Suggested Events 07/20/07 – 07/27/07
THEATER MARATHON vs. CANNONBALLS
We’re RICH in theater this week. With an abundance of theater-going opportunities, I could potentially take my daugher to see seven classic stories performed on stage, including The Princess and the Pea, Aladdin, Beauty & the Beast, Cinderella, Three Little Pigs, Hansel & Gretel and the Frog Princess. All in the span of seven days! If I were really ambitious, we could go on a theater marathon, doing a home study on the various methods the different shows will be empolying, including puppetry, musicals, avantgarde or classic theater … or… we could hang out poolside in Worthington, or at the lake in Ashfield, soaking up the sun and splashing the day away.
My daughter will start her third week of swim lessons next week. She’s this close (pinching fingers half an inch apart) to swimming on her own. She’s doing cannon balls off the dock, dropping in over her head in the murky waters, and then emerging with fear and exhilaration on her face. Then she gets out, runs up on the dock and does it again. And again. And again. Until she’s so tired that just the thought of a popped balloon will send her into a complete meltdown.
NEW FEATURES, BELLS & WHISTLES
A feature has been added for our list of weekly suggested events on Hilltown Families: A Printable Format Link. (hear loud applause, cheering and whistles!) That’s right folks … you are now able to print out our list of suggested and coordinated events every week and tack it to your bulletin board, tape it to your fridge, or shove it in your junk drawer. I decided to make this available after a number of families have expressed how much they missed the monthly calendar I put together for several years for young families with kids 5 and under. Now that our kids are getting older and getting out and about, here’s a printable version to go along with you.
SUGGESTED EVENTS THIS WEEK
If you have a family-friendly event or educational program happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, or would like to submit your event to the Hilltown Families calendar of Suggested Events, email Sienna at swildfield@juno.com. Comments are warmly welcomed!
Check your local forecast | Get directions | Add an event
Free Museum Passes | Farmer’s Market | Printable Format
Events Happening in the Hilltowns
Friday – 07/20
10am – PLAYDATE – Bridge Street School playground in Northampton, MA. 10am-Noon. [Families] (Free)
10am, 1pm & 7pm – FAMILY MUSICAL – The Academy at Charlemont will offer a free musical: “The Princess and the Pea.” Call 413.339.4912 for more info and directions. [Families] (Free)
Dusk – MOVIE ON THE COMMON – Free outdoor movie on the Pittsfield Common, beginning shortly after dust. This week it’s Charlotte’s Web, based on the classic children’s book by E.B. White. Rain cancels. 413.499.9344 [Families] (Free)
Saturday – 07/21
8am – MUSIC – While traveling around town, tune-in to WXOJ 103.3 FM in Northampton, MA, from 8-10am to hear fabulous family-friendly music on Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child [All ages] (Free)
10:30am – FAMILY PERFORMANCE – Free performance at the South Hadley Town Commons with Tom Neilson and his interactive songs. Bring blankets or lawn chairs. Rain location: Odyssey Book Store [Families] (Free)
11am- COMMUNITY DAY & FIREMEN’S MUSTER – In Hinsdale, MA, from 11am-midnight, and on Sunday from 1-5pm. Catch a firemen’s, kids and parade musters, along with a parade, water polo, bonfire, music, food and more. [Families] (free/$)
1pm – STORYTELLING – At the Eric Carle Museum in Hadley, MA, master storyteller, Motoko weaves a performance with mime and oral traditions. Her stories promote an understanding of Japanese history and culture while highlighting the universality of the human experience. 413.658.1155 [Families] (Free with a museum pass)
PARENTS DAY
10am – YOUNG EQUESTRIANS – The Hampshire County Riding Club will be presenting an Old Time Gymkhana with lots of games and food. All are invited. Located on Ball Road in Goshen, MA. For more information call 413.339.5592 [Families] (Free)
6pm – OUTDOOR CONCERT – Look Park in Florence, MA, presents an outdoor concert at the Sanctuary at Willow Lake as part of their Sunday evening band concert series. Bring your lawn chairs. [Families] (Free with park pass)
Monday – 07/23
4:30pm – FAMILY SWIM – Hilltown Families invites families to meet at Ashfield Pond in Ashfield, MA, for a swimming playdate. Bring a picnic dinner. [Families] (Free)
Tuesday – 07/24
10am – LIBRARY PROGRAM – Catch the Beat at Your Library summer reading program in Becket, MA. Click here for more info. [Families] (Free)
10am – PLAYDATE – Pulaski Park in Northampton, MA, next to the Academy of Music on Main Street. 10am-Noon. [Families] (Free)
7pm – HILLTOWN FAMILY VARIETY SHOW – Tune-in between bath and bed time to the Hilltown Families very own radio show on WXOJ LP 103.3 FM, Valley Free Radio, out of Northampton, MA. www.valleyfreeradio.org [Families] (Free)
5pm – FAMILY PIZZA NIGHT – Hilltown Families invites families to come together for pizza at Country Pie on Main Street in Ashfield, MA. [Families] ($)
Thursday – 07/26
