The Wayland Post will team up with The Villa at this year’s Wayland Festival on Saturday, October 4, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the Town Center green. Visitors are invited to stop by the Wayland Post donation tent, where The Villa will donate slices of pizza and subs for festivalgoers to enjoy.
The festival has grown into one of the town’s largest cultural gatherings since its first edition in 2022. In 2023, more than 3,000 people attended. This year’s event promises to be the biggest yet, featuring 30 food trucks and tables, 60 vendor booths, and 30 artists presenting their work. Entertainment will include performances by Dwayne Haggins, Chris Nyfong, Sway Island, Delila, and the Wayland High School Honors Jazz Ensemble under director Joe Oneschuk, along with dance troupes and a parade of historical reenactors commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
For The Villa, participating in the festival continues a long tradition of community connection. Established in the 1920s as The Studio and rumored to have been a speakeasy during Prohibition, the restaurant became The Villa in the 1950s and was purchased by Richard Schnetke in 1973. Known as a favorite of Celtics broadcaster Johnny Most, it remained under his family’s ownership until 2022, when Good N U Hospitality acquired it, keeping the staff and beloved recipes intact. Following renovations, The Villa now hosts live music, trivia nights, and family events, adding to its role as a Wayland staple.
By teaming up at the festival, The Villa and the Wayland Post highlight what the event is all about neighbors gathering to share food, music, and history while creating new community traditions.
