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On the first day of 2020, Hilltown Families and Flywheel are partnering again in the beloved annual New Year’s Day Morning Dance Party, a breakfast bash featuring food, dancing, and diversions for kids held at Flywheel Arts Collective located in the old Town Hall (43 Main Street) in Easthampton, MA. New this year, local storyteller, Tom McCabe, will spin a yarn while folks enjoy a community pancake breakfast. After breakfast, families can join DJ Youthelectronix for the “best ever dance party before noon.”
This annual event is a fundraiser to benefit the work of Flywheel Arts Collective. Minimum suggested donation: $6/person. Start the new year with a New Year’s Day Music Dance Party. Save on the babysitter and dance away on the first morning of the new year! So much cheaper than a night out on the town and just as much fun!
“Hilltown Families and Flywheel Arts Collective strive to build community through collaboration and community engagement,” says Hilltown Families Founder, Sienna Wildfield. “Getting families with children of all ages out and engaged in their community has its challenges in the winter. Through collaboration, we can bring our community of families a Morning Music Party Series with pancakes and dancing for the ‘best ever dance party before noon.”
This event is the first in a series of three for Winter 2020:
- Wednesday, January 1, 10am-12pm
- Saturday, February 1, 10am-12pm
- Saturday, March 14, 10am-12pm
On the first day of 2020, Hilltown Families and Flywheel are partnering again in the beloved annual New Year’s Day Morning Dance Party, a breakfast bash featuring food, dancing, and diversions for kids held at Flywheel Arts Collective located in the old Town Hall (43 Main Street) in Easthampton, MA. New this year, local storyteller, Tom McCabe, will spin a yarn while folks enjoy a community pancake breakfast. After breakfast, families can join DJ Youthelectronix for the “best ever dance party before noon.”
This annual event is a fundraiser to benefit the work of Flywheel Arts Collective. Minimum suggested donation: $6/person. Start the new year with a New Year’s Day Music Dance Party. Save on the babysitter and dance away on the first morning of the new year! So much cheaper than a night out on the town and just as much fun!
“Hilltown Families and Flywheel Arts Collective strive to build community through collaboration and community engagement,” says Hilltown Families Founder, Sienna Wildfield. “Getting families with children of all ages out and engaged in their community has its challenges in the winter. Through collaboration, we can bring our community of families a Morning Music Party Series with pancakes and dancing for the ‘best ever dance party before noon.”
This event is the first in a series of three for Winter 2020:
- Wednesday, January 1, 10am-12pm
- Saturday, February 1, 10am-12pm
- Saturday, March 14, 10am-12pm
For many, New Year’s Day is a time for peace, quiet, and calmness. Though it’s the beginning of something new, it’s also a time to reflect on all that life brought during the past year in preparation for what’s soon to come. Luckily, New Year’s Day in western Massachusetts offers us a beautiful landscape within which to reflect. As 2019 begins, families can connect to the world around them by participating in facilitated First Day hikes or by exploring on their own through the chilly landscape.
To find out about more event, be sure to visit our Suggest an Event Bulletin Board to see what our readers have recently shared! Have an event to share? Feel encouraged to self-post community events here at any time![/caption]
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 development and enhancement of our local economy and community. Local businesses, individuals, schools, and non-profits are encouraged to partner with Hilltown Families through sponsorship and advertising. 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 while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Click HERE to find out more.
Each week, Hilltown Families taps into your interests and values and gives you the chance to connect with others who want to explore them. By highlighting the learning opportunities that are embedded in the everyday events, activities, and spaces that make up our communities, sharing this information with families via our extensive online network, and supporting your participation in engaging and meaningful ways, together, we are building connections that shape and change lives and communities.
The beautiful fact is, we can’t do any of this without you. It all comes back to you and your engagement. During this season of gratitude and giving, we are inviting you not only to get out and have some fun while you learn, we’re inviting you to invest in the organization that helps make that possible. Hilltown Families is in the process of redesigning our website and planning new in-person programming for the Spring. We will bring you seasonally-based mindfulness events and workshops for learners of all ages and backgrounds at our founder, Sienna Wildfield’s, new space, Curly Willow on the Westfield River. But we need your help. Please support what you love by donating what you can to Hilltown Families. Consider making it a monthly contribution. For less than what you spend on a cup of coffee, you can make a big difference in the lives of families – just like yours – throughout Western MA! We thank you!
Our Saturday Morning Music Party Series is BACK!
