As our country plans for the U.S. Semiquincentennial (250th) in 2026 and Vermont prepares to commemorate Windsor, birthplace of Vermont, 1777 and other local towns – the small town of Jamaica, founded in 1780, gets a jumpstart on the celebrations. Jamaica Historical Foundation was selected to represent one of eight communities around the state and received a $1,000 grant from the Vermont Historical Foundation and Vermont Covered*.
Join the festivities at Jamaica Day on Saturday, August 17 from 10am to 4pm as we celebrate our past, present, and future of Jamaica, VT. The Jamaica Historical Foundation hosts two music stages featuring the American Legion Band, Hungry Town, Turkey Buzzards, Ken & Julie Olsson, and speakers to include Howard Coffin, a self-guided walking tour of our village with costumed historic characters mingling, panning for gold and children's games, a quilt show, arts & crafts vendors, spinning and weaving demonstrations, food provided by West River Provisions, Northern Sun Mercantile, and Jamarbeque, a treasure hunt, non-profits including West River Valley Thrives, Boy Scouts, Jamaica Area Mountain Biking Association (JAMBA,) Corp of Engineers, and an Energy Fair including a wind turbine company, a solar provider, Efficiency Vermont, and Green Mountain Power.
All of this is only the first year of celebrations as Jamaica proudly ramps up with more special events leading to our Semiquincentennial in 2030 – the founding of our Town in 1780.
The Jamaica History Museum will be open during Jamaica Day – located in the old Bank Building, where you'll find a special surprise in the vault. The Jamaica Historical Foundation is charged with preserving documents, photographs, memorabilia and information relating to persons, places and events within the town of Jamaica, Vermont and to make this information available to the public through exhibits, events and interpretation of this collection for education, research and the enjoyment of the community. Explore JHF's website: http://jamaicahf.info/ Museums hours are Tuesdays, 1-3pm and Saturdays, 10am-1pm from May to October.