Easthampton Winterfest returns for monumental 10th yearDate: 2/7/2023 EASTHAMPTON — The Easthampton Winterfest returns this year on Feb. 11 with a slate of dynamic events to celebrate the 10th year of its existence.
The Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee, the creator and purveyor of this event, spends its time bringing awareness to the challenges the pond faces like invasive species, erosion, silt infiltration and recently cyanobacteria, which has affected the water quality. The WinterFest event is the committee’s major fundraiser for these preservation projects and helps bring awareness to how the committee is prioritizing the health of the pond for generations to come.
“It is the 10th anniversary, so we thought big to celebrate,” said Beth Tiffany, a member of the steering committee.
Because of this milestone, the committee decided on a theme called “Decadence,” and much like the past few years, the celebration started on Jan. 1 and continued throughout the rest of the month as well as early February. Events like the “WinterFest Ice Cream Contest,” the Chili Cook-Off and paper snowflake making were among the many activities that dictated the month-plus celebration.
“Previous to [the coronavirus pandemic], it was just one day of celebrations,” said Tiffany. “But when COVID-19 hit, we had to move events online.”
Some of those online events, like the online trivia contest, returned this year due to their popularity, according to Tiffany, while other in-person activities — like snowflake making and live trivia — occurred some days before Feb. 11.
The celebrations culminates on Feb. 11 with a list of events happening all day, including the Deca-Dance Gala, which is the wrap-up event from 6 to 10 p.m. featuring live music from Johnny and the Flashbacks, appetizers from Meyers Eatery and a return of the Ice Bar. The dance will occur in the Keystone Mill East Boylston Room.
Prior to that, people will have the opportunity to participate in a mixture of outdoor and indoor events including martial arts/self-defense demonstrations, live music from Adam Zucker, roasting marshmallows around a community fire, a magic show from Ed Popelarczik, a historical ice harvest from Dennis Picard at 50 Payson Avenue and much more.
Nature hikes will also occur throughout the day, as well as showings of the movie “Ice Age” and horse-drawn wagon rides beginning at 11 a.m.
According to Tiffany, the Craft & Vendor show will also return with about 30 vendors throughout the Keystone Mill building. Before, there used to be around 90, but due to the coronavirus pandemic and general lack of space for people to traverse through, Tiffany said it was best to include more room for people to navigate through the building while visiting the vendors. “That’s our comfort level this year,” she said, referring to the number of vendors.
The steering committee’s hope is to raise at least $10,000 at this year’s event to help with their preservation efforts, since costs for certain projects vary.
“Most immediately, which seems to be getting annual, we monitor the pond for invasives…and we contract a company to do herbicide treatment,” said Tiffany, referring to one of the many preservation efforts spearheaded by the committee.
Funds from the WinterFest will go toward myriad projects including one that minimizes algae growth and cyanobacteria. When the latter blooms, it can cause chronic and acute health hazards to animals, plants and people, according to Tiffany.
But beyond that, the committee wants to have a general revolving of funds since preservation efforts are always ongoing.
Tiffany also mentioned that other projects, like the Broad Brook and White Brook siltation projects, were funded simultaneously through money from the city and money raised by the steering committee. The projects involved the removal of sediment collected by the Gabion Weir. Although that project is done, Tiffany said that continuous work will have to be completed sometime down the road to clean those basins out again.
“It’s a continual building of finances because in the future, [the brooks] will need work,” said Tiffany.
People can learn more about the WinterFest’s slate of activities by visiting the website: https://www.nashawannuckpond.org/winterfest.html.
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