Public Safety Festival rolls into Florence on Friday
The Northampton Police Department, in partnership with the Franklin County Police Cadets, is hosting the 2026 Fall Public Safety Festival Friday from 4 to 8 p.m at Look Memorial Park in Florence.
This large-scale regional community engagement event will feature about 75 first responder and public safety agencies showcasing specialty apparatus, cruisers and specialized equipment.
The event will include demonstrations such as live helicopter landings (Life Star), drone demonstrations and live tactical K9 demonstrations.
Also included will be live music BluGroove, local food trucks, a s’mores station and a children’s costume contest.
This festival serves as an excellent regional platform for specialized units to interact directly with the community and showcase operational capabilities alongside fellow New England public safety entities. Entry, parking and staging for all participating agency vehicles are completely free.
CHD now offers primary care at Easthampton clinic
EASTHAMPTON — Responding to a deficit in primary care providers in the region, the Center for Human Development (CHD) recently introduced a new service: CHD Primary Care at its outpatient behavioral health clinics in Easthampton, Orange and West Springfield.
The program integrates medical care, nursing case management, and behavioral health services under one umbrella. From preventive visits and routine checkups to managing chronic conditions, CHD Primary Care is designed to make it easier for people to get the personalized, ongoing care they need close to home and without waiting.
Services include minor illness and injuries, chronic disease management, diagnostic services, medication refills, referrals to specialists and access to behavioral health care.
The Easthampton clinic is located at 65 Union St.
Carle After Dark returns with ‘Color Quest’
AMHERST — The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art will bring back its Carle After Dark series on Thursday, Oct. 1, from 4 to 7 p.m., with an evening devoted to exploring the power of color.
The first event in a three-part “Color Quest” series is inspired by the museum’s “Eric Carle’s Modernist Inspirations” exhibition. Families can experiment with color combinations, create collages inspired by Carle’s artistic process and begin building their own “Artist’s Palette” of colors and visual ideas.
Storytimes featuring books that use color in imaginative ways will be held at 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. Admission is pay as you wish.
Carle After Dark will continue on the first Thursday of each month through June 2027.
Spanish-language homebuyer session set in South Hadley
SOUTH HADLEY — Greenfield Cooperative Bank will host a free Spanish-language information session for first-time homebuyers on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. at its South Hadley branch, 487 Newton St.
Victor Rodriguez, the bank’s vice president and community engagement mortgage officer, and Judy Nevarez of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Realty Professionals will lead the session.
Topics will include how credit affects mortgage options, first-time homebuyer programs, the benefits of mortgage pre-approval and strategies for shopping for a home.
Space is limited. More information and registration details are available at greenfieldcoopbank.com/events.