The Hilltown Home Garden Exchange's (HHuGE) wagon at The Old Creamery Grocery off Route 9 in Cummington, MA. Click the photo to discover more about HHuGE. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

SUGGEST AN EVENT

Click here to 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

HILLTOWN FAMILY VARIETY SHOW GIVEAWAY

Thank you to all who entered our ticket giveaway to see Justin Roberts at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA this Sunday. And thank you to IHEG for offering tickets and to Beth Benz-Claus for supplying us with two free CD’s to giveaway too. The following folks were chosen via random drawing (random.org):

• TICKETS & CD: Congratulations to Marie Westburg of Williamsburg, MA. She is the winner of a family four-pack of tickets and Justin Roberts new CD, “Pop Fly.”
• CD: Congratulations to Duncan Laird, also of Williamsburg, MA. Duncan will receive a copy of Justin Roberts new CD, “Pop Fly.”

Duncan Laird of Williamsburg, MA responds: “Awwwwwwwwesome! BTW, I’m good friends with Tom Adams of Reelife Productions, who is a big fan of what you’re doing with Hilltown Families, and recently told me about your organization. What a wonderful thing you’ve done.”

UPCOMING EVENT: Cummington Fair - August 27th-30th, 2009. Click the photo to discover more. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

BULLETIN BOARD:

• NEW COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD: Are you looking for an afterschool or homeschool class for your kids?  Have a class you would like to recommend to our community of families?  There is a new bulletin board on Hilltown Families that has been created to both post and seek these classes:  Suggest an Afterschool or Homeschool Class.  It’s brand spanking new, so hop on over and post some aftershool or homeschool classes you’d like to recommend!
• Anna Toth of Plainfield, MA writes: “We have just had a new baby at the end of May and my mother has been here helping us with our toddler and newborn.  She is a cellist and is hoping to stay through the winter and help us as well as play and teach and record some in the area.  As she will be traveling some in midwinter, and be with us much of the time, she would like to rent a large quiet private room with access to a bathroom, but does not need a kitchen.  She is on a tiny budget, and needs only one large room that is winterized where she can practice, sleep, plug in a hotplate and teach occasionally, preferably somewhat separate from a household, such as a room over a garage, or a studio space etc…  We are hoping to find her something within reasonable distance of Cummington where we will be living for the next 9 months.  Please do contact me, Ana, at 718-766-5250, or my mother Elizabeth directly at 203-219-4722 if you have something that might fit her needs, or just spread the word around!”
• HOMESCHOOL FAMILIES: You are invited to attend Old Sturbridge Village’s Kick Off the School Year Home School Day! on Tuesday, September 15th. This is a great opportunity for you and your children to gain exposure to the life and work of an early 19th century rural New England community. Enjoy the beauty of OSV with home school families from all over New England. Garden talks, demonstrations, and performances are planned for all audiences throughout the day! See the Daily Event Listing (posted two weeks in advance) for performance and program times, Food Services options, and special exhibits. Please pre-register online today. Contact Kathy Kime, Education Coordinator with any questions or concerns, 508-347-0335.
  

  Farmer's Market in Florence, MA. August 16th – 22nd is Massachusetts Farmers’ Market Week. Click the photo to read more. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

• CPR CLASS:  Parents wanting to learn or brush up on their CPR skills may be interested in a CPR Class being offered by the Westhampton EMS on Thursday, September 24th from 7-9pm.  It will be held at the elementary school and will include child CPR and choking emergencies. Infant CPR skills will not be covered.To register ($10) call Bob Miller at 413-527-2404.
• COMMUNITY CHOIR AUDITIONS: The Northampton’s Community Children’s Choir (grades 3-8) will have auditions on Sunday, September 13th starting at 2pm.  Auditions will be held at the Northampton Community Music Center in Northampton, MA. To schedule an audition time call 413-585-0001.  Choir meets on Tuesdays from 5-6:30pm and begins on September 15.  Scholarships available for qualifying families. Joan Cornachio is the director.
• SPRINGFIELD SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA AUDITIONS:  Auditions for strings, horns, trumpet and bassoon on August 25th.  Call for appointment at 413-733-0636 x19.
• LOCAL FOOD FOR OUR SENIORS: Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA), announced today that it will launch a campaign to raise funds to save its Senior FarmShare program, which has been providing shares of the local farm produce to low-income seniors in Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties since 2004.  Click here for more info.
• HOMESCHOOL ARTICLE:  For homeschool families, Kathleen McKernan has written an article, “How to Join a New Homeschool Group” which can be read on-line at Home Education Magazine here: http://www.homeedmag.com/HEM/231/newgroup.html
• FOOD SECURITY: Come to Boswell’s Books in Shelburne Falls, MA at 7 pm on Monday, August 24, when CISA will host Jill Richardson, author of the new book Recipe for America: Why Our Food System is Broken and What We Can Do to Fix It. A food activist and creater of the blog La Vida Locavore, Jill seeks to provide an overview of the current problematic food system and her vision of what a sustainable food system would look like from the soil on up.