On New Year’s Day (Jan 1st), Hilltown Families, the Flywheel Arts Collective, and the Easthampton Family Center are continuing the beloved ‘Morning Music Party’ series for another year with a breakfast bash featuring food, dancing, and diversions for kids! This year, we are starting off this family series on New Year’s Day, January 1, with a First Day Morning Music Party from 10am-12noon in Easthampton, MA. Come enjoy a breakfast bash featuring free pancakes and fruit, along with an awesome dance party for all ages! It takes place at Flywheel Arts Collective in Easthampton’s old Town Hall. This event is a fundraiser for the organizers, with a “pay what you can” admission to attend with your family. So much cheaper than a night out on the town and just as much fun!
Plus, this year, we’ll be collecting donations of new toys and toiletries to donate to the YWCA of Western MA. This activity came out of one Hilltown Families grandma who wants to get her grandson into the habit of joyful giving at a young age. We think that more really is merrier and decided to open it up to the whole Hilltown Families community! Please join our family in expressing the value of generosity by developing a practice of giving as individuals, with our neighbors, to our communities. You bring the toys and toiletries and we’ll sort, package, and deliver them to the YWCA of Western MA, which, for over 150 years, has provided shelter, support services, and tools for self-sufficiency for women and girls in our community.
Bulletin Board
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Accepting applications for fall 2019. The Bement School founded in 1925 and located in Deerfield is a co-educational junior boarding and day school serving 225 students in kindergarten through grade 9. At Bement, the innovative educational approach and rigorous curriculum prepare students well for competitive secondary schools and to tackle the challenges of life. Students work hard, learn to overcome obstacles, persevere with joy and optimism, develop a strong sense of self, and find ways to help others. Children and adults at Bement work together to create a community where all members cultivate mutual respect and understanding within the school and the world. For info on how to arrange a campus visit, call 413-774-4209 or visit www.bement.org.
Add Your Venue![/caption]
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Hilltown Families is now partnering with local businesses and organizations throughout Western MA to help parents connect with the right venue for their kid’s birthday party. The Best Birthday Party Venue Directory will debut on January 1st, 2019. We would like to invite your venue to join our stellar team of spaces that are partnering with us to reach new customers and make birthdays throughout Western MA more fun for everyone! A 1-Year membership in the Best Birthday Party Venue Directory is $150. We have a special discount advertising package for folks who would like to take the promotion of their space to the next level, too! To add your venue, email Hilltown Families’ Director, Courtney Supple-Benoit, at csupple@hilltownfamilies.org to get set up quickly and easily!
Add your class[/caption]
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Reach thousands of families in the region with our 2018-2019 directory! Reserve your space. Our community is rich in after-school learning opportunities to supplement the interests of our children, teens, and life-long learners. We are putting together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts to be published on our web site later this month and featured throughout the school year. If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Add your school[/caption]
Hilltown Families Preschool Directory: Are you looking for a preschool that fits your child’s personality and reflects your family’s values? Check out our growing Preschool Directory, covering all four counties in Western Massachusetts, and find the perfect place for your young one! — Have a school you’d like to include in this list? Click here to find out how to have it added.
ADVERTISE HERE: Reach thousands of families in Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! See your summer camp, class, community event, school, open house, audition, homeschool program, workshop, volunteer opportunity, wellness program, local business, after-school class, or non-profit featured here in the Bulletin Board section of our list of Weekly Suggested Events and in our weekly eNewsletter, reaching thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Find out more about our advertising options and how you can partner with Hilltown Families in your online marketing by emailing us at at sales@hilltownfamilies.org.
JOIN OUR TEAM OF CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Interested in becoming a Contributing or Guest Writer for Hilltown Families? We welcome writings that reflect the community-building and educational efforts parents, teens, teachers, artists, activists and community leaders work towards and accomplish, and how that affects, supports and empowers our families. All writing styles welcomed, including local reviews, DIY posts, seasonal cooking/local food, and community-based educational & community service learning opportunities/resources. Send your query to info@hilltownfamilies.org.
LIST OF WEEKLY SUGGESTED EVENTS
December 29th, 2018 – January 4th, 2019
Saturday • Sunday
Monday • Tuesday • Wednesday • Thursday • Friday
Suggest an Event | Cultural Itineraries | Forecast | Museum Passes | Weekly eNewsletter | Farmers’ Markets | Storyhour & Playgroups| Berkshire Family Fun | Advertise/Sponsorship | en Español
On the first day of 2018, Hilltown Families and the Flywheel Arts Collective are continuing the beloved ‘Morning Music Party’ series for another year with a breakfast bash featuring food, dancing, and diversions for kids! This year we are starting off this family series on New Year’s Day, January 1, with a morning music party on from 10am-12noon in Easthampton, MA.
