Happy Christmas and see you in the New Year!

We wish everyone a very Happy Christmas! Thank you for another fun filled successful year. We look forward to seeing everyone in March for our Maple Syrup Festival starting on Sunday, March 5, 2017.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas - One More Night!

Saturday, December 17 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. is the last opportunity to visit Westfield this year and it's beginning to look like Christmas in the Village.

Walking the country lane to the D'Aubigny Inn at Westfield.

 

The fireworks at 6:30 p.m. (weather permitting) have been spectacular and will look even more impressive against the snow blanket covering the Village. Carol singing is taking place in the Church from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Father Christmas will also be out to volunteer one more evening before his travel plans take him to places far far away. We hope to see you soon. 

Christmas In The Country

Visitors have another opportunity to celebrate the festive season at Westfield this coming weekend. Westfield will be open on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. as well as Sunday, Dec. 11 from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. Sunday is an extra special day. Admission is free. Visitors are encouraged to participate in our food drive and bring a non-perishable food item to go to the local food bank.

One of a kind ornaments for sale. Visit Eddie D. Cat Confectionery at the General Store.

Don't forget the fantastic fireworks show will take place Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Come early and enjoy a light refreshment in the Ironwood Hall and then take a stroll out to the Village to see the bright lights in the sky

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

Christmas has arrived at Westfield. We will be open on Saturdays, December 3, 10, and 17 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door for this unique Christmas experience. There will be fireworks each evening at 6:30 p.m. (weather permitting) and a carol sing in the church following the fireworks. The buildings are decorated and the costumed interpreters are eager to celebrate the season with visitors.

This year Westfield also welcomes The Farm House Kitchen catering company to the Ironwood Hall. Reasonable priced treats will be for sale including homemade cinnamon buns, Christmas cookies, festive holiday squares, hot chocolate and hot apple cider. There will also be a more hearty fare such as homemade soup, pasta, and sliders.

If you are looking for some last minute Christmas presents check out the one-of -kind gift shop operated by the Friends of Westfield. This fundraiser helps to support many of the capital projects completed around the site. Eddie D. Cat Confectionery is also open with yummy candy treats and unique Christmas ornaments for sale.

 

 Admission for an adult is $11.00, senior 65+ is $10.00, student (13-17 yrs) is $10.00, a child (6-12 yrs) is $6.50 and a child 5 and under is free. There is no charge for parking. We also accept the Nature's Reward Pass for this program. Tickets can also be purchased online at our website- just remember to print the ticket to hand in at the admissions kiosk when you arrive.

Westfield is located at 1049 Kirkwall Road, Rockton, ON, L0R 1X0.



Halloween Is Coming!

Join us for our Witch and Warlock Party on Friday, October 28 and

Saturday, October 29, 2016 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Come join this fun loving Witch and Warlock at the Westfield Party!

This is a family friendly event with something for all ages. There will be a craft in the school house, a shadow play at the D'Aubigny Inn, story telling at the Bamberger House, a camp fire in early Settlement Area and potions for sale in the Eddie D. Cat Confectionery Store. New this year is the illuminated forest and for those more hearty souls risk the walk to the Sugar Shack. The Ironwood Hall will be open for food services provided by the Ancaster Lions.

Admission tickets are available at the door. An adult admission is $11.00, a senior (65+) is $10.00, a child (6-12 years) is $6.50 and a child 5 and under is free. We also accept the Nature's Reward pass which allows up to 6 people (including 4 adults) in for free. See you soon!

A Taste of Warm Bread

In 1852 a book called Roughing It In the Bush was published. The author, Susanna Moodie, accounts her first seven years in Canada starting in 1832. She includes a story about her "first Canadian loaf." She writes:

It not only required experience to know when it (the dough) was in a fit state for baking, but the oven should have been brought to a proper temperature to receive the bread. Ignorant of all this, I put my unrisen loaf into a cold kettle, and heaped a large quantity of hot ashes above and below it. The first intimation I had of the result of my experiment was the disagreeable odour of burning bread filling the house.

Susanna Moodie would have benefitted greatly if she had lived near some of Westfield's volunteers to give her proper instruction on baking bread. On Sunday, October 2 from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. visitors can learn the way to bake a loaf of bread in a bake oven, a kettle or wood burning stove. Come taste and smell a little history. Admission for an adult is $9.50, a child 6-12 years is $5.50 and a child 5 and under is free. Visitors can also use their Nature's Reward Pass.

Telling Tales 2016

Westfield hosts the 8th Annual Telling Tales Festival on Sunday, September 18, 2016 from 10:00 to 4:00 p.m. This yearly event is Westfield's busiest day with over 25 of Canada's leading children's writers, illustrators, musician and storytellers all set against the backdrop of the historical village. Presenters this year will include Barbara Reid, Ruth Ohi, Kenneth Oppel, Jeremy Tankard and Kevin Sylvester. There will be opportunities to purchase, donate and swap books. Bring your favourite Barbara Reid book and have it autographed or enjoy a performance by Turkey Rhubarb. The historic buildings will also be open for visitors to tour.

