THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Make a 20-inch holiday wreath with expert instruction at Canterbury Shaker Village, then browse felted ornaments, letterpress printing, and a pie talk in the Hubbard Gallery. This intimate, two-hour workshop is a hands-on way to start the season while supporting a historic site.
Make a 20-inch holiday wreath with expert instruction at Canterbury Shaker Village, then browse felted ornaments, letterpress printing, and a pie talk in the Hubbard Gallery. This intimate, two-hour workshop is a hands-on way to start the season while supporting a historic site.
Book with Canterbury Shaker Village
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Operated by Canterbury Shaker Village · Canterbury, New Hampshire
On a crisp late-November morning at Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury, New Hampshire, the long barn lofts and white clapboard buildings come alive with the sound of scissors, burlap, and conversation. The Wreath Workshop is the anchor event of a half-day holiday market and craft fair that blends hands-on making with quiet museum storytelling. From 10:00–12:00pm on November 21, instructor Nikia Young-Adams leads participants through designing a 20-inch wreath; nearby, Schrock Farms runs felted ornament sessions, FLDWTR Press offers letterpress printing, and a lively pie talk traces New England baking customs in the Hubbard Gallery.
The experience is equal parts practical class and social ritual. You arrive to long tables covered with greenery and tools, but the village setting—the expanse of historic grounds, simple Shaker forms, and cold, clear light—lends the workshop a focused, low-key energy. All materials for the wreath are supplied; students leave with a finished 20-inch wreath and fresh techniques for wiring, layering, and securing natural elements so the design lasts through winter. Kids’ crafts, pie pickup, and an open Village Shop add options for families and holiday shoppers.
What makes this day notable is how the event plugs directly into place. Canterbury Shaker Village is a preserved Shaker community and living museum whose architecture and craft legacy frame every activity; you aren’t just learning a skill, you are stepping into regional artisanship and seasonal tradition. The Hubbard Gallery and the curator-led pie talk underscore local foodways and printing arts, while a limited group size (about 12 for the workshop) keeps instruction personal and hands-on.
Practical details matter: reserve your wreath spot in advance—space is limited—and plan for a two-hour workshop window plus time to browse the gallery and shop. The site is rural, so expect a short drive from surrounding towns and bring a sturdy coat for outdoor browsing between indoor sessions. Photography-friendly interiors and well-composed workshop tables make this a good shoot for close-ups of hands at work, wreath textures, and letterpress impressions.
Why go? If you want a low-stress way to make a meaningful holiday craft, connect with New England material culture, and support a historic site, this is an efficient, sensory-rich outing. Between the tactile joy of felting, the aroma of pies, and the steady, careful pace of a Shaker workshop room, the Wreath Workshop is a compact, authentic way to start the season in Canterbury. Bring cash or card for the Village Shop’s sale—many handcrafted ornaments and local prints are ideal gifts, and purchases support the museum’s conservation and education programs. Parking is ample on site; the event’s compact schedule makes it an easy morning trip from Concord, letting you pair the workshop with a scenic drive through New Hampshire’s farm country.
No — all materials for the 20-inch wreath are provided by the instructor as part of the workshop.
There are kids’ crafts and activities running concurrently, but the wreath workshop is designed for adult participation; check age guidance when booking.
Reserve in advance through the event’s booking system; space is limited and workshops fill quickly for holiday events.
Yes — Canterbury Shaker Village provides on-site parking; plan to arrive a few minutes early to check in.
Cancellation and refund details are provided at booking; if not listed, contact the site directly to confirm policies for holiday events.
Some historic buildings have limited accessibility; contact Canterbury Shaker Village ahead of time to discuss accommodations and accessible routes.
Canterbury Shaker Village is a historic Shaker community and living history museum located in Canterbury, New Hampshire. The Village offers guided tours, special exhibitions, community readings, concerts, hands-on workshops, and seasonal events that interpret Shaker life, craft, and communal practices. Educational programs highlight primary sources and personal narratives, including special tours inspired by Nicolas Briggs’s memoir Forty Years a Shaker and guided walks led by the Village’s education staff such as Director of Education Kyle Sandler. Visitors can attend readings in the 1792 Meeting House, music on the green, antique and vintage car shows set among fall foliage, and exhibition openings that honor the Shakers’ legacy. Workshops and demonstrations teach traditional Shaker skills; examples include a cherry oval box workshop led by instructor Dick Bennett and farm-to-table dinners paired with historic tours at community gatherings like Simply Shaker. Members and preview events bring curators and historians together to contextualize artifacts, as seen in the Keeping Faith exhibition talks with curators Renée Fox, Kyle Sandler, and Shirley Wajda. Canterbury Shaker Village maintains credibility through documented artifacts, named curators and educators, and a range of public programs that connect visitors directly to Shaker material culture. The Village’s calendar of events and combination of tours, exhibitions, and hands-on learning provide reliable opportunities for visitors to explore early American religious life and Shaker craftsmanship. Public programs often include live music, community readings, vintage car exhibitions, curator talks, and light refreshments during exhibition openings to deepen visitor engagement with Shaker history and authentic material culture.
Book with Canterbury Shaker Village