Hilltown Families and the Flywheel Arts Collective of Easthampton is holding our first ever outdoor summer block party for kids at Easthampton’s beautiful Millside Park, located just off the Easthampton Bike Trail.* Join families from across the region on Saturday, August 8 from 10am-12noon for a summer celebration that features dancing, a marionette performance and refreshments. This family event is a fundraiser for both Flywheel & Hilltown Families, with a “pay what you can” admission to attend. 

Following snacks, the August 8th event will feature a special engagement by the Robbins-Zust Family Marionettes. The Robbins-Zust Marionettes have been delighting audiences since 1971. They have performed classic fairy tales with their hand-crafted marionettes and live music for thousands of children of all ages… from the Dorset Playhouse in Vermont to the Grammercy Arts Theatre, the West Side Y and the City Museum in New York at fairs, schools, resorts, inns, libraries, homes, birthday parties, cabarets, stores, malls, temples, churches, and everything in between!

The Robbins-Zust Family Marionettes will be performing the classic fairytale Firebird which features giant live circus animal puppets. After the performance, kids join DJ Youthelectronix for the “best ever dance party before noon”. DJ Youthelectronix, a.k.a. Jeremy Smith, a veteran Flywheel volunteer, has been leading the effort to organize kids programming at Flywheel since 2006. Driven to continue the success of their popular Winter ‘Saturday Morning Music Party‘ kids series at Flywheel, Smith says, “We want to offer something outside during the summer that is fun, affordable, and entertaining not only for kids but adults as well.” But don’t expect just ‘kids songs.’ Smith is proud of the fact that it can be something special for parents as well. “I know how hard it is for parents to go out dancing without spending a lot of money, so I want the event to be entertaining for them as well.”

“Hilltown Families and Flywheel Arts Collective are two western Massachusetts non-profit organizations that strive to build community through collaboration and community engagement,” says Hilltown Families Executive Director, Sienna Wildfield. “Bringing families together during the summer months allows connections and new friendships to be made while accessing community resources and organizations. It’s a recipe of fun for kids of all ages… and inviting for parents too!”

*Rain Location: Flywheel. 43 Main St. Easthampton, MA.