Third ‘GOAT Days’ festival coming to town
NEW MILFORD — A dozen baby goats — or “kids” in zoological terms — will be a main attraction of the town's third New Milford GOAT Days festival, which is set for Saturday and Sunday, May 21 and 22, at Young's Field.
GOAT Days, which is a free event, aims to celebrate New Milford life and focuses on the farms, businesses and nonprofit organizations that call the town home. Besides being a reference to goats, the name ‘GOAT' is an acronym for “Greatest of All Towns.”
“We love showcasing New Milford businesses, creating a fun family event and highlighting a local nonprofit,” GOAT Days Coordinator Michelle Agee said. “My favorite part is for people to find businesses right in their own town that they haven't heard of and, of course, to watch children enjoy all the animals. We've been able to really take past years and grow from them. This year, we have almost all (the prior) businesses returning, as well as a few new ones.”
This is the third year of the townwide event, with each one reflecting an uptick in attendance, registration for sponsorships and booth reservations for both vendors and nonprofits.
GOAT Days is expected to top last year's attendance of 5,000, Agee said.
Among the event's highlights, New Milford-based Quiet Rein Farm will offer pony rides. A “Touch a Snake” booth will give kids an opportunity to get up close to those reptiles in a supervised, controlled setting. Still another booth will focus on wildlife rescue.
Additionally, musicians from Ridgefield's School of Rock will perform throughout.
The New Milford police will land a helicopter during the event and New Milford's Water Witch Hose Company #2 will conduct demonstrations using drones, ropes and ladders. Additionally, the Bridgewater Fire Department will have its first booth at GOAT Days.
“They've had a rough two years with the absence of the annual Bridgewater Fair,” said Lisa Agee, Michelle Agee's mother-inlaw, who helped found local company Goatboy Soaps. She encourages GOAT Days attendees to help raise funds by purchasing Bridgewater Fire Department raffle tickets.
For food, Averill Farm will again dish up its apple cider doughnuts. Another food stop will be the Odd Fellows Lodge.
The beginnings
GOAT Days began as an informal event at the home of Goatboy Soaps founders Rick and Lisa Agee. When more than 1,000 people showed up, the family knew they'd need to move somewhere larger and more public.
The Goatboy enterprise itself began from the severe allergies that the Agees' son Bobby suffered as a child. To cope, this New Milford family began raising goats for their milk — which later led them to start making soap.
This year, there will be 12 baby goats in the pen at the
event.
Jen Clark, owner of bulk food store BD Provisions, was eager to sign up for a booth at GOAT Days for the second time this year.
“GOAT Days is a great opportunity for people to come and get a taste of what New Milford has to offer,” noted Clark, who will raffle several gift baskets.
Though entrance to the festival is free, through booth fees and donation boxes, it raises money each year for a featured charity. This year's charity will be the Village Center for the Arts in New Milford, a nonprofit that offers educational fine art programs and events.
In 2021, GOAT Days raised several thousand dollars for New Milford Children's Center.
For more information about the festival, send an email to Michelle Agee at Michelle@goatboy.us or call Lisa Agee at 860-350-0676.