SUMMER FESTIVALS ARE HERE!
One thing I LOVE about summer is all the outdoor fairs & festivals. Music festivals, community festivals, wool fairs, rivers festivals, ecology fairs … you name it, there’s a community celebration for it. I find that festivals are an excellent way to expose myself and my daughter to different aspects of our culture, and the culture of other countries, such as the Cultural Survival Bazaar. Not only are they a fun time, they offer opportunities to expose us to what we might not otherwise experience in our own day to day experiences.
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The Cultural Survival Bazaar on the Amherst Commons happened last weekend. My daughter rounded up some friends and they danced to the music of Yarina, an award winning Native American group of Ecuadoran musicians. Learning about the instruments indigenous cultures play is a great way to introduce these cultures to the kids. Yarina played a variety of traditional insturments, including:
Pan Pipes (bamboo tubes tied together)- Quena (bamboo flute)
- Charango (small ten-string guitar made of armadillo shell)
- Bombo (a wooden drum with cowhide cover)
- Chacchas (shaker made from sheep’s hooves)
- Rain Stick
The MA Library system has several titles for borrowing, or you can click here to support the artists by purchasing their music. The next Bazaar in our area will be in Lenox, MA, the weekend of June 30th. Click here for more details.
Depending on which direction you live in, this weekend offers a number of festivals you can attending: RiverFest2007 in Shelburne Falls, Children’s Book Festival in Amherst, and the Dragon Boat Festival in Pittsfield.
If you have a family-friendly event or educational program happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, or would like to submit your event to the Hilltown Families calendar of Suggested Events, email Sienna at swildfield@juno.com. Comments are warmly welcomed!
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Free Museum Passes | Farmer’s Market
Events Happening in the Hilltowns
Friday – 06/08
1pm – EDUCATION – Robotic and Bridge Builders Science Fair from 1-2:30pm at the Buckland-Shelburne Elementarty School, featuring robotic projects.
4pm – ARTS NIGHT – Take the family and explore 23 open galleries and studios the 2nd Friday of every month in Northampton, MA. In one easy stroll, enjoying light refreshments along the way. It happens all year round, rain or shine, from 4pm-8pm. Click here for a map of galleries. [Families] (Free)
5pm – COMMUNITY DINNER – Elmer’s in Ashfield, MA, invites community members to come together to share dinner and conversation every Friday evening. Menu TBA. 413.628.4003 [Families] ($)
6:30pm – CONCERT – Easthampton Arts in the Park offers free concerts on Fridays in Easthampton, MA. Pulaski Park (on rotary near Old Town Hall) Bring lawn chairs. [Families] (Free)
Saturday – 06/09
8am – MUSIC – While traveling around town, tune-in to WXOJ 103.3 FM in Northampton, MA, from 8-10am to hear fabulous family-friendly music on Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child. [All ages] (Free)
9am – TAG SALE – Goshen Historical Museum off Route 9 in Goshen, MA. 413.268.7562 [Families] (Free/$)
9am – INSECTS – Tarantulas, whip scorpions and hissing cockroaches … at the Hitchcock Center in Amherst, MA. Afterwards scoot on over to the listing below. 413.256.6006 [Families] ($)
9am – CLEAN UP – The Worthington Swim Club in Worthington, MA, is having their pre-season clean-up of the pool. Stop by and join in. New members are always welcomed. [Families] ($$$)
10am – FESTIVAL – Children’s Book Festival at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA, from 10am – 5pm. 413.685.1100. [Families] (Free w/museum pass)
10:00am – FESTIVAL – RiverFest 2007 happens in Shelburne Falls, MA from 10am-4pm. Rain or shine. Click here to read more. [Families] (Free)
1pm – COMMUNITY GATHERING – Lounging for Literacy happens at the town center in Westhampton, MA. A world record-setting event of the largest gathering of people reading in lawn chairs! Bring a lawn chair, dress in character, activities for kids, and more. [Families] (Free)
