next is a Quilt Show & Craft Fair on Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Organizers aim to fill the pews of the historic Meetinghouse with many beautiful quilts. Guests will get to vote to select the Visitors' Choice quilt.
In addition to the quilt show inside the Meetinghouse, a variety of artists and craft vendors will be selling their wares on the Meetinghouse Common.
There will be two Saturday evening concerts in the building, one on Saturday, July 13, featuring Sunny Lowdown, and the second on Saturday, Aug. 10, featuring the 2Bit 2Man Froggy Went A Courtin' Orchestra. Both concerts start at 6:30 p.m. Details regarding musicians, the availability of food for purchase, and picnicking on the lawn prior to the concerts will be forthcoming.
And on Saturday, Sept. 21, the Meetinghouse Common will host the third annual Harvest Fest BBQ with a raffle and activities for kids of all ages starting at 2 p.m.
The famous BBQ will be served at 3 p.m., with dessert to follow. Winners for the many raffle prizes will be drawn during dessert.
The Athens Brick Meetinghouse is historically significant to the Windham County region, and particularly the 12 surrounding towns, which composed the “Old Athens Circuit” - Grafton, Rockingham, Townshend, Londonderry, Weston, Chester, Acton, Springfield, Landgrove, Windham, Putney, and Mount Holly.
Circuit preachers from Athens traveled out to these towns to perform religious services. Quarterly camp meetings with the Methodist congregants from these towns often lasted two days at the Athens Meetinghouse, also known as the “Mother Church.”
This national historic landmark will be open for tours during these events, and all proceeds go toward preserving it.
For more information, contact Sherry Maher at 802-869-2141 or athensmeetinghouse1817@gmail.com, or follow Athens Meetinghouse on Facebook.