Community Day at Jacob's Pillow in Becket, MA. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

SUGGEST AN EVENT

If you have a family-friendly event or educational program happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, post your event on our “Suggest An Event” page. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening, along with time, location, age appropriateness and costs before attending

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Sunday, July 26th: Community Day at Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA.  Bring the whole family and come dance with us! No experience necessary and it’s all free fun! Community Day at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival is a celebration of dance, art and community. All are invited to enjoy performances, workshops and activities; take a guided tour of the 163-acre grounds; browse the extensive Archives, view historic dance videos and join the Dance Party on The Great Lawn. All for free.  – This year’s Dance Party will be led by the Vanaver Caravan, a dance troupe that gathers their inspiration from all corners of the globe. Led by Artistic Directors Bill Vanaver and Livia Drapkin Vanaver, the dancers perform clogging, body percussion and stick dancing with live accompaniment. – Jules Feiffer and his daughter Kate Feiffer will read from their new children’s book, Which Puppy?, about the First Family’s search for the perfect pet. Click here to view this book on Amazon.com.

BULLETIN BOARD

• Kathy McMahon writes: Wanted: Museum Tour Guide at the Kingman Tavern Museum in Cummington, MA. Saturday afternoons until the end of August. $12 a hour. No experience necessary. Will train. Must like people and able to present material well. If you have a strong interest in history and want to help bring a simpler era alive for people (1880-1920), join us. Two immediate openings. Respond with brief letter of intent to: Kathy McMahon PeakShrink@peakoilblues.com
• LOCAL LIBRARIES OFFERING SUMMER READING PROGRAMS: Most, if not all, of the Gateway town libraries are hosting summer reading programs for kids and teens. This is an excellent way to encourage reading over the summer months! Library hours and contact information are posted on the web (some sights include summer reading program hours) for Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Russell and Worthington libraries.
• The Grand Opening for the HHuGE Garden Wagon is Monday, July 20, 2009. Please stop by and take a look! We’ll be in the Old Creamery parking lot on the corners of Rte 9 and Rte 112, Cummington, MA.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS WEEK

Update on Hilltown Home Garden Exchange (HHuGE)

And to think it happened at Elmer’s!

Senate Passes Broadband Stimulus Bill

HFVS Giveaway: (Tickets) Lunch Money at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA

Great Park Pursuit: The MA State Park Family Adventure

Summer Fun: More for Your Money on Wednesdays

Painted Turtle Episode on the HFVS (07/11/09)

Learn How Solar Power Can Save Your Family Money

Guinea Pig Co-Op

Suggest an Event | Local Forecast | Get Directions | Free Museum Passes | Farmer’s Market | Family Centers (Ages 0-4)|Facebook

Events Happening in the Hilltowns

Saturday, July 18th

• 6-10am – FAMILY RADIO:  Valley Free Radio (WXOJ-LP 103.3FM Northampton, MA) offers 4-hours of commercial-free family programing every Saturday, including Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child from 7-9am, and the Hilltown Family Variety Show from 9-10am.  Listen via streaming audio at www.valleyfreeradio.org.  SRSC can also be heard on The River from 8-10am.
• Green River Festival in Greenfield, MA.
• 9am-12Noon – OUTDOOR ADVENTURES:  Adult Wilderness Survival Skills workshop all weekend in Conway, MA.
• 10-11am – MUSIC: Jay Mankita performs at Buttery Brook Park in South Hadley, MA.
• 10:30-11:30am – THEATER: The Magic of David Garrity during the Children’s Summer Theater at Eastfield Mall in Springfield, MA. (Free)
• 10:30am – THEATER:  Paintbox Theater presents Chicken Little in Northampton, MA.
• 11am-12:30pm – OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: Geology on the Riverboat with MA Department of Conservation & Recreation for ages 10 & older in Northfield, MA.
• 11:30am – MUSEUM ADVENTURES:  Bang on the Can Music Festival at Mass Moca in North Adams, MA.
• 11am – THEATER:  “Wind in the Willows,” presented by Berkshire Theatre Festival at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, MA.
• 11am, 1:15pm & 3pm – OUTDOOR ADVENTURES:  Northfield Mountain’s Quinnetukut II Riverboat cruises on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Cruise times are 11:00, 1:15, and 3:00 in Northfield, MA.
• Noon-4pm – COMMUNITY CELEBRATION:  Bryant Day in Cummington, MA at the Bryant Homestead.
• 1:30 & 4:30pm – MUSEUM ADVENTURES:  Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival at Mass Moca in North Adams, MA.

Sunday, July 19th

• Green River Festival in Greenfield, MA.
• 11am, 1:15pm & 3pm – OUTDOOR ADVENTURES:  Northfield Mountain’s Quinnetukut II Riverboat cruises on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Cruise times are 11:00, 1:15, and 3:00 in Northfield, MA.
• 1-4pm – OPEN HOUSE: Activities for kids at the Vipassana Meditation Center Open House celebration in Shelburne, MA.
• 6pm – CONCERT: Sunday Evening Band Concert Series at Look Park in Florence, MA.

Weekdays 07/20/09-07/24/09

For more events happening this week check below in our comment box or visit our “Suggest An Event” page. There are also fun suggestions on our THINGS TO DO, PLACES TO SEE page. If you know of an upcoming event that you would like to share with other families, please feel encourage to do so by posting it HERE.