Hilltown Families 
58 Suggested Events in Western MA: January 19-25, 2019
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If you have a community event, educational program, or service-learning opportunity happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, self-post your event at any time on our Suggest An Event bulletin board. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening, along with time, place, age appropriateness, and costs before attending.
Serving Western Massachusetts since 2005, Hilltown Families supports the development and enhancement of our local economy and community. Local businesses, individuals, schools, and non-profits are encouraged to partner with Hilltown Families through advertising and sponsorship. Let us help get the word out about your after school/homeschool class, event, camp, workshop, fundraiser, business/school, service, open house, volunteer opportunity or general announcement. Deliver your message to thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA!
Bulletin Board
Auditions Jan 20
Hatchery, the School for Contemporary Dance & Thought’s amazing teen dance company for ages 13-18 now in its 3rd year, will host auditions on Sunday, Jan 20 from 1-3pm. Hatchery is a dance company for exceptional teens from diverse backgrounds who love move and create, offers dance training in contemporary techniques with an emphasis on developing the choreographic voice. Auditions will be held at STUDIO4, 25 Main Street (4th floor) in Northampton. Register for a one minute solo to share at www.scdtnoho.com. In addition to studying with internationally acclaimed artists, members will choreograph their own work, receive mentorship from experts in the field, and create a dynamic, inspiring performance for the Pioneer Valley.
Enroll Now
The Hartsbrook School provides a preschool experience that savors childhood and prepares for the future. Through imaginative play and practical work, children develop deep foundational skills, and the curiosity to seek answers and engage with the world. Uninterrupted time outdoors, music and song, visits to the farm animals, nourishing shared meals: these are a young child’s daily rhythm. Serving students from infancy through high school, The Hartsbrook School’s curriculum progressively meets each developmental stage with great care. Give your child the foundation for their future and enjoy a vibrant parent community. Accepting applications for children 2.9 to 6 years. Come take a tour! 193 Bay Road, Hadley, 413-586-1908, www.hartsbrook.org
Truth School Spring 2019 Trainings begin Jan 26 and run through May 26. Throughout the Pioneer Valley, there are free series classes and one-time sessions. There are free classes geared to elders, people of color, white people, transgender individuals, people of faith, seasoned activists and newly activated activists. There are free trainings on circle practice, sanctuary, planning meetings that get things done, reparations, abolition, workers’ rights, nonviolent direct action and so much more. Each free training connects to some dimension of building social justice movements – the gathering of people and resources together to create a more just society. Free to participate. Registration is required. truthschool.org
MARKET YOUR SUMMER CAMP: In an effort to connect families with summer camps & programs in the region, Hilltown Families is offering camps and programs a chance to partner with us in their online marketing with a special enhanced publicity offer. On Wednesday, March 6th, 2019, Hilltown Families will be featuring summer camps and programs in the region on Hilltown Families with a special directory: 2019 Summer Camps and Programs in Western MA. Find out more about this targeted marketing opportunity HERE.
Hilltown Families Preschool Directory: Are you looking for a preschool that fits your child’s personality and reflects your family’s values for next year? Check out our Preschool Directory, which features preschools and programs across Western MA., Find the perfect place for your young one! ♦ If you have a school or program you would like to add to our directory, contact us at info@hilltownfamilies.org for more information on how you can be added at any time.
ADVERTISE HERE: Want to reach thousands of families living across Western MA? See your community event, after-school program, summer camp, class, school, open house, audition, homeschool program, workshop, volunteer opportunity, wellness program, local business, fundraiser, or non-profit featured here in the Bulletin Board section of our list of Weekly Suggested Events and in our weekly eNewsletter! Find out about our affordable advertising options and how you can partner with Hilltown Families in your online marketing by contacting us at info@hilltownfamilies.org.