The morning begins with a complementary breakfast of homemade pancakes, juice, and fresh fruit. There will be plenty to go around – and you’ll need it to fuel your moves for what some have called the “best ever dance party before noon!” DJ Youthelectronix will be on the ones and twos, spinning your favorite hits! Save on the babysitter and dance away the first morning of the new year!
These Morning Music Parties are a fundraiser for both Flywheel & Hilltown Families, with a “pay what you can” admission to attend with your family. So much cheaper than a night out on the town and just as much fun!
This monthly segment continued on Monday, December 26, 2016 with Sienna and Lauren talking about the value-based ways to engage in your community to celebrate the new year, including First Night celebrations, First Day Hikes, and a New Year’s Day Family Music Party:
On the first day of 2017, Hilltown Families and the Flywheel Arts Collective are continuing the beloved ‘Morning Music Party’ series for another year with a breakfast bash featuring food, dancing and diversions for kids! This year we are starting off this family series on New Year’s Day with a morning music party from 10am-12noon in Easthampton, MA! Mark your calendars and make plans to dance in the New Year!
Originally broadcasted out of Northampton, MA on WXOJ-LP 103.3FM (Valley Free Radio) for the holidays, we’ve gathered eight holiday episodes of the Hilltown Family Variety Show from over the years to share with your family as we celebrate the season. Enjoy these hour long, commercial-free podcasts that celebrate Chanukah, Christmas, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, the New Year and the spirit of peace and giving.
On the first day of 2016, Hilltown Families and the Flywheel Arts Collective are continuing the beloved ‘Morning Music Party’ series for another year with a breakfast bash featuring food, dancing and diversions for kids! This year we are starting off this family series on New Year’s Day with a morning music party from 10am-12noon in Easthampton, MA.
New Years Eve…a great global unity in celebrating the past joys and the hopeful future. Celebrate with your children this year out in your community. Read on for some great suggestions for a family friendly New Years Eve celebrations in western MA!
We’ve curated a collection of holiday episodes of the Hilltown Family Variety Show for your listening enjoyment! Listen any time to these hour-long commercial-free podcasts, originally broadcasted on 103.3FM WXOJ, celebrating Chanukah, Christmas, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, the New Year and the spirit of peace and giving!
Celebrating the New Year It’s the last day of the year! There are a number of community events families can join in today to celebrate the last day of the year while ushering in the new year! NEW YEAR’S EVE Holyoke’s First Night, Jr. Northampton’s First Night Wilbraham New Year’s Eve Celebration 16th Annual Starry Starry Night in Orange Jiminy Peak Tochlight Parade If you’re looking for a fun Parents’ Night Out… Read More
First Nights to First Day Hikes. Emancipation Proclamation to John F. Kennedy. Dinosaurs to Bubbles… These are just a few of the learning highlights we’re featuring this week! Get out into your community and learn while you play! And be sure to check our list of supporting book titles to supplement the learning on the different topics highlighted each week. Purchase them for your family library, or check them out from the public… Read More
Hilltown Family Variety Show Holiday Radio Shows/Podcasts Originally broadcasted out of Northampton, MA on WXOJ-LP 103.3FM (Valley Free Radio) for the holidays, we’ve gathered six holiday episodes of the Hilltown Family Variety Show from over the years to share with your family as we celebrate the season. Enjoy these commercial-free podcasts that celebrate Chanukah, Christmas, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, the New Year and the spirit of peace and giving. The Heart of Chanukah… 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 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,… Read More
Follow Hilltown Families on Discover fun and educational events happening this weekend in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. 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… Read More
The Hilltown Family Variety Show has put together an extended New Year’s Day PEACE Episode fill with song the family will enjoy about peace. Click here to listen now and to see the playlist of new and old favorite PEACE SONGS.
HAPPY NEW YEAR … HILLTOWN FAMILIES LOOKS AHEAD! We’ve survived the holidays (so far!) and are looking forward to an exciting New Year! Lots of fun and exciting events and activities are on the horizon for all families to choose from and enjoy in the months to come, including: Outdoor Adventures for Kids in the Hilltowns, starting on January 7th with our winter program. Hilltown Families (that’s us!) has collaborated with Tekoa… Read More
I am not sure what we are having for non-fish-eating vegetarians and others, but I do know that it will be the same menu after the word “Fish.” I’m just not certain what comes before that word for the vegetarians. It will be something, however, and something good.
Cultural Itineraries
- Season: January & February
- Season: March & April
- Season: May & June
- Season: July & August
- Season: September & October
- Season: November & December
