Madeline Warshauer, 19, will be making the morning pastries for the West Newbury Festival on Saturday, Aug. 12, in West Newbury, Vt. Warshauer and her family spend part of each summer in the region. (Courtesy photograph)
Madeline Warshauer, 19, will be making the morning pastries for the West Newbury Festival on Saturday, Aug. 12, in West Newbury, Vt. Warshauer and her family spend part of each summer in the region. (Courtesy photograph) Credit: —Courtesy photograph

West Newbury, Vt. — Madeline Warshauer has been spending part of her summer at her family’s camp in Wells River since she was a child. These visits included attending the West Newbury Festival.

This year, the 19-year-old Warshauer will be playing a larger role in the celebrations by baking the morning pastries.

Warshauer, a student at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., will be baking muffins — blueberry, chocolate chip and lemon poppy seed — along with scones — walnut cinnamon sugar, blueberry orange with orange glaze and raspberry almond.

“To be asked to bake for their event was very exciting,” Warshauer said. In past years, she has contributed cupcakes to the festival’s annual A Taste of Desserts fundraiser.

“Besides baking for it, I always think the exhibits they have in the churches are really cool,” Warshauer said.

“Every year it’s something different.”

But Warshauer’s muffins and scones are far from the only thing to look forward to at the festival, which has been taking place for more than 30 years. Saturday’s event, which runs from 8 a.m.-2 p.m, includes a silent auction, white elephant sale, live music and an exhibit of place settings that range from whimsical to beautiful.

Plus there’s the annual parade, and this year’s theme of “Let it Grow” has begotten some eclectic float entries.

“It’s kind of a racy little parade and it’s celebrating everything that grows in West Newbury,” said Marylou Henderson, of the West Newbury Hall Committee. “Storm clouds, ticks, children. … I think somebody’s going to march in the parade with a long beard. They’re getting very creative.”

Admission to the festival is free. Proceeds from food sales and other activities will benefit the West Newbury Hall. West Newbury, described as a hamlet, has 188 residents.

“We just had the hall painted using last year’s funds and donations,” Henderson said.

For those unfamiliar with West Newbury, Henderson provided this lovely description of the view from West Newbury Hall, where the White Mountains and a herd of grazing highland cows graze can be seen: “Very rural Vermont, Very small-town Americana,” she said. “It’s kind of like going back in time.”

So take the drive up Interstate 91 and visit the village. View the church exhibits, grab one of Warshauer’s pastries and help support an organization that works to preserve the community hall, which has been a pillar of the hamlet of West Newbury for more than a century.

Editor’s note: The best GPS address to use is 219 Tyler Farm Road. Visit https://www.facebook.com/West-Newbury-Hall-1693957790831919/ for more information, or call 802-222-7480. Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.

 

Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.