LIST OF WEEKLY SUGGESTED EVENTS
January 19-25, 2019
Saturday • Sunday
Monday • Tuesday • Wednesday • Thursday • Friday
Suggest an Event | Cultural Itineraries | Forecast | Museum Passes | Weekly eNewsletter | Farmers’ Markets | Storyhour & Playgroups| Advertise/Sponsorship | en Español
Events Happening in the Hilltown
Saturday, January 19, 9-10am – What does it mean to be a Love Activist? This week on the Hilltown Family Variety Show, Charity Kahn from Charity and the JAMband takes listeners on a musical and philosophical journey examining how we all, whether young or old, can use our love, kindness, time, resources and gifts to bring positive change to the world. Commercial-free family radio. Tune in on your FM dial, or listen live via streaming audio at www.valleyfreeradio.org. Click here select from over 12 years of archived shows!
Saturday, January 19: PREREGISTRATION: Chocolate: From Bean to Bar to Palate. Where does chocolate come from? And what qualities should we look for in good chocolate? Cookbook author and food writer Dédé Wilson takes chocolate aficionados on a virtual tour of how cacao goes from bean to bar, followed by a chocolate tasting. Learn how to truly appreciate and assess chocolate with all of your senses with a tasting of different varieties and sources from around the globe on Saturday, January 26, 2pm. 413-259-3223. Jones Library. 43 Amity St, Amherst, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 9am-2pm – 35th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr breakfast at Amherst Regional Middle School. The Martin Luther King Jr Commemorative Breakfast Committee of Amherst is the brainchild of Mrs. Mary Pittman Wyatt, Greenfield MA, a retired social worker who is active in the Wesley United Methodist Church. Mrs. Wyatt had attended a Boston breakfast in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. shortly after he died. The following year a similar event was held in Springfield, MA. In the subsequent years, as Mary attended MLK Commemorative Breakfast meetings in the cities within our Commonwealth, the nagging question, “Why not in Amherst?”, got increasingly louder in her mind and heart. In the early 1980s, Mary Wyatt decided to act upon her desire to have a befitting breakfast for the Amherst Area. Amherst Regional Middle School. 413-362-1810. 170 Chestnut St, Amherst, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 9:30-11:30am – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 37th Annual Scholarship Breakfast at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel. The Scholarship Breakfast features engaging speeches, food, live music, and is attended by a diverse gathering of civic, community, and faith-based community leaders and members from Western MA. Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel. 1 Monarch Pl, Springfield, MA.
Experiment with chain reactions this winter when your family is cooped up inside on a snowy day! Dominoes, popsicle sticks and Rube Goldberg Machines are three easy ways kids can learn about the concepts of chain reactions while have much fun constructing and setting them off! Read more in our post, Science & Fun of Chain Reactions.
Saturday, January 19, 10am – Science is Everywhere: Design & Build Chain Reaction Machines at the Ages 8-11. Dickinson Memorial Library. Northfield, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 10am-12noon – Freshwater Mussels Presentation & Lab Tour at Richard Cronin Aquatic Resource Center. Sunderland, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 10am-12noon – Build Your SumoBot at Holyoke Codes. Ages 8+. Holyoke, MA
Saturday, January 19, 10am-1pm – Wildlife Tracking at TurnPark. Join an experienced tracker to explore habitats within TurnPark to find animal tracks and clues that reveal a wealth of information about local wildlife. Learn how to identify animals by their tracks, recognize scat and other animal signs, and recognize animal gaits and patterns. West Stockbridge, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 10am-1pm – Bald Eagles at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary. The Bald Eagle has made a comeback in Massachusetts and can often be seen along the open waters of the Connecticut River and its tributaries during the winter. This presentation will begin with a life history of eagles and the eagle restoration project, then head outside to search for these magnificent birds. Easthampton, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 11:30am – Our Voices: Sharing Stories of Kindness and Families at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Amherst, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 12noon-3pm – 3rd Annual Women’s March assembling at Northampton City Hall. Every voice makes a difference. Join voices together, gathering at Sheldon Fields at 12noon and march together up