 

This is a free event to everyone. Make sure to park at the Rockton fairgrounds and take the free shuttle service to Westfield. There is no public parking available at Westfield. If you don't want to lug your picnic lunch with you food services are provided by Puslinch Optimist, Strabane Optimist, Living Rock Harvest Truck, Jeff's Street Eats, Hippi Pops and the Ironwood Café.

To check out all the details visit www.tellingtales.org. Join www.facebook.com/tellingtalesfestival  Follow www.twitter.com/tellingtalesffs

Textiles Day

Westfield Heritage Village is open each Sunday from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. until the end of October and on Sunday, August 21 Westfield hosts a Textiles Day. This is a special day featuring the production and use of historic textiles. Learn about wool dyeing, carding and spinning, weaving, flax processing, lace making, embroidery, quilting, tailoring, dressmaking and more! This day will also feature a special fashion show at 2:00 p.m. There will be treats for sale in the General Store including old fashioned sodas and homemade cookies. Come spend a leisurely afternoon in the Village. Regular admission rates apply or use your Nature's Reward Pass from the Hamilton Conservation Authority.

 

 

 

Annual Ice Cream Carnival

Westfield Ice Cream Carnival:

We All Scream for Ice Cream!

Some of Westfield's volunteers enjoying Ice Cream Carnival!

The annual Ice Cream Carnival at Westfield Heritage Village takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday July 31 and Monday August 1 and promises to be the coolest event on your family’s summer calendar!  Come and enjoy some yummy old-fashioned ice-cream in both modern and traditional flavours – samples are free! – and take in the atmosphere of an Edwardian summer Carnival. 

“Ice cream is one of the world’s oldest sweet foods in the world and fits in so well with the history we celebrate at the village, “says Rondalyn Brown, manager at Westfield. “We have six different hand-churns where we will be making fresh ice cream based on period recipes. If you’ve never tasted ice cream made with fresh cream and local fresh fruit you are in for a treat!”

The Edwardian Carnival, set up on the beautiful Village Green, will feature old fashioned midway games set up under brightly decorated canvas tents.   Test your skill knocking down some milk bottles, visit the fortune teller, take your picture on a paper moon or jockey your horse to the finish line.   No tickets are required, and games are unlimited!  A special feature at this year’s event will be the amazing 1915 Sawyer-Massey Steam Traction Engine that will take guests on free rides throughout the day.  Many of Westfield’s historic buildings will be open where knowledgeable and friendly costumed interpreters provide atmosphere and insights into early life in Canada. 

If the delicious ice cream samples having you craving something more, Westfield will have lots of other fun, reasonably-priced food and drink available on both days.  At the Ironwood Hall, Westfield volunteers will be serving up traditional and delicious homemade pie and ice cream.  The Crazy Cravings Ice Cream truck will offer a wide array of ice cream cone flavours in the picnic area.  Traditional carnival foods will be for sale at the General Store, including Saratoga chips, Pickle-on-a-Stick, cool lemonade, bottled soda, baked goods and old-fashioned candy.  The Copetown Lions food truck will also be serving their tasty food throughout the day.  And of course, at Westfield, visitors are always welcome to bring their own picnic to enjoy in the picnic area, or you can stretch out under a shady tree.

The Ice Cream Carnival will be held at Westfield Heritage Village on Sunday, July 31st and Monday August 1st from 10:00 am. to 4:00 p.m.  Steam traction engine rides and most other activities are ongoing throughout the day.  Tickets are available at the gate.  Adult admission is $11.00, seniors (65+) $10.00 and children 6-12 years $6.50.  Children 5 and under are free.   Parking is free.  Westfield is located at 1049 Kirkwall Road, Rockton.  For more information, visit westfieldheritage.ca or call (519) 621-8851.

Happy Canada Day!

Celebrate Canada's 149th Birthday at Westfield on Friday, July 1, 2016 from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. Come show off your Canada Day swag as you visit the historic buildings and gardens. Learn the fascinating stories of some of our country's earliest immigrants. Regular admission rates apply and can be purchased at the door. Cold drinks will be for sale at Eddie D. Cat Confectionery. Free Canada Day flags and pins while quantities last.

Preparing the window display at the General Store and Confectionary Shop for Canada Day.

Father's Day at Westfield

Bring a picnic for Father's Day!

Treat Dad to a day in the country. Bring your own picnic to enjoy in the beautiful, picturesque setting of Westfield. Purchase sweet treats and cold drinks from the General Store. Enjoy antique vehicles and machines presented by the Rockton Antique and Hobby Association. Westfield will be open from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 19, 2016. You can buy your admission ticket at the door. Adults are $9.50, seniors 65 and older are $8.50, children 6-12 years are $5.50 and children 5 and under are free. You can also use your Nature's Reward card. Come enjoy the leisurely pace at Westfield.

Friends of Westfield Plant Sale

Saturday, May 14, from 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon marks the return of the Friends of Westfield Annual Plant Sale. This is your opportunity to buy some hearty perennial plants to add to your garden at a very reasonable price. There will be some unique trees available as well.

