NORTHAMPTON — As Massachusetts experiences a decline in fatal opioid overdoses for the first time in over a decade, communities across the region are preparing to gather this month to remember those who have died and support families and loved ones who have been affected by the crisis.
Northampton and Easthampton will each hold overdose remembrance vigils, bringing together residents, health officials, treatment providers, recovery organizations and people who have lost loved ones.
Easthampton’s vigil is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 17, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Pleasant Green Park, between Pleasant Green Street East and Pleasant Green Street West. The event previously was held at Millside Park, but construction of a new skate park prompted organizers to move it this year.
In Northampton, the annual vigil is planned for Thursday, Aug. 27, from 6 to 8 p.m., on the lawn at Forbes Library. The event is being organized collectively by community partners and has been held for more than a decade, said Taylor McDonough, director of substance use prevention for the Northampton Department of Health and Human Services.
Beginning around 7 p.m. at the Northampton vigil, speakers and community members will share stories and reflections from the past year. The evening will conclude with a candle tribute, with candles and ribbons available for participants. Residents are encouraged to bring photographs of the names of loved ones, as well as lawn chairs and blankets.
The first hour will focus on connecting residents with resources, with tables from treatment providers, recovery and harm reduction organizations and other community partners.
“There will also be an opportunity to memorialize someone you may have lost or community members have lost at a table focused on grief support,” McDonough said.
According to a report in June by the state’s Department of Public Health, the number in overdose deaths has slowed for the first time in over a decade. Total annual opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts fell below 1,000, according to Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) preliminary 2025 data recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While the events will highlight the loss of life due to overdoses, local organizers also underscore the work being done to reduce the number of overdose-related deaths in their communities.
McDonough said the vigil has evolved over the years, shifting its focus toward creating space for grief and remembrance while also looking toward continued efforts to prevent deaths.
“I think over the last few years we as a state have been fortunate to see a decline in overdose fatalities,” said McDonough. “But the losses that have been felt over the last 10, 15, 20 years at this point are still very real, and we are still continuing to lose community members.”
The vigils also provide an opportunity for people affected by the crisis to come together, she said.
“I think it’s important to provide a space for providers and residents who have lost someone to come together and know that we haven’t forgotten about the individual and know that the community does not turn a blind eye,” McDonough said.
Emma Reilly, Easthampton’s mental health and wellness coordinator, said the first hour of the Easthampton vigil will focus on resources related to grief, recovery and treatment. Attendees also will have the opportunity to paint rocks for a memorial garden, including writing notes or the names of people who have died from overdoses. Pizza also will be provided.
Speakers will include state Sen. John Velis, state Rep. Homar Gomez and City Council President Koni Denham, as well as two people who have lost loved ones to an overdose. Music also will be part of the memorial.
Reilly said that while overdose deaths have generally declined, Easthampton has seen signs of concern this year.
“In general overdoses have declined, but I do think they’re actually up this year,” she said.
She also said the city is seeing more overdoses involving people who use stimulants laced with fentanyl.
“We are seeing more overdoses for those using stimulants, people who are not necessarily using substances that would cause an overdose, but we are finding that there could be fentanyl laced in cocaine and other stimulants,” Reilly said.
One of the primary tools communities have used to respond is expanding access to naloxone, the medication used to reverse an opioid overdose.
Northampton has worked to make naloxone widely available, McDonough said, while Easthampton has installed NaloxBoxes, or publicly accessible boxes containing naloxone, throughout the city. Easthampton now has about 10 NaloxBoxes, Reilly said, including eight in community buildings and two along the Manhan Rail Trail.
“That’s one piece of it,” McDonough said of naloxone access. “There’s also continued coordination between partners to ensure that individuals looking for treatment or recovery support have resources to start that process.”
Other resources, including the Don’t Use Alone emergency hotline, also are being promoted, Reilly said. Both cities are also using opioid settlement funds to support community efforts related to the crisis.
Northampton recently wrapped up an inaugural mini-grant process and was finalizing contracts to distribute settlement funds, McDonough said. The city hopes to create additional opportunities to support local organizations.
In Easthampton, some opioid settlement funds are being used to help host the vigil, according to Evan LeBeau, the mayor’s assistant. LeBeau said the event’s focus is on remembering those who died rather than simply discussing statistics surrounding the opioid crisis.
“We want to make sure that the theme of this is to honor and remember those that have lost their life to overdose,” he said. “The focus is their memory and supporting the families and loved ones that have experienced this type of terrible loss.”