FEATURED EVENT IN THE HILLTOWNS:

• 4pm – INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVITY:  2nd Annual Junior-Senior Croquet Tournament in Worthington, MA. (Free)

FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE HILLTOWNS & BEYOND:

• 4-10pm – AGRICULTURAL FAIR:  Heath Fair in Heath, MA. (Kids 12 & under Free)
• 8:10pm & 9:50pm – OUTDOOR MOVIE: Northfield Drive-in Theater is having a family double feature, first the movie UP! and then G-Force in Hinsdale, NH.
  

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Events Happening in the Hilltowns

Saturday – 08/22

• 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.
• 8:30am-11pm – AGRICULTURAL FAIR:  Heath Fair in Heath, MA. (Kids 12 & under Free)
• 8:30am-12:30pm – Ashfield Farmer’s Market.
• HORSES:  Hampshire County Riding Club Open Show will be held in Goshen, MA.
• 10am-12Noon -RURAL HISTORY:  Amherst Rural History Program offers Take a Walk on the Wild Side! at the Amherst History Museum Garden in Amherst, MA.  An interactive educational program for the entire family. (Free)
• 10am-2pm – COMMUNITY: The Westhampton Fire Department will be having an open house.  Kids are invited to discover their new fire safety trailer and to learn about fire prevention and safety. (Free)
• 10:30am – PUPPETS: Caravan Puppets and Timeless Tales at the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA (Free)
• 10:30am & 11:30am – PUPPETS: Tanglewood Marionettes will perform Cinderella at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, MA. (Free)
• 11am & 1pm – THEATER: How the Frog Learned to Leap, presented by Castle Hill Theater Co. at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, MA.
• 12Noon-5pm – AGRICULTURAL FESTIVAL: Tomato Festival at Red Fire Farm in Granby, MA.
• 2:30pm – FAMILY CONCERT:  Family concert at Tanglewood in Lenox. MA.
• 8pm – THEATER: Last night – Double Edge Theatre’s The Arabian Nights in Ashfield, MA.
• 8:10pm & 9:50pm – OUTDOOR MOVIE: Northfield Drive-in Theater is having a family double feature, first the movie UP! and then G-Force in Hinsdale, NH.

Sunday – 08/23

• 7am-5pm – AGRICULTURAL FAIR:  Heath Fair in Heath, MA. (Kids 12 & under Free)
• 10:30am – ZOOLOGY: Birding for Beginners at Mt.Tom’s Stone House Visitor Center in Holyoke, MA. 413-534-1186.
• 1-5pm – OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: On Saturdays and Sundays through Columbus Day, also Labor Day, participate in I Spy! at the Bryant Homestead (207 Bryant Road) in Cummington, MA. Be a detective and discover the Homestead’s secrets on this self-guided walk using a hands-on spy pack. Sponsored by Trustees of Reservations. Call 413-532-1631 x13 on weekdays or 413-634-2244 on weekends for information.
• 1pm & 3pm – THEATER: How the Frog Learned to Leap, presented by Castle Hill Theater Co. at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, MA.
• 2pm – FAMILY CONCERT: Justin Roberts will be performing at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA.
• 4pm – INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVITY:  2nd Annual Junior-Senior Croquet Tournament in Worthington, MA. (Free)
• 8:10pm & 9:50pm – OUTDOOR MOVIE: Northfield Drive-in Theater is having a family double feature, first the movie UP! and then G-Force in Hinsdale, NH.