Victorian Star Party

This event on Friday, May 13 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. is an exciting opportunity for people of all ages who are curious about the wonders of the night sky. Learn about the history of astronomy, look through a Victorian telescope and discover the world of modern astronomy. Activities include an Edwardian Star Party Social, a craft in the one room schoolhouse, period astronomy lectures and star gazing with modern and antique telescopes. Westfield is always a special place, but it's magical in the evening. Take a seat at the Victorian bandstand and gaze into the night sky to see the many stars above.  Only a select number of buildings will be open including the General Store where you can buy a refreshment or purchase a star party treat.

This event is presented in partnership with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Hamilton Centre and McMaster University's Let's Talk Science and Sidewalk Astronomy groups. Tickets are available at the door. Admission for an adult is $9.50, a senior 65+ is $8.50, a child 6-12 years is $5.50 and a child 5 and under is free. You may also use your Nature's Reward Card from the Hamilton Conservation Authority. This pass allows you to bring up to 6 people including 4 adults.

Maple Syrup and Pancakes

Buy your tickets at the door or buy them online. Westfield is ready for the Maple Syrup season to start. The St. George Lions Club is also ready to serve up some delicious pancakes!

 

Visitors always ask: "How much time should I set aside for my visit?" Plan to spend the day. With close to 30 historical buildings to visit, multiple maple syrup demonstrations, horse drawn wagon rides and an all day pancake breakfast visitors will want to have plenty of time to enjoy the sights, sounds and taste of the Maple Syrup season. Visitors will want to remember to bring some cash for this event. The St. George Lions Club only accepts cash for the breakfast. 

Maple Syrup Production in Full Swing at Westfield

Westfield has had a Maple Syrup Festival since 1994. Since that time over 150 000 visitors have learned about turning sap to syrup. This year the sap has started to run a bit early as can be seen from these pictures taken on February 25.

 

This year’s Festival will start Sunday March 6 and will operate each Sunday in March as well as on Wednesday, March 16, Thursday, March 17 and Good Friday, March 25 from 10:00 to 4:00 p.m.

A big part of the Festival is to eat pancakes with real Maple Syrup in the Ironwood Hall. The St. George Lions Club has served up thousands of pancakes over the last 10+ years and this year will be no different. A generous sized pancake only costs a $1.00. You can add sausage for a dollar, a slice of ham for a dollar, a drink for a dollar- well you get the picture. Pancakes are available from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and it’s okay if you only want to come for breakfast. The Ironwood is located outside the historic area. Some of our visitors take full advantage and come back week after week.

The admission charge to the Festival is $11.00 for an adult, a senior 65 and older is $10.00, a child 6-12 years is $6.50 and a child 5 and under is free. (While tickets are available online you can also buy them at the door.)  This charge allows you to visit the modern sugar shack, visit two historic maple syrup demonstration sites, visit about 30 historical buildings and have a horse drawn wagon ride. The parking is free. If you have a Nature's Reward Pass you can use that as well. It allows you to bring in up to 6 people including 4 adults for free. The pass is a great way to spend Sunday afternoons at Westfield throughout the season or to visit one of the Hamilton Conservation Authority's other popular sites. Throughout the Festival visitors will have the chance to find out about the Authority's many programs and purchase a pass that is valid for a full year from the date of purchase.

As visitors leave the site most stop at the Maple Syrup Gift Shop to purchase a maple treat. The shop is well stocked with a variety of Maple Syrup products including, syrup, sugar, fudge and tea. Below you will find a recipe from the Sweet Maple book by James M. Lawrence and Rux Martin. Something to try with the Maple Syrup purchase you make at Westfield.

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 3/4 cups maple syrup
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract (you might want to try Maple extract to add a stronger Maple flavour)
6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 x 13 inch baking sheets. In a large bowl, beat together butter, maple syrup, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in oats. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and slat. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes.

Hope to see you at the 2016 Westfield Maple Syrup Festival!

Westfield's New Sign.

Maple Syrup weather is already in the air and we are getting ready for a new season. This includes a beautiful new sign at Westfield's entrance. Visitors to the site will know they have arrived when they see this new sign from Kirkwall Road. Westfield will be open for Maple Syrup Festival on Sundays, March 6, 13, 20, and 27 from 10:00 to 4:00 p.m. We will also be open during March Break on Wednesday, March 16 and Thursday, March 17 as well as Good Friday, March 25, from 10:00 to 4:00 p.m. See you soon!

Westfield Is A Busy Place

Westfield will re-open to the public for our Maple Syrup Event taking place in March, but until then Westfield is still a hive of activity. This past Tuesday the television series Dark Matter used the site to film parts of their second season.
Westfield volunteers are also keeping busy with various behind the scene projects including painting, sewing and wood working projects.



Dark Matter filming a scene in the woods at Westfield.

 

Westfield Volunteers Hard At Work!

 

Visitors Enjoy Westfield in the Winter

Westfield's next special event will be in March when we present our Maple Syrup Festival. Until then visitors can enjoy the grounds during the week to walk and watch the birds feed.

Chickadee coming in for a landing!

One very eager bird trying to get to the bird food!