1pm – FESTIVAL – Dragon Boat Festival Family Day happens at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield. Asian art, Japanese taiko drumming, Chinese folklore, face painting, and more. From 1-4pm. 413.443.7171 [Families] (Free w/museum pass)
Sunday – 06/10
9am – OUTDOOR EDUCATION – Investigate vernal pools to kettle pools on a tour of the Sawmill Hills Conservation Area on a 2-hour hike. 413.586.8289. [Ages 7 & older] (Free)
11am – OUTDOOR EDUCATION – Herbalist Kathleen O’Rourke will lead a one-hour prgram on wild herbs and edibles in Shelburne Falls, MA. 413.625.9426. [Ages 7 & older] ($)
11am – FUNDRAISER – The Nields perform a childern’s music show to benefit Safe Passage in Northampton, MA. Click here to read more. [Families] ($)
1pm – FUNDRAISER – Open house fundraiser for the Northampton Survival Center in Northampton, MA. Family-friendly fun, music, storytelling, games and more. 413.586.6564 [Families] (Free)
Monday – 06/11
10am – PLAYDATE – Pulaski Park in Northampton, MA, next to the Academy of Music on Main Street. 10am-Noon. [Families] (Free)
Tuesday – 06/12
10am – OUTDOOR ACTIVITIY – Join the Easthampton Family Center’s Traveling Tuesday Program. Meet and end in the Union St Plaza (across from 7-11). Bring strollers, trikes, scooters, ride on toys (or your FEET). For a child-friendly stroll along the bike trail. Refreshments and Snack after the stroll. 413.563.7672. [Family] (Free)
10am – PLAYDATE – Pulaski Park in Northampton, MA, next to the Academy of Music on Main Street. 10am-Noon. [Families] (Free)
6:45pm – PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT – Meet at Cup & Top Café in Florence, MA, for an Art Salon. Simple creative writing & drawing exercises to bring out your creativity and to get “unstuck.” Materials provided. 413.584.8328 [Parents] ($)
7pm – Hilltown Family Variety Show – Tune-in between bath and bed time to the Hilltown Families very own radio show on WXOJ LP 103.3 FM, Valley Free Radio, out of Northampton, MA. www.valleyfreeradio.org [Families] (Free)
Wednesday – 06/13
9am-ish – HILLTOWN PARENTS SOCIAL – Breakfast at Elmer’s! After dropping your children off at school, Hilltown Families invites you to head on over to Elmer’s in Ashfield, MA, for coffee, tea and crumpets. Bring your lap tops and get some work done too. 413.628.4003 [Parents] (Free/$)
10am – PLAYDATE – Look Park’s big playground & splash park in Florence, MA. See you there! 10am-Noon. [Families] ($)
6:30pm – DANCE PERFORMANCE – At Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA, bring the family for an informal outdoor setting to see artists from the Doris Duke Studios Theatre, emerging artists from all over the world, and The School at Jacob’s Pillow. 413.243.9919 [Families] (Free)
Thursday – 06/14
FLAG DAY 
10am – PLAYDATE – Look Park’s big playground & splash park in Florence, MA. See you there! 10am-Noon. [Families] ($)
1:30pm – HOME SCHOOL THURSDAYS – Meet at the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, MA, to explore the museum while connecting with other home school families; visit the galleries, explore art-making in the Studio, books in the Reading library, and view a short film at 2:30pm. [Ages 5 & up] ($/Check out free pass from your local library)
4pm – YOUNG FARMERS – Young Farmers at Red Gate are invited to help a farmer feed animals, check for eggs and take care of other chores in Buckland, MA. Parents and younger siblings also welcome. [Ages 5 and older] (Free)
Friday – 06/15
5pm – COMMUNITY DINNER – Elmer’s in Ashfield, MA, invites community members to come together to share dinner and conversation every Friday evening. Menu TBA. 413.628.4003 [Families] ($)
Anyday – Anytime
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Shelburne Falls celebrates Trolleyfest 2007 on June 23rd
The Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, announces the arrival of Trolleyfest 2007, Saturday June 23rd, – a celebration of the restoration of N0. 10, the original trolley which ran across the Historic Bridge of Flowers.
