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Date: 1/16/2024
AMHERST — Snow or not, WinterFest 2024 comes to the town again with an assortment of activities for the community.
The Amherst Recreation Department, working with a host of community partners, is changing some things up from past years as they put together a celebration of, “the magic of winter and community togetherness.”
Becky Demling, Amherst Recreation Outreach director, said people will see welcome additions and a few changes as they keep in step with the community.
“We’re reimagining it a little bit this year, adding some new events and changing things just to reinvigorate it.” she said.
Amid the recent snows, followed by rain, the schedule and events have been refreshed and retooled to make the most of the town offerings.
“With the change in weather, with less snow we have to be a little more flexible about how we plan things,” Demling said.
Each day of WinterFest offers something different in various parts of town starting with a Winter Wonderland Family Science event at the Hitchcock Center and the first annual WinterFest Games at the Mill River Recreational Center.
Also planned, the first annual WinterFest Craft Fair the Amherst Regional Middle School which will feature more than 40 vendors.
A collaboration the Senior Center brings the “Snow Ball” to the Bangs Community Center, an afternoon of intergenerational dance for all ages featuring music and refreshments.
A wide variety of events and gatherings include six days of public skating at the Mullins Center Community Ice Rink, presentations with the Amherst Historical Society, Ancestral Bridges along with nine individual sporting events featuring Amherst College athletes.
On the Town Common, a Fire and Ice Festival and Luminaria with ice sculptures and live entertainment will be part of the WinterFest grand finale.
Demling said it all comes together because the town comes together.
“WinterFest is only possible because of our sponsors and our community partners,” she said. “We have 20 community partners this year which is fantastic and [they] help us with making sure we have an array of events that will bring the community out.”
WinterFest runs Jan. 27 through Feb. 3 with most events free and all are open to the public.
Information on all the events is available at amherstma.gov.