EASTHAMPTON — With temperatures in the low 50s on Saturday, it felt more like spring than winter but the balmy weather didn’t deter people from enjoying the winter-themed activities of the city’s annual WinterFest.
From traditional ice harvesting demonstrations on Nashawannuck Pond, horse drawn wagon rides and a community bonfire, to a downtown scavenger hunt, children and adults alike celebrated the winter season despite the unusually warm temperatures and COVID-19 restrictions that curtailed previously scheduled indoor WinterFest sponsored events.
“This year everything is outside and online with no indoor activities that are sponsored by the committee,” Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee member Beth Tiffany said. “We also had to cancel the ice sculptor, because it was too warm, but we are still having a very good turnout.”
While many people appreciated the milder temperatures, some longed for a more wintry experience.
“I love winter and I was really hoping it would be colder, because I like watching the ice sculpting,” said Katie Collins of Northampton, who attended the festivities with her partner Thomas Freeman. “But we are still having a great time just being outside, seeing people having fun and enjoying the day.”
The ice harvesting event remained an extremely popular draw.
Crowds of people gathered out on the ice as Jay Blain of Springfield demonstrated how blocks of ice were removed from the frozen pond using traditional tools such as giant ice saws, breaker bars, pikes and large ice tongs.
Meanwhile, Dennis Picard of Westfield sat on the bank of the pond surrounded by traditional tools and treating onlookers to historical facts about the ice industry in New England.
Picard surprised many as he told them that by the 1880s, ice harvesting was the ninth largest industry in the country.
“The number one export was cotton, but ice was number two, and it was shipped all over the world,” he said.
Stefanie and Kevin Rowe brought their two children Liam and Mia up from Springfield for the event.
“This is so interesting, I have never seen anything like this,” Kevin Rowe said. “You may see it in documentaries, but to see it done like this in real life right in front of you, is very neat!”
Stefanie Rowe said she was hesitant to go out on the ice due to the warm weather.
“I was nervous, but then I saw the big blocks they had pulled out and you can see how thick the ice still is, so that made me feel better about walking out there.”
Picard said that the ice this year was better than it has been in the past few years.
“There is 10 inches of clear ice and about 3 inches of snow ice which has air mixed in,” he said as he described the visible layers in a large block of ice that had been dragged out of the pond and on to the bank.
At the parking lot of 50 Payson Ave., WinterFest volunteer Jillian Plourd was busy trying to keep up with the reservations being made for the horse-drawn wagon rides presented by Clay Hill Farm.
“These wagon rides are very popular today!” she said just after noon. “We are already up to 10 rides with 16 people on each one.”
Returning from their ride, Terri Pajak, of Easthampton, and her daughter Olivia 10, hopped off the wagon with big smiles.
“The ride was beautiful and it was fun to just sit back and watch all the festivities.” Pajak said. “Now we are going to do the scavenger hunt and then finish off the day trying out that new flavor of ice cream which I am really excited about.”
Mt. Tom Ice Cream had sponsored a WinterFest flavor contest in conjunction with the event and the winning flavor was “Toasty by the Fire,” featuring burnt coffee with a salty butter caramel swirl with mini marshmallows.
“WinterFest is our major fundraiser for the care and management of the pond and our sponsors have been very generous this year,” Tiffany said. “We have raised $6,000 and received $1,200 in gift certificates from local businesses that were used as prizes in the various contests.
Some other venues holding activities during the day included the Emily Williston Library, featuring a story walk called “Over and Under the Snow,” Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary held a nature walk, and Juggernaut Glass offered glass-blowing demonstrations.
Tiffany also said that over 60 people had entered the WinterFest photo contest this year.
Perhaps the most eye-catching feature of the day was the large balloon incarnation of Bumble the “Abominable Snow monster” posted at the entrance to the pond. Owned by Mike Superson, of Big E’s Supermarket, Bumble was on loan for the event and was a hit with the younger crowd, many of whom clamored for pictures of themselves with the gigantic snow monster.