Relive the nineteenth century, before the automobile, aboard a restored 1896 operating Trolley car. Plus, as a special attraction to these years Trolleyfest, the 10th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Militia Co. C Civil War re-enactors, who will be encamped at the Buckland Rail yard for the entire weekend.
Trolleyfest includes some of the regular weekend activities of the museum, including rides on trolley No. 10, pump car rides and the interpretive museum.
In addition, the annual event adds:
* caboose rides powered by our trackmobile,
* displays of local agriculture and industry served by the trolley line, (yes the popular cider pressing will be back!)
* additional railroad equipment displays,
* 7-1/4″ gauge (small enough to sit on, big enough to ride on) train in operation on 100′ of track,
* motorcar (“track speeder”) rides,
* trolley car coloring pages and story book making,
* railroad movies shown throughout the day,
* Hilltown Ice Cream will be selling locally made, super premium ice cream served from an ice cream truck,
* barbeque at noon! Another great meal by Dane Donato, we’ll be serving Brooklyn Porterhouse, a great marinade flank steak dish, and a spicy Asian style chicken dish. Dessert, as well. The usual salads and sides. The price will be $13.00, and $6.00 for those under age 12. Reserve your lunch at trolley@sftm.org or 413-625-9443, let us know how many folks you are reserving for.
About the 10th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Militia: On May 15, 1861 Massachusetts Governor Andrew received permission from Secretary Seward to raise six regiments to answer President Lincoln’s call for a half million troops for three years service. The existing Mass. 10th Militia, supplanted with new recruits, answered the call. The existing companies were A, Shutesbury; B, Leverett; C, Northampton; D, Belchertown; E, Colerain; F, Springfield; G, Greenfield; H, Shelburne, all under the command of Col. J. M. Decker. Companies A, B, and D were disbanded, and their places taken by companies from Great Barrington, North Adams, and Pittsfield. Company E was divided up between the other companies of the regiment. Captain Barton recruited a new Company E in Springfield. West Springfield and Holyoke recruits combined to form Company I. A full company (Company K) was formed in Westfield. The regiment served in several major engagements until it was mustered out as a unit in July, 1864.
Gary the Silent Clown to perform at
Stanley PARK’S Friday Mornings for Children on June 29th
Stanley Park’s Friday Mornings for Children will feature Gary the Silent Clown on Friday, June 29th in the Beveridge pavilion from 10:00 am to 10:45 am. Gary has performed extensively with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus World. Gary’s persona has appeared on many television shows in the United States, Canada, and South America including “Captain Kangaroo”, “Real People”, and “On The Go”.
Gary will create rabbits, swans, and dachshunds out of balloons, then ask the audience for their participation, in turn rewarding them with the finished products. Gary is skilled in many fields including: magic, the wire, rolling globe, unicycles from three to twenty feet high, swing bike, juggling, and much more.
For further information on the Friday Mornings for Children Series please call the park office at 413-568-9312.
Children to Dance Recreated 1940 Classic at Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA
In a rare and exclusive opportunity at the end of this month, Ted Shawn’s iconic work, The Dome, will be danced by a cast of trained dancers aged 8 to 11! Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie show the recreated dance, not seen since 1940, from June 27 to July 1. It’s this work that inspired the famous pose on the weathervane atop the Ted Shawn Theatre!
Also, don’t miss in that same show the world premiere of See #1, created for Laurence Lemieux by renowned Canadian dancer James Kudelka and set to live baroque violin. This program will only be seen at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.
To satisfy family demand, the Saturday matinee on June 30th at 2pm has been made a Youth Matinée, offering $10 tickets for children 13 and under. Regularly-priced performances will take place June 27-July 1. Call the box office right away at 413.243.0745.