SIGNS OF SPRING ARE AMONG US!

This winter has been the longest, coldest, dreariest, one yet … for me. There’s nothing like a real New England winter to kick one’s caboose! And this train my friends has been derailed! BUT … hope is in the air! The spring equinox happens this week and my family has already seen signs of spring. I saw a robin the other day in Holyoke and welled up with tears. My daughter saw a ladybug in the snow in Williamsburg this week and she told me she was crying too (hmmm, where does she get that from?). Plus we saw spring bulbs pushing their way up out of the ground outside of the Butterfly Museum last weekend in Deerfield, and the trees in Chesterfield have BUDS! — HOPE IS HERE FAMILIES!

What signs of spring has your family seen? Celebrate the end of winter with us and post your sightings of spring below.

SUGGEST AN EVENT

Saturday – 03/15

7am – 10am – FAMILY RADIO – (Air Waves) While traveling around town, tune-in to The River from 7-9am or 103.3 FM from 8-10am to hear fabulous family-friendly music on Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child . [All ages] (Free)

8am & 9:15am – KIDS BASKETBALL – (Worthington) Throughout the winter months, the Worthington Recreation Department is offering co-ed basketball program for kids at the town hall. Grades 1-2 begin at 8am. Grades 3-4 begin at 9:15am. No registration is necessary. 413.238.5500 [Ages 6-9] (Free)

9am – MAPLE FEST – (Chester) Annual MapleFest with breakfast, music, artisans, animals, hayrides, sugaring, and more. 413.354.7897 [All Ages] ($)

9am & 11:30am – EASTER EVENT – (Leeds) Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt at the Northampton Country Club. 413.586.1898 [Families] ($$)

9:30am – ANIMALS & YOGA – (Easthampton) Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary will be hosting Animals for Brownies for kids to learn about wild animals and play animal yoga games. 413.584.3009 x812 [Ages 6-9] (>$)

10am-Noon – EASTER EGG HUNT (Chester) At the Chester Town Hall. Bring a canned good to benefit the Open Pantry. [Families] (Food Donation)

10am-5pm – FAMILY ART – (Amherst) The Art Studio at the Eric Carle Museum explore Watercolor Wonder. Find your own inspiration as you experiment with a variety of watercolor techniques. Free with paid admission. 413.658.1100 [Families] (Free with admission. Borrow a museum pass from your library)

10am-4pm – FLOWERS – (Northampton) Spring Bulb Show at Smith College’s Lyman Conservatory, 03/01/08-03/16/08. [All Ages] (Free)

10:30am-2pm – FARM ADVENTURE – (Leverett) Winterbery Farm will host “Shearing Day,” to include music and food. 413.548.3940 [Families] (Free)

4pm – 6:50pm – ICE SKATING – (Amherst) There will be a public skate at the Mullins Center Ice Rink. Skate rentals available. 413.545.3990 [Families] ($)

5pm-6:30pm – FAMILY ART – (Haydenville) Family Dinner and Art Time at ArtStar. Create beautiful paper flowers with watercolors to summon the spring. 413.869.3709. [Families] ($$)

Sunday – 03/16

10am-4pm – KIDS & AVIATION – (Windsor Locks, CT) The New England Air Museum offers Open Cockpit Sundays, Jan. 20, Feb. 17 and March 16. Families can come climb into the cockpits of up to 12 vintage aircraft, a full-motion flight simulator and two static flight simulators. The aircraft to be open include the famous Vought Corsair of WWII, the North American F-100 Super Sabre, a DC-3 airliner, several helicopters and more. The event will be held inside the Museum’s three large, heated display hangars. The New England Air Museum is adjacent to Bradley International Airport. 860.623.3305 [Families] ($$)

10am-4pm – FLOWERS – (Northampton) Spring Bulb Show at Smith College’s Lyman Conservatory, last day. [All Ages] (Free)

Noon – 1:50pm – ICE SKATING – (Amherst) There will be a public skate at the Mullins Center Ice Rink. Skate rentals available. 413.545.3990 [Families] ($)