Route 9 to City Hall for music and a limited amount of speakers, which will then be followed by an Activists Fair downtown with practical, local ways to plug in. Northampton, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 12noon & 7pm – The Young Shakespeare Players-East Present Macbeth by William Shakespeare at the Shea Theater. Why do people commit evil? Are things really as they seem? Who can be trusted? Will there ever be peace? These are just some of the questions the actors of The Young Shakespeare Players East are asking as they journey through the landscape of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Macbeth is Shakespeare’s shortest, most well-known tragedy and contains exquisite language and imagery. All ages are welcome and encouraged to attend. No reservations required. Doors open 20 minutes prior to each show. Shea Theater. 802-258-7922. 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 12:30pm – Antony & Cleopatra performance by National Theatre in London Live at Amherst Cinema. Amherst, MA
Saturday, January 19, 1pm, 4pm, & 7pm – Winter Studio Festival of Plays at Shakespeare & Company. Lenox, MA
Saturday, January 19, 1-2pm – Animal Homes in Winter: Where Are All the Animals Hiding at Great Falls Discovery Center. Ages 3-6. Turners Falls, MA
Saturday, January 19, 1-3:30pm – Peter Pan at Amherst Leisure Services Community Theater. Amherst, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 2-4pm – 3D Printing: An Introduction at Make-It Springfield. Are you interested in learning about 3D printing? In this workshop you’ll learn about CAD (Computer-aided design) and actually work on your very own design & project! You will need to bring your own tablet or computer, a mouse, a pencil and notebook in order to attend. If you are in need of a loaner laptop, simply email alfredo@steamporio.com or makeitspringfield@gmail.com so they are able to make arrangements. Make-It Springfield. 413-342-1681. 168 Worthington St, Springfield, MA.
Practicing origami is a fun method for students to learn about this traditional Japanese art, providing a concrete illustration of mathematical concepts.
Saturday, January 19, 2-4pm – Origami Crafts at the Sunderland Library. Ages 12+. Registration required. Sunderland, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 2:30pm – The View from Here, a film series exploring three different approaches to the role of landscape in cinema: as subject, as inspiration, and as a means to explore character and emotion. The series, held at Images Cinema in conjunction with the Clark’s special exhibition, Turner and Constable: The Inhabited Landscape, kicks off with Days of Heaven (1978, rated PG). Images Cinema. 413-458-5612. 50 Spring Street, Williamstown, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 4:30-8:30pm – Labyrinth/Dark Crystal Double Feature with Pizza Option at Agawam Cinemas. 413-285-7162. 866 Suffield St, Agawam, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 6-8:30pm – Wolf Moon Snowshoe Adventure at Northfield Mountain. Ages 13+. Pre-registration: 800-859-2960. Northfield, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 7-10pm – January Montague Square Dance at the Montague Common Hall. Calling by Bob Livingston, music by the House Band. Beginners and kids always welcome, all dances will be taught. Montague Square Dance. montaguesquaredance@gmail.com. 34 Main St Montague, MA.
Saturday, January 19, 7:30-10pm – Shut UP, Emily Dickinson! at Academy of Music Theatre. Northampton, MA.
Sunday, January 20, 7-8am – What does it mean to be a Love Activist? This week on the Hilltown Family Variety Show, Charity Kahn from Charity and the JAMband takes listeners on a musical and philosophical journey examining how we all, whether young or old, can use our love, kindness, time, resources and gifts to bring positive change to the world. Commercial-free family radio. Tune in on your FM dial, or listen live via streaming audio at www.valleyfreeradio.org. Click here select from over 12 years of archived shows!
Sunday, January 20, 10am-11:15am – Family MLK Celebration with Katryna Nields at Lander Grinspoon Academy – Solomon Schechter. Local hero Katryna Nields will lead us in a joyful musical celebration of the legacy of Martin Luther King and the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), with songs of peace, justice, and of course, harmony. 45 minute music session followed by tumble time in our sunny multi-purpose room. After the music families will also have the opportunity to assemble and package sandwiches to be distributed at Cathedral in the Night at First Churches. Northampton, MA.
Sunday, January 20,12noon-3pm – Creating From Within: A Mandala Creation Workshop at LOCAL Gallery. Easthampton, MA.
Sunday, January 20, 12-4pm – Stained Glass Workshop at Dragonfly Stained Glass Studio. Easthampton, MA.
