Wendell FreeLibrary to hostpresentation on wealthy Erving merchant

WENDELL – The Wendell Historical Society and the Wendell Free Library plan to present Erving researcher, lecturer, author and historian Sara Campbell, who on Thursday, Aug. 24 will discuss the life of Major William Erving.

Erving, who lived from 1734 to 1791, was the son of a wealthy merchant who in 1752 purchased land on both sides of the Millers River from the colonial government. William Erving donated land that would eventually become Wendell because he worried “the people [of Wendell] might relapse into a state of barbarism” without support for learning.

This event is open to the public and will take place in the Wendell Free Library’s Herrick Room starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Visual artisthosting four-session roundtable

Local visual artist Ami Fagin has scheduled a four-session roundtable aimed at enriching people’s understanding of the wonders and mysteries of the art world.

The first three discussions will be at the New Salem Public Library while the final one is held at The Fruitlands Museum in Harvard on Oct. 21.

“Building Your Viewing Skills and Art Vocabulary” is set for Sept. 23, with “Exploring Art in Time and Place” slated for Sept. 30 and “Introduction to Art Movements, Collections and Artists from New England scheduled for Oct. 14. These three discussions are to run from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., with refreshments served and class sizes limited to 15. The Oct. 21 event is a docent tour of the Fruitlands Museum, 210 acres of art and material culture and walking trails on the site of a short-lived 1843 Transcendentalist experiment in subsistence farming and Emersonian self-reliance. Attendees will get to Harvard via carpool.

People are invited to attend one or all of the gatherings. All sessions are free or charge and recommended for those 16 and older.

To register, contact Fagin at 978-799-5332 or amifagin@gmail.com.

Greenfield Republican Town Committee looking for Orangeresidents to work county fair

GREENFIELD – The Greenfield Republican Town Committee is asking Orange Republican Town Committee members to work a booth at the Franklin County Fair, which is scheduled for Sept. 7 to Sept. 11.

A short meeting to discuss this opportunity and to determine times volunteers are available is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Dunkin’ Donuts in the Hannaford Plaza in Athol on Aug. 26.

Drag queen Miss Boxxa Vine toemcee Revival Wheeler Mansion’s 120th birthdaycelebration

ORANGE – Drag performer Miss Boxxa Vine is set to emcee the 120th birthday celebration set for the Revival Wheeler Mansion on Sept. 2.

According to the mansion’s Facebook page, Miss Boxxa Vine is a Greenfield-based drag queen and self-taught costume designer who has worked on costume pieces that have appeared locally, across the country, and on shows such as “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” and “The View.”

The Revival Wheeler Mansion turns 120 years old this year and owner Cynthia Butler has planned an outdoor party on Sept. 2 to celebrate the life of the North Quabbin region’s only Gilded Age mansion. This event will also benefit The Revival Society, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving and maintain the historic residence at 75 East Main St. through repairs, upgrades and facility improvements.

The 120th birthday celebration will be held from 7 to 11 p.m., with a theme of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” Tickets are available at bit.ly/3DDMZFv. Guests are encouraged to wear flapper dresses with bling and fringe, beaded shawls, fedoras, zoot suits  and other attire from the Roaring ’20s.