Noon-2pm – ST. PATRICK’S DAY – (Pittsfield) Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early at a free family-friendly public reception at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, located at 28 Renne Avenue in downtown Pittsfield. Pittsfield’s own Irish band the Dossers will lead an Irish Sesshin, and dancers from the Farrell School of Dance will perform. [All Ages] (Free)

1pm-2:30pm – PEACE SING – (Cummington) A community Chant/Peace/Healing Sing will take place at the Cummington Community House. This is not primarily for children, but children in a focused quiet mood are welcome. Probably best for older children who like to sing! So come sing your hope, sing your courage, sing your strength, sing your grief, come and sing. [Ages 10 & older] (>$)

1pm-3pm – BUTTERFLIES CRAFT – (Deerfield) Magic Wings will host a “Make your own caterpillar” project. Free with paid admission. [Families] ($, Borrow a museum pass from your library)

2pm-4pm – BALLET – (Northampton) The Little Mermaid will be performed by the Pioneer Valley Ballet on Smith College in the Davis Ballroom. Fun activities for the kids too. 413.527.6363 [Families] ($)

2pm-4pm – KIDS ART SHOW – (Haydenville) Students from the Hilltown Charter School will be having an art showing in the The Brassworks Building at ArtStar. 413.896.3709. [All Ages] (Free)

4pm – IRISH MUSIC – (Pittsfield) Lunasa will be performing at The Colonial. 413.997.4444 [All Ages] ($$$)

Monday – 03/17

St. Patrick’s Day

4pm-5pm – OUTDOOR ADVENTURES – (Chesterfield) Outdoor Adventures for Kids in the Hilltowns at the Chesterfied Base Camp. Through age appropriate activities, young kids can explore their surrounding environment and learn about our ecology through indoor and outdoor activities and games. Click here for more information. 413.296.4249 [Ages 5-7]

6pm-8pm – EASTER EGG PROJECT – (Montgomery) Pysanky Egg Decorating class is being offered at the Town Hall. Pre-registration required 413.862.4524 [Call for recommended age] ($$)

6pm – HISTORY OF ST. PATRICK’S DAY – (TV) The History Channel presents: Celebrating the Green: The History of St. Patrick’s Day. This one hour program draws upon the commentary of historians, archival footage, and primary sources to recount the evolution of St. Patrick’s Day. In the 235 years since the first small St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York, Irish immigrants in America have seen this day as an opportunity to celebrate their heritage. Providing insights into the meaning and history of this holiday, this documentary presents an excellent opportunity for classroom discussions of U.S. immigration history, how holidays are made and transformed, and the dynamics of ethnic identity in the contemporary United States. Celebrating the Green: The History of St. Patrick’s Day would be useful for History, American Culture, Social Studies, and Current Events courses. It is an excellent companion for events and activities related to St. Patrick’s Day. [Ages 10 and older] (Free)

Tuesday – 03/18

REGISTRATION DEADLINE – (Amherst) Today is the deadline to pre-register for the Girls’ Day in the Lab Program being offered at Hampshire College on 04/25 from 8:30am-2pm. Contact Robin Marion, Hampshire College, 893 West Street, CS-132, Amherst, MA 01002. Fax is 413.559.5438 [Middle and Junior High School Girls] (n/a)

10am-11:30am – FATHERS GROUP – (Amherst) Please come to talk about fathers’’ issues, meet other dads and have coffee with us at this drop-in fathers’ group. You will be able to find out any common issues you face and just talk with other dads. Held at the Amherst Family Center in the basement of the Unitarian Church at 121 North Pleasant St. in the center of Amherst, entrance is at the back of the building. Childcare provided. [Free] (Father’s)

10:15am-12:15pm – POSTPARTUM STRESS SUPPORT GROUP – (Northampton) Every Tuesday there is a drop-in support group at 56 Vernon Street. Free child care and snacks. A welcoming group for all mothers to share the adjustment to motherhood, especially those experiencing postpartum stress, anxiety or depression. Find support, connection with other women. 413.253.8990 [Mothers & their children] (Free)

10:30am-11:15am – KIDS CONCERT – (Northampton) Live music for the preschool set who will sing, swing, limbo and sway with Caribbean for Kids as they perform favorite kids’ songs put to a Caribbean beat, plus familiar and traditional tunes at the Northampton Center for the Arts. 413.584.7327 [Families] (>$)