Sunday, January 20, 1pm – The Young Shakespeare Players-East Present Macbeth by William Shakespeare at the Shea Theater. Why do people commit evil? Are things really as they seem? Who can be trusted? Will there ever be peace? These are just some of the questions the actors of The Young Shakespeare Players East are asking as they journey through the landscape of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Macbeth is Shakespeare’s shortest, most well-known tragedy and contains exquisite language and imagery. All ages are welcome and encouraged to attend. No reservations required. Doors open 20 minutes prior to each show. Shea Theater. 802-258-7922. 71 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA.
Sunday, January 20, 1pm & 4pm – Winter Studio Festival of Plays at Shakespeare & Company. Lenox, MA
Hatchery, the School for Contemporary Dance & Thought’s amazing teen dance company for ages 13-18 now in its 3rd year, will host auditions on Sunday, Jan 20 from 1-3pm.
Sunday, January 20, 1-3pm – Hatchery is a dance company for exceptional teens from diverse backgrounds who love move and create, offers dance training in contemporary techniques with an emphasis on developing the choreographic voice. Auditions will be held at STUDIO4, 25 Main Street (4th floor) in Northampton. Register for a one minute solo to share at www.scdtnoho.com. In addition to studying with internationally acclaimed artists, members will choreograph their own work, receive mentorship from experts in the field, and create a dynamic, inspiring performance for the Pioneer Valley. Northampton, MA.
Sunday, January 20, 1-3:30pm – Peter Pan at Amherst Leisure Services Community Theater. Amherst, MA.
Hands-on volunteering experiences can sometimes be hard to find for families with younger children. There are many terrific of organizations within our community that need volunteers to help with a variety of jobs, but often these jobs are skill-specific or take place in environments that may not be welcoming to young children. However, there are lots of community service projects that kids can do at home that make just as large an impact as in-person volunteering. Read more in our post, Community Service: Creating Care Bags for Giving.
Monday, January 21, 8:30am-2pm – The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Committee at MCLA invites everyone to their 26th Annual MLK Jr. Day of Service a day of service at various locations that will benefit the Northern Berkshire community. Begin the day with a community breakfast and sign up for service placements and transportation to locations around the area to do various hands-on tasks: painting, cleaning, weatherization of homes, organizing, building, sorting, fixing, and more hands-on tasks at various area agencies. For those who prefer to stay on-site, projects include making blankets and mittens for individuals in need for the cold winter, assembling care packages for the homeless, assembling shopping bags out of feed bags and plarning (plastic mat weaving). All of these projects will be done on location at MCLA’s Venable Gym. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. 413-663-7588. 375 Church St, North Adams, MA.
Monday, January 21, 11:30am – MLK Day 2019: Walking the Afro-Am Heritage Trail, starting at Sojourner Truth Memorial Park. Steve Strimer will lead a walk on the African-American Heritage Trail. Florence, MA.
Monday, January 21, 10am-1pm – Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at Greenfield Community College. Greenfield, MA.
Monday, January 21, 11am-1pm – 7th annual Dr. King Day Celebration at MassMutual Center. This year’s theme is “In the Words of Dr. King.” The Springfield celebration is one of the largest Dr. King Day events in the state with over 2,500 people in attendance. The event will feature local gospel choirs, distinguished community leaders, as well as music, dance and oratorical performances that engage over 500 Springfield youth to share in community uplift and reflect on the legacy of Dr. King. MassMutual Center. 1277 Main St, Springfield, MA.
Monday, January 21, 1-5:30pm – 35th Annual MLK Day Celebration assembling at Edwards Church of Northampton. Northampton, MA.
Monday, January 21, 2-6pm – DIY Bike Repair at Make-It Springfield. Do you have a bike in the basement/garage that could use a little love? Hate spending all that money at a bike shop when you know you could probably do it yourself? Drop-in anytime and get your questions answered and your repairs taken care of by local bike experts from RadSpringfield. Bring a bike or just your questions. All ages welcome. Make-It Springfield. 413-342-1681. 168 Worthington St, Springfield, MA.
