JAMAICA – All are invited to join the Jamaica Day festivities on Saturday, August 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as locals celebrate the past, present and future of this small Vermont community.

The Jamaica Historical Foundation received a $1,000 grant from the Vermont Historical Society and Jamaica Covered to partially fund local celebrations leading up to the city’s 500th anniversary in 2030 – the founding of Jamaica in 1780.

As the country plans for the U.S. 250th anniversary in 2026 and Vermont prepares to honor Windsor, the birthplace of Vermont in 1777, and other surrounding towns, the small town of Jamaica is getting a head start on the festivities. The Jamaica Historical Foundation was selected to represent one of eight communities in the state and received a $1,000 grant from the Vermont Historical Foundation and Vermont Covered.

The Jamaica Historical Foundation features two music stages with performances by the American Legion Band, Hungry Town, Turkey Buzzards, Ken & Julie Olsson and speakers such as Howard Coffin. In addition, there is a self-guided walking tour of the village with costumed historical figures, gold panning and children’s games, a quilt show, craft vendors, spinning and weaving demonstrations, food from West River Provisions, Northern Sun Mercantile and Jamarbeque, a treasure hunt, nonprofits such as West River Valley Thrives, Boy Scouts, Jamaica Area Mountain Biking Association (JAMBA), Corp of Engineers and an energy fair with a wind turbine company, a solar provider, Efficiency Vermont and Green Mountain Power.

And this is just the first year of celebrations, as Jamaica proudly prepares for more special events leading up to the 500th anniversary in 2030.

The Jamaica History Museum is open on Jamaica Day and is located in the old bank building. A special surprise awaits visitors in the vault. The Jamaica Historical Foundation is charged with preserving documents, photographs, memorabilia and information relating to people, places and events in the city of Jamaica and making this information available to the public through exhibitions, events and interpretations of this collection for education, research and community entertainment. Explore the JHF website: http://jamaicahf.info/.

The museum is open from May to October on Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.