4pm – READING & WRITING – (Florence) Readers & Writers club at the Lilly Library. Click here for more info. [Kids must be able to read & write] (Free)

7pm – FAMILY RADIO – (Air Waves) Tune-in between bath and bedtime to the Hilltown Families very own radio show, the Hilltown Family Variety Show, on WXOJ LP 103.3 FM, Valley Free Radio out of Northampton, MA. www.valleyfreeradio.org. [Families] (Free)

9pm – ASTRONOMY – (TV) The History Channel presents … The Universe: Mars, The Red Planet. It has been fifty years since human first ventured into space, but the quest to understand the universe and its planets continues. With the similarity of its atmosphere and conditions to the planet to Earth, Mars has long fascinated humans as a possible candidate for habitation. Colorful computer graphics, careful commentary, and helpful visuals are used in this documentary to show what life might be like on Mars, and to help viewers imagine what kind of life forms might evolve in alien atmospheres. This is an excellent program for science and technology courses, giving students the opportunity to visualize the “red planet” and discover the cutting-edge research methods used to investigate its qualities. The Universe: Mars, The Red Planet would be useful for Science, Astronomy, Earth Sciences, and Technology courses. [Ages 10 and older] (Free)

Wednesday – 03/19

9am-Noon – WORKSHOP: FIRE SAFETY – (Holyoke) Dr. Robert Cole will be presenting a training seminar on the Play Safe, Be Safe pre-school fire safety curriculum at Holyoke Community College. All early childhood education teachers, fire and life safety educators, student teachers, and Head Start teachers are welcomed. Participants will receive a free copy of this preschool fire curriculum and training on how to use it. Additional resources will be available for those who will be training others. 978.567.3381. [Adults] (Free)

10am – MOVIE DATE – (South Hadley) Tower Theaters hosts a Mommy & Me movie showing for parents and their kids every 3rd Wed. of the month. 413.533.FILM [Families] (>$)

Thursday – 03/20

Spring Equinox

Mr. Roger’s Birthday

REGISTRATION DEADLINE – (Florence) The Friends of the Lilly Library will be hosting an Edible Book fundraiser on 04/06. For more information call 413.584.7482. [All Ages] (>$-$$)

3:45pm-5:15pm – ART CLASSES FOR KIDS – (Florence) Art Always will be offering a 8 week art class for grade school kids beginning this day. Students will have the opportunity to explore a variety of materials and techniques. 413.584.3050. [Ages 5-12] ($$$)

7pm – SCHOOL MUSICAL – (Chesterfield) New Hingham Regional Elementary School will present their all-school musical and art exhibit. 30 Smith Road in Chesterfield. [Families] (Free)

Open till 8pm – LOCAL LIBRARY – (Williamsburg) Did you know the Meekins Library stays open until 8pm every Thursday? A great thing to have in the winter months. Take the kids in their PJ’s and spend time at the library before bed time reading stories or getting help with homework. [Everyone] (Free)

7:30pm-8:30pm – HIKING – (Buckland) A Moonlight Hike will be hosted by Red Gate Farm. The full moon will light our way as we discover twilight and night time in the outdoors. We will listen for owls and other wildlife and use our senses to explore the natural world at this special time. Young children are welcome, but should be accompanied by an adult. (All Ages) [Free)

Friday – 03/21

9am-Noon – BABY SITTING – (Northampton) Every 3rd Friday of the month, Universal Kids offers parents the chance to drop their kids off for a morning of fun while parents get their errands and shopping done. 413.387.6464 [Ages 15 months & older] ($$)

11am-1pm – HOMESCHOOL ICE SKATING – (Amherst) There will be a homeschool skate at the Mullins Center Ice Rink. Skate rentals available. 413.545.3990 [Families] ($)

5pm – COMMUNITY DINNER – (Ashfield) Elmer’s invites community members to come together to share dinner and conversation every Friday evening. Click here for menu 413.628.4003 [Families] ($)

6:30pm – JAZZ – (Haydenville) Blue House Cafe will be having live jazz music with Bartley & Christopolis, joined by Singer Monique Rioux. [All Ages] (>$)