Gagetown: Museums, Weaving and Nature

If you choose Gagetown as your destination, you can shape your stay around culture, crafts, market life or nature watching. Historical collections and weaving offer different experiences from a seasonal market day or the Queens County Fair. If you plan to visit markets and events, be sure to factor their dates into your plans.

Museums and history in Gagetown

Tilley House is dedicated to preserving the history of Queens County. Its Loyalist and Victorian furnishings include an early doctor's office, the Tilley birth room dating from 1818, and collections of local art and artifacts. At the museum, you can encounter both historical furnishings and regional art and objects. Queens County Court House Museum offers a different focus: it invites visitors to hear stories about local court cases. At Old Mill Road, you will also find the Reid's Mill Smokestack, a local landmark that was particularly important to river traffic.

Weaving and the Loomcrofters Studio

Loomcrofters Studio offers a hands-on introduction to the craft of weaving. The historic building dates from around 1789 and is among the oldest surviving buildings in New Brunswick. The studio has working antique looms that were used for weaving and business operations. Visitors can try weaving for themselves. This opportunity is available seasonally, so confirm current opening arrangements before your trip.

The studio also houses the complete business archive, including papers, patterns, notes, letters, invoices and receipts. Loomcrofters' design history reaches beyond the area: in Queens County, they designed the Royal Canadian Air Force Tartan in 1943 and the New Brunswick Tartan in 1959. At the studio, practical insight into weaving meets a preserved business archive and a tangible history of textile design.

Seasonal markets and the Queens County Fair

The Village of Gagetown Farmers Market is a small seasonal outdoor market by the water. It takes place on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; check the relevant dates and opening hours before your trip. The Gagetown Farmers Market offers locally grown fruit and vegetables, bread and baked goods, preserves and herbs, hot BBQ, as well as local art, handcrafted jewelry and soaps. The selection may vary by season and vendor.

The Queens County Fair has been held in the Village of Gagetown on the Saint John River since 1939. Its program includes rides, horse shows, pulling contests, antique tractor displays, livestock shows, musical entertainment and horticultural competitions. The program may vary from year to year, so check the event dates before your trip. The market and fair offer different highlights: one focuses on seasonal food and crafts, while the other features a varied program of events.

Birdwatching and landscapes

Gagetown lies along one of North America's migratory bird routes, and the surrounding area has a wide variety of natural habitats. Bodies of water and wetlands also shape the birdlife of Queens County. Grand Lake Meadows is among the largest lakes, rivers and wetland areas in Queens County. The wetlands connected to the Saint John River are used by many birds during spring migration and in summer.

The lakes and rivers of the Saint John River system have abundant fish, attracting fish-eating birds. Ospreys often nest near these waters. The bodies of water and wetlands in Queens County attract many birdwatchers each year. For your plans, spring and summer therefore offer a specific seasonal opportunity for birdwatching in the county.

Discover more destinations: Mill Cove, Jemseg, Flowers Cove.

Return to the main travel overview: Queens County.