Celebrate Community and Artistry at the 19th annual HILLTOWN 6 Pottery Tour
Saturday & Sunday, July 26 & 27, 2025
From 10-5pm each day
On the last weekend of every July, HILLTOWN 6 potters and their guests artists invite the community into their studios to witness their ancient art in action during the Hilltown 6 Pottery Tour.
There are two stops on the Tour in Worthington,
Stonepool Pottery in South Worthington, and Hiroshi Nakayama’s studio at the end of Fisk Road.
Many of the other artisans have Worthington connections!
Maya Machin in Ashfield, and Michael McCarthy in Goshen were former apprentices at Stonepool Pottery as were two of this year’s guests, Matthew Munier (GA) who will be a guest at Connie Talbot’s studio in Windsor, and Jeffrey Lipton (ME) who will be at Michael McCarthy’s.
The potters will welcome attendees to watch as they showcase various techniques and materials with scheduled demonstrations and participatory events throughout both days. The artists will share how they shape earth into beautiful and distinctive objects.
During the tour, visitors will:
- Watch as clay artists craft teapots, vases, pitchers, and more from start to finish.
- See artists throw pots on a foot-powered treadle wheel.
- Walk inside a giant wood-burning kiln.
- Taste fresh bread baked in a ceramic flame-proof cloche.
The HILLTOWN 6 Pottery Tour makes for a delightful, family-friendly weekend spent traversing the scenic hills that rise out of the Pioneer Valley and taking in all that the hilltowns have to offer. During the peak of New England’s picturesque summer, visitors will also encounter farmstands and small businesses supplying locally the locally grown bounty of the season, from fresh eggs to homemade preserves to artisanal brews.
This year, HILLTOWN 6 is celebrating the event’s community spirit by donating a portion of each artist’s proceeds to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Visitors to the 2025 pottery tour will not only get to experience the close-knit feel of the Hilltowns and support local artists – they will also help put food on the tables of those most in need.
With the combined beauty of handcrafted art and the western Massachusetts landscape, it’s no wonder that the tour has become a nationally recognized event. In past years, the event has drawn company from all corners of the state, as well as New York, Boston, Hartford, Albany and beyond.
About HILLTOWN 6
HILLTOWN 6 is a group of now eight nationally renowned potters based in the Hilltowns: Robbie Heidinger, Christy Knox, Maya Machin, Michael McCarthy, Hiroshi Nakayama, Mark Shapiro, Constance Talbot, and Sam Taylor. This year’s tour will also feature 18 guests from around the country.
For a complete demonstrations schedule, studio map, information on participating artists and more, visit hilltown6.com.