I'm doing a one day workship in Ashfield, Ma this September. I'm looking for an interesting town nearby to stay in because my travelling companion won't be doing the workshop. Thanks!

Ashfield is about 20 miles from Northampton (home of Smith College) and might be a place to find interesting food and lodging.

Another choice could be Amherst (home of UMass and Amherst College).

They could visit any of the campuses for museums, or lectures that might be taking place

If they have a car they could go up to Old Deerfield, or over to the Yankee Candle Factory.

you might want to double-check that the workshop is indeed in Ashfield (which is nowhere, and has no people) and not in Ashland (which is almost nowhere, but compared to Ashfield is a major metropolis).

There is a center for the development of original performance art and cultural exchange in Ashfield in spite of its population of 1700 or so souls, perhaps that is where the OP is going.

Ashfield is indeed "someplace" and it does have actual "people".

But given that I do agree someone not going to the workshop would be bored spending a day there. Just one general store, no other real shops or restaurants, etc.

emalloy's ideas are good ones. If you stay in Northampton then the person going to the workshop would take the car and drive to Ashfield and the other person could spend the day in Northampton. There are plenty of shops and restaurants and the Smith College campus which has a decent art museum.

There are a few B&Bs in the area so another option is to stay at one of them and the non-conference goer could drop the person off at the conference and have the car to explore the area. Old Deerfield and Yankee Candle are decent suggestions. There is also the town of Shelburn Falls which has the Bridge of Flowers and some shops.

If you have specific questions I live in the next town over so I'd be happy to answer them.

Just chiming in to say Northhampton &/or Amherst are both great places to poke around for the day. I used to live there, LOVE that area. Assuming they have a car they could easily stop into both. Skinner State Park is another fun place in the area.
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/skinner/

Yankee Candle is a tourist trap.
Ashfield indeed has a lot going on, theater, concerts, an amazing # of artists. You and your travelling partner might want to have breakfast there at Elmer's.
I agree; stay in Northampton. Smith College has a wonderful museum and interesting botanical gardens and some worthwhile restaurants.
September is a wonderful time: the best weather of the year, many opportunities for hiking and nature. Lots of antiquing and poking around the hilltowns.
I live 15 minutes from Ashfield, so there is someone here! ;=)

I'm going to the Memorial Day weekend craft show in/near Northampton. I'm looking for a restaurant for dinner for one of our group who pretty much only eats salad (don't ask). The rest of us are not vegans and like real food. We'd prefer maybe $15-ish entrees, we like fish, not big steak eaters. Any suggestions?

Most of the major restaurants in Northampton have dinner salads (e.g. can be the main course). They also have lots of seafood selections. Especially Fitzwilly's, Coolidge Cafe at Hotel Northampton, and Eastside Grill. There are also many, many ethnic restaurants (Mexican, Indian, Thai, Tibetan,etc.). Main Street is only a few blocks long and I can't think of any restaurants there that I do not recommend. We go out to dinner in Northampton a couple times every week.

gailw,
If you want great fish and salads go to Paul and Elizabeth's Restaurant. It is located inside Thorne's Marketplace, which has the big green canopy on Main st. The market, with its hardwood floors and pressed tin ceilings was an old department store in the 19th century and has links to Calvin Coolidge. I think that both the salads and the seafood are exceptional there.
It is natural food mainly organic and local when possible, but hearty and a good value. If you have a large group they will take a reservation.
The parking garage is attached to Thorne's and is a good deal: first hour free and then 50 cents an hour. At the entrance there is a sign that says Northamton: our coffee is strong and so are our women.