The Williamsburg Firefighters Association will hold an open house Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Fire Station Number 1, 5 North Main St.
This is a chance for the public to see the town’s new, fully equipped, six-person-cab fire engine.
Custom built specifically for the Williamsburg Fire Department, the $465,000 fire engine is equipped with rollover protection and a climate-controlled cab, so that when needed, firefighters can recuperate inside the truck.
The truck is capable of pumping 1,200 gallons of water per minute and is equipped with fire-suppressing foam and six new self-contained breathing apparatuses.
A variety of other important firefighting equipment will also be on display, and visitors will have the opportunity to meet the firefighters, hear about the important work that they do, and how the department functions.
It is also a chance for residents to see the state of the firehouse and the conditions that have led to the town’s current pursuit of a new public safety complex.
“We can’t house the new engine here in Williamsburg because it is too big to fit into the station,” fire department administrative assistant Kenneth Taylor said. “We have to keep it at the Haydenville station where it just barely fits.
Taylor emphasized “just barely,” saying that there is only about 2 inches of clearance in the Haydenville garage bay for the new engine, a situation that he says has made several firefighters extremely uneasy about backing the engine into the station.
“We really do need a public safety complex,” Taylor said.
Taylor said at 1 p.m. the new engine will be blessed by the department’s chaplin, Worth Noyes.
Hot dogs, popcorn and beverages will be served throughout the event.
Have you ever wondered how a potter’s wheel actually works or how potters actually form and shape the pottery that they make? Perhaps you have always wanted to try your hand pottery making?
If so, you may want to check out “The Amazing Potters Wheel” pottery demonstration at the Chesterfield Community Center on Wednesday, July 19, at 10:30 a.m.
Sponsored by the Chesterfield Council on Aging and Chesterfield Public Library, this demonstration and hands-on event will feature master potter Rick Hamelin, also known as the “Pied Potter Hamelin.”
Hamelin has been making pottery since 1976, has worked and taught in museums, and currently gives pottery demonstrations throughout New England.
This is a family-friendly event for participants of all ages. The program will include a demonstration of how pottery is made with a focus on the arts, the exploration of creativity and various techniques, adding in a touch of history.
Participants will also have the opportunity to make their own pinch pot.
Then, on July 21 at 10 a.m., The Council on Aging and the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement Program will offer an old-fashioned spin around town in a horse-drawn wagon, ending in a picnic lunch at Russell Memorial Park on South Street.
The family-owned Clay Hill Farm will provide the wagon ride around the town’s mile square. Located in Chesterfield, Clay Hill Farm owns Percheron horses and draft oxen that they use for hayrides and wagon rides for a variety of events.
The round trip ride will begin at Russell Memorial Park and return for a festive picnic for all to enjoy.
Those who wish to attend are asked to call Sarah at 296-9201, so that the appropriate arrangements can be made for food and drink.
Both of these events are free and open to the public, and are funded in part by a multigenerational grant from Highland Valley Elder Services to the Chesterfield and Westhampton Councils on Aging, Chesterfield Public Library, CFCEs of Westhampton and Chesterfield, Davenport Childcare, and the New Hingham Parent-Teacher Organization.
Jazz has filled the air at the Old Creamery Grocery and Café in Cummington at their July Hilltown Sunday Jazz Brunches.
Each Sunday, special guest artists have joined saxophonist Michael Kolodny playing acoustic swing, blues, ballads, funk, Latin and a selection of original tunes.
Kolodny is a saxophone instructor at Williams College and has performed with master musicians such as Jimmy Cobbs, Ellis Marsalis, Joe Hunt and others. He has also performed at Carnegie Hall and the Blue Note in New York City.
Two more Jazz Brunches are on tap for July. On July 16, Kolodny will be joined by pianist Benny Kohn and on July 23 he will be joined by vocalist Laura Pierce.
These events are from noon until 2 p.m. and are free with no minimum purchase required, though donations are welcomed.
For more information call the Creamery at 634-556
Ideas for this column on life in the Hilltowns can be sent to Fran Ryan at fryan.gazette@gmail.com