EASTHAMPTON — WinterFest is returning for its ninth season on Saturday with outdoor and online activities.
Planning for the annual event began in October and was slated to be a triumphant return for the Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee after holding an online-only event in 2020.
But out of an abundance of caution regarding the increased presence of COVID-19 in Easthampton, indoor activities have been canceled or postponed, said Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee member Beth Tiffany.
“We had a gala planned to be held at the Keystone Mills, but as a city committee, the Nashawannuck Pond Committee must follow the city health director’s guidance regarding eliminating indoor public gatherings at this time,” Tiffany said.
The six-person Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee oversees the preservation of the pond. The event serves as the committee’s main fundraiser for the year.
Last year was the first year that events had ever been presented virtually, Tiffany said.
“The good thing is we start sending out sponsorship letters in November. We may not have had as many sponsorships as normal, but that was to be expected with the pandemic. But the pandemic did make us think outside the box,” she said. “The amount of participation we’ve had online has been pretty impressive.”
Some of the sponsors of this year’s WinterFest include Boylston Rooms, River Valley Co-op, Greenfield Savings Bank, Big E’s Supermarket and Fleury Lumber Co. The Gazette is the media sponsor of the event.
In 2020, there were more than 90 vendors at the fest’s craft fair — the most the committee has ever had. Though the craft fair won’t take place this year, some of the staples of WinterFest return, including Palmer ice carver Michael Rondeau, who will be on hand in the parking lot of 50 Payson Ave. to transform a block of ice into a unique creation; and the community bonfire beside Nashawannuck Pond from noon to 3 p.m.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Clay Hill Farm will provide horse-drawn wagon rides in a loop beginning and ending at 50 Payson Ave. Though all the events are free, there is a suggested donation of $2.
Depending on the weather and ice conditions, Dennis Picard is slated to demonstrate the use of antique tools used to harvest ice from noon to 3 p.m.
The committee has also been running a series of online contests, including a Nashawannuck Pond trivia contest. The person with the most correct answers will win a prize and be announced on the Nashawannuck Pond Facebook page on Saturday, Feb. 13. Other contests are available at the committee’s website at nashawannuckpond.org.
In addition to the committee-sponsored events, other area organizations and businesses will be holding events during WinterFest. Some of those include a story walk with the Emily Williston Library, featuring “Over and Under the Snow” by Kate Messner with art by Christopher Silas Neal, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Juggernaut Glass will hold a live glass-blowing demonstration at Keystone Mill in Suite 113 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Greg Hall and His Valley Diamonds will be playing at Abandoned Building Brewery, located at 142 Pleasant St., from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Additional information on this year’s WinterFest is available at nashawannuckpond.org/winterfest.