Tuesday, January 22, 4-5pm – The Jones Library is teaming up with the Eric Carle Museum to host an all-ages craft program. Kids are invited to come make 3-D owl sculptures that will be put on display in their library front windows. The windows will celebrate our 6th Annual Samuel Minot Jones Award for literary achievement—this year the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is being honored for significant contribution to the literary life of Amherst. Jones Library. 413-259-3223. 43 Amity St, Amherst, MA.
Tuesday, January 22, 7-8:30pm – Kaleidoscope Event: Are We Seeing It? at Bay Path University. Young children do not know how they should see and cannot tell us about their vision. One in ten preschoolers and one in four school-aged children have a vision disorder. Left undetected and untreated, all aspects of a child’s physical, emotional, social and behavioral development can be impacted. Join Dr. Kristen Kerber as she discusses childhood vision, how to be a “vision champion,” and shares new research that underlines the connection between childhood vision and learning. Best for older students and interested parents/caregivers. Bay Path University. 413-565-1000. 588 Longmeadow Street, Longmeadow, MA.
You don’t need a publisher to get your stories, poems, or drawings out to be the public. If you want to share your work with the community, you can always make a zine. Zines are small magazines, made inexpensively and often distributed for free. Since zines don’t usually travel far in their distribution, zine collections can give you an idea about the culture of your community and connect you with local writers. Zine making is also a great way to collaborate with other artists. Read more in our post, Handmade: Write a Zine or Make a Journal.
Wednesday, January 23, 4-7pm – Weaving Wednesdays at the Emily Williston Memorial Library. Easthampton, MA.
Wednesday, January 23, 6:30-8:30pm – Forbes Library Zine Club. Northampton, MA
Wednesday, January 23, 6-7pm – The Bement School K-9 Open House. Deerfield, MA.
Thursday, January 24, 10:30am-12noon – Take a survey of music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance at the Storrs Library. The period of music history in the West from around the year 1000 to the birth of J.S. Bach in 1685 is incredibly rich in variety and evolutionary development. This program endeavors to provide a fundamental overview of over 600 years of early music through discussion and listening to recordings of some of the leading composers of the era. Storrs Library. 413-565-4181. 693 Longmeadow Street, Longmeadow, MA.
Thursday, January 24, 3:15-4:15pm – Workshop for Young Sound Artists and Podcasters. Forbes Library. Northampton, MA.
Thursday, January 24, 2:30-4pm – Life-size Pac-Man at Hatfield Public Library. Hatfield, MA.
Thursday, January 24, 6-8pm – Experiments in Paper Marbling at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Amherst, MA.
Friday, January 25, 9:30-11:30am – Winter Preschool Day: Signs of Animals Public at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment. 413-256-6006, 845 West St, Amherst, MA.
Friday, January 25, 10:30-11:30am – Who Lives in a Tree Kidleidoscope Story Hour at the Great Falls Discovery Center. Ages 3-6. Turners Falls, MA.
Friday, January 25, 2-3pm – Crafternoon: Make a Life-Size Self-Portrait! Forbes Library. Northampton, MA.
Friday, January 25, 4-8pm – One Earth Drum Dance at Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst. One Earth Drum Dance Co is for teens ages 12-18 to aspire and achieve creative confidence through innovative cultural experiences that support vibrancy and artistic brilliance. Drum dance is a diverse, spirited, life-affirming celebration. Emphasis placed on personal development, well being, and collective rapport. Rehearsals and creative process will be directed with a focus on artistic integrity, technical development and freedom to explore. Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst. 413-253-2848. 121 N Pleasant St, Amherst, MA.
Friday, January 25, 7-8:30pm – First Person Presentation: Harriet Tubman at Storrowton Village Museum. Living historian Gwendolyn Quezaire-Presutti will perform “I Can’t Die But Once,” taking the audience back to 1887, during one of Tubman’s speeches in a meeting hall addressing friends and supporters. Toward the end of the presentation, there will be a Q&A with Tubman before switching to a short talk about the historian researching the subject as an actor. Storrowton Village Museum. 413-205-5051. 1305 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, MA.
Hilltown Families’ list of Suggested Events is supported in part by grants from the Amherst, Agwam, Buckland, Gill, Hadley, Hatfield, Hinsdale/Peru, and Tyringham Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