1pm – CHILDREN’S THEATER – The Majestic Theatre offers a tongue and cheek performance of Grimm Brothers’ tale, Hansel and Gretel in West Springfield. 413.747.7797 [Families] ($)
6pm – COMMUNITY PICNIC – Join other Hilltown Families for a community picnic happening on Main Street [St. John’s Corner] in Ashfield, MA. Potluck. Hot dogs, burgers and beverages provided. Bring a lawn chair and a game if you wish. [Families] (Free)
6:30pm – OUTDOOR MUSIC – Every Thursday in July & August there will be a free summer music series in Huntington, MA. Bring lawn chairs and join the community at the gazebo. Rain location: Stanton Hall. [Families] (Free)
6:30pm – MAGIC SHOW – Sherid Adams will be at the Meekins Library in Worthington, MA, doing a magic show. [Families] (Free)
Friday – 07/27
10am – PLAYDATE – Bridge Street School playground in Northampton, MA. 10am-Noon. [Families] (Free)
10:30am – CHILDREN’S THEATRE – New Century Theatre presents The Frog Princess from 07/25-07/28. General seating. Show begins promptly at Theatre 14 in Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts of Smith College in Northampton, MA. Click here for more info. 413.587.3933 [Families] ($)
5pm – COMMUNITY DINNER – Elmer’s in Ashfield, MA, invites community members to come together to share dinner and conversation every Friday evening. Menu TBA. 413.628.4003 [Families] ($)
Free Event for Children
Launches New Class at NCMC
http://www.ncmc.net
Latest addition to curriculum promotes Jewish music and culture
Northampton, MA ~ Beginning this fall, the Northampton Community Music Center will offer “Sing Shalom!”, a class which introduces young children to the rich world of Jewish secular and sacred music from a variety of cultures. Geared towards children ages birth to 5 years, “Sing Shalom!” will engage them and their parents/caregivers in movement, instrument play, singing, chanting, and storytelling. “Sing Shalom!” is taught by Eric Roth and Amy Meltzer, and is open to all families. The class will run Wednesdays from 11:00 – 11:45 am, with the fall session beginning September 19th. The cost of this program is $130 per 10-week session, plus an additional materials fee (cost covers one child and one parent/caregiver). Financial aid is available to all who qualify. NCMC would like to acknowledge the support of the Jewish Arts & Culture Initiative, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, which helped pilot this program.
Interested families may attend a free demo class at NCMC during an afternoon of Jewish music and festivities on August 29th. The “Sing Shalom!” demo class will take place at 4:30 pm; at 5:00pm there will be an introduction to the Shofar, a traditional Jewish instrument used in ceremonies marking the Jewish New Year. Watermelon and popsicles will be provided, as well as a free Shofar to the first 20 families. This event is sponsored by The PJ Library, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts.
The Northampton Community Music Center is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is “to foster the love and pursuit of music within the community through quality musical education, performances, and activities that are accessible to all.” NCMC’s talented faculty offer a diverse range of musical programs to more than 750 participants a year—both adults and children—and bring concerts and other musical events to hundreds more in our surrounding communities, uniting people of all ages and backgrounds through the shared experience of music. NCMC is the only music school in Hampshire County that offers financial aid: no qualifying student has ever been denied scholarship.
For more information, or to register for the class, please call NCMC at (413) 585-0001 or visit our website: http://www.ncmc.net.
Thursday July 26, 10:30-11:30 am – Tom Ricardi, “Birds of Prey” at the Worthington Library in Worthington, MA.
Westhampton’s free summer concert series will present Acoustic Brew on Thursday (07/26/07) at 6:30pm. Rain location: Town Hall.
Hinsdale Dayz Day
Sunday August 12th from 11am-4pm. (Rain date: August 22nd)
First annual community event with music, crafters, artists, businesses, marching band and organizations at the town park and surrounding area. Bring chairs and blankets to lounge in.
Live Music on the lawn at the Bryant Homestead
Greenwood Music Camp will be held at The William Cullen Bryant Homestead on Sunday, July 29 at 3:00 p.m. with an afternoon of free chamber music. Bring chairs and blankets. Refreshments available. For more info call 413-634-2244 or email bryanthomestead@ttor.org.
GERWICK PUPPETS: The Case of the Missing Wood Ppile to perform at
Stanley PARK’S [Westfield] Friday Mornings for Children on August 10th
This is a musical mystery about two children, Mary Lou and Bruce, who are on summer vacation. Suddenly a pile of wood disappears and they have to solve the mystery. This program is appropriate for children ages 4 & up. Please visit http://www.gerwickpuppets.com for further information.
Friday Mornings for Children are held rain or shine in the Beveridge Pavilion and are free of charge. Chairs will be provided.
For further information on the Friday Mornings for Children Series please call the park office at 413-568-9312.