Concert & Kiln

Enjoy a special evening in the Village after our normal hours of operation, featuring our annual kiln firing and music by the Old Sturbridge Village Singers and music historian Tom Vaughn. Explore the world of 19th-century pottery as you examine some artifacts from the OSV Museum Collection, learn about household pottery, chat with the Village’s potters about the firing, and learn about the types of ceramics that would have been available in rural stores like the Asa Knight Store. Guests are welcome to bring a picnic! Cookies and cider will also be available for purchase. The public is also invited to participate in the Village Ceramics Show! See below for details.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required! Click here to purchase tickets. 

Schedule of Performances:

(Kiln firing is ongoing throughout the evening)

5:45 – 6:15: OSV Singers

6:30 – 7:00: Tom Vaughn

7:15 – 7:45: OSV Singers

8:00 – 8:30: Tom Vaughn

8:35: Capstone finale performance with all

Please note that our historical buildings will be closed, except for the Pottery Shop, Center Meetinghouse, Small House, Friends’ Meetinghouse, and Asa Knight Store.

About the Kiln

The kiln at Old Sturbridge Village, a replica of Hervey Brooks’s kiln, is made with 15,000 bricks. It stands 24 feet tall and must be heated to approximately 1,900 degrees Fahrenheit during firing, which requires three cords of wood stoked over 24 hours. When it is fully loaded, the kiln can hold 800 pieces stacked 10 feet high. The pieces that emerge from the firing are truly one-of-a-kind and available for sale in our shops, both in-store and online.

About the Old Sturbridge Village Singers

The Old Sturbridge Village Singers are celebrating more than 20 years of performing in the recreated setting of an early New England village. The group’s goal is to bring to life the songs of everyday people who lived in the extraordinary pre-industrial days of American history. The Singers perform a variety of songs popular in early 19th-century New England, including hymns, folk songs, patriotic tunes, and more. Their performance will take place in the Center Meetinghouse.

About Tom Vaughn

During the Concert & Kiln program, Tom Vaughn will perform popular early 19th-century music on a variety of historical artifact instruments, including the violin, flute, clarinet, and rocking melodeon. Tom is a trained violinist and was a musician at Old Sturbridge Village, where he also recreated historical instruments. He is now a conservator working on the restoration of pipe organs at Foley-Baker Inc. He is also a historical clockmaker and board member at the American Clock and Watch Museum.