HADLEY — Asparagus and polka music, which have helped define Hadley culture in recent generations, are coming together during New England Public Media’s Asparagus Festival on Saturday, June 7, being held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the historic Town Common on West Street.

With Hadley once dubbed the asparagus capital of the world and polka a mainstay following the arrival of Polish immigrants in the late 19th century, the festival’s Fabulous 413 Stage will have the Eddie Forman Orchestra start the day’s featured music, with a 90-minute set beginning at 11 a.m.

Vanessa Cerillo, who oversees marketing and events for NEPM, said this is the first time polka is being featured on the stage, with other performers throughout the day, to entertain thousands of visitors, including Haitian musician Paul Beaubrun and local bands Splendid Torch, LeFever and The Greys.

“We're thrilled to bring this iconic western Mass festival back again this year,” Cerillo said

The festival continues to have free admission, with a suggested donation of $5 per person and $20 per family, that goes to support programs and services of NEPM. Those who register early at nepm.org/asparagus can skip the lines, and also will be entered to win tickets to the Green River Festival June 20 to 22.

Spread throughout the grounds of the festival will be food trucks serving conventional fair favorites, as well items unique to the event, such as asparagus fries and asparagus flavored ice cream. 

More than 100 vendors will be part of a farmers and makers market, including many of Hadley's family farms with asparagus, as well as strawberries and other seasonal produce. The Provisions Beers & Wine Tent will feature local craft breweries, including Amherst Brewing Company, Bright Ideas and others.

For youth, the PBS Kids Zone will have dressed-up characters like Curious George and Nature Cat greeting children, family games like Asparagus Valley Pick, and arts and crafts put on by Wild Garden of Childhood Nursery. There will be giveaways and a scavenger hunt.

The annual Wally Hibbard Memorial Asparagus Bunching Contest begins at 12:30 p.m., with Wally Czajkowski of Plainville Farm leading that and giving people an opportunity to see how quickly and accurately they can bunch a pound of asparagus. The contest is named after famed grower of Hadley Queen asparagus, Wallace Hibbard.

At 2:20 p.m., U.S. Rep. Jim  McGovern and state Sen. Jo Comerford will talk with NEPM hosts Monte Belmonte and Kaliis Smith live on stage.

While many of the traditions return to the festival, one of the new events this year is a post-festival comedy show with touring stand-up comedians from across the country, including Tony Sykowski, a Brooklyn comic and Hadley native. That takes place at the American Legion, 162 Russell St., starting at 8 p.m.

Sykowski said he is producing the shows as a way to celebrate the legacy of asparagus in Hadley and to help out NEPM during a time when federal government funding is in jeopardy.

“This feels like a good way to give back to local public media and to support the local organization,” Sykowski said, adding that the comics are “insanely talented.”  “This show's an opportunity to help raise money for a great organization by pairing two of my favorite things: Hadley asparagus and laughter.” 

In addition to Sykowski, other stand-ups slated to perform include local comic Alex Paquin, Catilin Reese from the HBO Women in Comedy Festival and Rob Christense, who has written for “The Problem with Jon Stewart.”

Sykowski said the comedy will be appropriate for anyone 16 and over, calling it PG-13 rated. The venue is capped at 140 seats

Tickets are $20 if bought online before the festival, or $25 at the door. A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to NEPM.

Parking for the festival is on the Town Common, though people can also arrive via PVTA buses or by walking or biking the Norwottuck Rail Trail.

The asparagus festival requires significant preparation, including getting buy-in from the Select Board, which authorizes use of the common, and the one-day liquor license.

While cleanup is done after the event, this year officials are requiring both a pre-mowing and post-mowing of the common that would remove any debris left behind so no damage is caused to town equipment.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.