Hilltown Families 
Archives
Summer Bucket List & Reader Recommendations for Western MA With it’s natural beauty, local food, family attractions and community festivals and fairs, Western Massachusetts is a haven for family fun. Whether you’re visiting the area, or are fortunate enough to live here year round, the region in the summer is an engaging place to vacation or staycation! We asked our readers to recommend their favorite attractions, day trips, must see or must… Read More
Thanksgiving Episode with Guest DJ, Charity Kahn Listen to Podcast: This special Thanksgiving episode from Charity and the JAMband explores, through music and story, some of the many, many things we have to be grateful for in our lives — like the sun, rain, friends and family – – culminating in a vision for world peace where everyone finally has enough food, shelter, community and love. Incorporating songs by Snatam Kaur,… Read More
Western Massachusetts is a glorious region to explore with family and friends in the fall as the leaves start to change and drop, and harvest festivals and seasonal traditions happen each weekend. Whether you’re visiting the area, or are fortunate enough to live here year round, Western MA in the fall is one of the most beautiful places to be! We asked our readers to recommend their favorite attractions, must see or must do family activities during the fall, and we received thirty great tips. While not an exhaustive list (nor in any order) of the fun adventures families can have in Western MA, it’s a great place to start.
Western Massachusetts is a glorious region to explore with family and friends in the fall as the leaves start to change and drop, and harvest festivals and seasonal traditions happen each weekend. Whether you’re visiting the area, or are fortunate enough to live here year round, Western MA in the fall is one of the most beautiful places to be!
We asked our readers to recommend their favorite attractions, must see or must do family activities during the fall, and we many great tips. While not an exhaustive list (nor in any order) of the fun adventures families can have in Western MA, it’s a great place to start.
Peruse our list, and ff you have a recommendation to add to this list, please do! Post your suggestion in the comment field!
Our list of weekly Suggested Events for Columbus Day weekend is up! Pumpkin Festival, Discover Holyoke Day, Ashfield Fall Festival, RambleFest, Riverside Blues & BBQ, and Granville Harvest Fair are just a small sample of all the community buidling celebrations happening this weekend and next week, nestled amongst fun & educational ways to engage in your community too! Peruse our list and make plans to engage in you community in smart & fun ways!
It’s the first weekend in October and the fall festivals are in full force! Peruse our comprehensive list of weekly Suggested Events for great ideas on ways your family can join in on community celebrations and learning opportunities happening all over Western MA… you’ll also find service-learning opportunities, parenting workshops and ideas for a parents’ night out!
This month in “Parenting Possibilities,” Shana follows up from her post last month on the challenges of same-sex co-parenting. For the past month she’s experimented with yielding to the wisdom of her wife in her parenting decisions, and in doing so, found some sweet relief… an idea we can all benefit from!
It’s the first fall weekend! Community dinners and fall festivals are happening and the community-based learning continues as October steps out from around the corner early next week! Autumn is a delicious time of year here in Western MA… so get out with your family and engage in your community while the air is crisp and the leaves start to turn!
Looking for that bite sized piece of community engagement & education that will frame your children’s learning with their local landscape? Take your pick! We’ve curated another great list of suggested events for this weekend and next week that highlights both community engagement & community based education here in Western MA! There’s a little something for everyone, from tots to teens to parents…
Featured community building events this weekend in Western MA include Hilltown Hoot, Art Walks in Shelburne Falls & Easthampton, and Berkshire Food Festival! Find our about these events and over 100 other events & activities happening this weekend and all next week in our list of Weekly Suggested Events for Sept 14-20…
School’s back in session for most, and the harvest community celebrations are starting up! Find opportunities to engage and learn in your community with our list of Weekly Suggested Events, packed with community based educational opportunities, service learning experiences and community building events! And PLAYGROUPS!
It’s Labor Day Weekend… the last weekend of summer, for some. Find friends and neighbors laughing, singing and eating together all weekend long with our list of Weekly Suggested Events! Make plans to get out into your community and enjoy these final days of summer… rain or shine!
This week in “Parenting Possibilities,” Shana writes about the challenging aspects of co-parenting in a same-sex relationship. From discrimination to no pre-prescribed roles to assume, her experience at times is one of constant negotiations…
This is the last (or 2nd to last) weekend of summer freedom, for some… make the most of it either way with our list of Weekly Suggested Events! Agricultural fairs are highlighted, along with the usual awesome community building and educational events & opportunities we feature each week here on Hilltown Families! Peruse our list, make your plans, and be sure to tell your friends about Hilltown Families too… they’ll love you for it (plus, you’ll bump into more folks you know when you’re out exploring Western MA with your family)!
Our list of weekly Suggested Events is up! See which agricultural fairs are this week, museum and outdoor adventures, community service opportunities, an idea or two for a parents’ night out, and loads of learning opportunities happening all across the region!
August is in full swing and our list of weekly Suggested Events is your guide to community, family and educational events & opportunities throughout Western MA! Make your staycation this summer memorable, show out of town guests the very best the region has to offer, or just get out of your house and out into your community, learning while you play!
August is here and our list of Weekly Suggested Events captures the best community and educational opportunities our region has to offer this summer! Get out your calendars and peruse our list. Make your summer plans and enjoy time well spent in Western MA…
This month Shana uses the metaphor of the Chinese Finger Trap as it applies to parenting power struggles with her youngest son. Read her monthly column, “Parenting Possibilities: Contemplation with a Splash of Inspiration” to find out how a small woven bamboo cylinder helped her let go of anger during a power struggle with her 6yo and came out the other end with better communication and understanding…
Our list of Weekly Suggested Events is packed with family fun and educational events happening all over the region! Peruse our list, make your plans, and enjoy your summer staycation here in Western MA!
Enjoying a staycation or have family visiting? Kids not in camp? Wondering what to do in Western MA this weekend and next week? Hilltown Families list of Weekly Suggested Events is your one-stop guide to all things family friendly happening throughout the four counties of Western MA. Take a day trip in the region or just enjoy programming happening at your local library… get out your calendars, peruse our list, and have fun this weekend and next week!
Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a community event, educational program or service opportunity for youth/families 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… Read More
Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a community event, educational program or service opportunity for youth/families 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… Read More
Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a community event, educational program or service opportunity for youth/families 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… Read More
Family Dinners: Joy or Indigestion? The extensive research on the benefits of family dinners has seemed to define eating together as the make it or break it sign to raising healthy, well-adjusted children. I do agree that family meals have potential to be an opportunity to catch up on the day’s events and bond in the midst of our busy world. For years though, I have been challenged in my experience with… Read More
Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a community event, educational program or service opportunity for youth/families 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… Read More
Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a community event, educational program or service opportunity for youth/families 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… Read More
Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a community event, educational program or service opportunity for youth/families 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… Read More
Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a community event, educational program or service opportunity for youth/families 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… Read More
Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a community event, educational program or service opportunity for youth/families 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… Read More
Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a community event, educational program or service opportunity for youth/families 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… Read More
Cultural Itineraries
- Season: January & February
- Season: March & April
- Season: May & June
- Season: July & August
- Season: September & October
- Season: November & December
