West Stockbridge — There are summer fêtes and celebrations, and then there is the West Stockbridge Zucchini Festival, a commemoration of the seasonal vegetable like no other.
With its duck race, zucchini toss, pet parade, and veggie weigh-in, the joyful annual event brings out the whole town and more.
Zucchini Festival Chair Marge Powell, who also heads up the celebration’s sponsor, the West Stockbridge Cultural Council, was relieved to see the sun shining and perfect weather on August 9, ahead of the fundraising program that brought in 30 vendors this year. The festival began in 2003, but after a nine-year pause, it regained steam last year.
The festival committee depends on sponsors, including local businesses that provide gift certificates for the popular plastic duck races—Zuck River Races—on the Williams River.
Video by Joe Roy Jr. for The Berkshire Edge.
Any funds from the merchandise sold and street games are put back into the Zucchini Festival budget for the following year’s event.
Calling the program “a labor of love,” Powell said the festival involves multiple crews and over 100 volunteers, with many beginning the organization process at the start of the year. She admitted, even with all that work, the day is not a moneymaker. “It’s a community event, and the whole community gets involved in participating,” she said. “It’s all to put this on for the community. It’s a great event, and it’s a great event for families.”
With hundreds of zucchinis in use, Powell said the group composts unusable vegetables while donating the remaining zukes to area food kitchens. “They don’t go to waste,” she said of the vegetables.
Becket’s Mike Hansen crossed his fingers as volunteer Jon Piasecki put his 10-pound homegrown zucchini on the antique scale, hoping to take home one of the top prizes at the Zucchini Weigh-Off Contest. Hansen was spurred on by the 2024 competition, where he said he didn’t see any big zucchinis entered. “I figured that some of the ones that got away in my garden last year would have done just as well,” Hansen said. “So, this year, I just started it early, made sure there’s just one zucchini on that plant [and] watered it, watered it, watered it, watered it, and talked to it occasionally [and] pampered it in the garden. It was surrounded by other friendly zucchinis.”
Although Richmond’s Katie Kilmer baked 14 loaves of zucchini bread for the festival, she is known for her deviled eggs, which were also sold at the event. “They’re at every church bake sale,” she said.
The West Stockbridge Congregational Church booth not only put a smile on the faces of hungry attendees with their zucchini goodies but also brought in funds for the institution’s maintenance, upkeep, mission trips, and outreach programs. And, for chocoholics, the group put aside a few non-zucchini sweets to satisfy individuals who may have gotten their fill of the green stuff.
Mabel McCormick walked the festival, proudly donning a new hat from the Rockin’ Robyn’s Gifts booth. Despite the new purchase, the youngster said she was most excited about “seeing friends” at the festival.
Taking center stage during the pet parade was local hero Rika, a West Stockbridge Fire Department service dog whose name is short for “paprika.” Firefighter Deb Goodwin led the pooch who was not dressed in a costume but in personal protective equipment (PPE). Rika is part of a national organization of first responder therapy dogs that provide mental health support to firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians, dispatchers, and corrections officers. She is also a nationally certified crisis-response dog, enabling her to be active in the wake of disasters. Rika is deployed only when requested and otherwise hangs out at the local fire station, training alongside the firefighters when such an activity is appropriate. “[Rika] goes into unusual situations that sometimes require [PPE],” Goodwin said.
As for the lighter mood at the day’s celebration, Goodwin admitted the four-legged worker “loves the Zucchini Festival.” “[Rika] sees so many of her friends here,” she said.
Hannis Brown from East Chatham, N.Y., strode easily through the pet parade with his cat McGregor on his shoulder wearing a zucchini hat, a feat he credits to his wife Marissa Rosenblum. “He normally likes to ride on our shoulders, and we take him for walks,” Brown said. With McGregor spurred on by the attention he received, the day was a win-win-win. “McGregor absolutely loves people, and he loves West Stockbridge, and he loves zucchinis,” Rosenblum said.
Wearing a cowboy costume, bearded dragon Cuevo went to the winner’s circle in the pet parade, escorted by his owner, West Stockbridge’s Ash Hallock. “He actually won ‘best dragon costume,’” Hallock admitted.
Zach Rissman and Jenna Outwater laughed as they took photos in the zucchini cutout kiosk. They ventured from Monterey and Stockbridge “to celebrate zucchinis,” Rissman said. “It’s August, it’s zucchini season,” he said of the “beautiful season of bounty.” For Rissman, a newcomer to the festival, the event “surpassed his expectations.”
“I’ve never seen so many different opportunities to celebrate zucchinis,” he said.
