The Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee is pleased to announce the 8th Annual Easthampton WinterFest has begun.  We admit that the event looks a bit different this year, but we wanted to do something to bring our wonderful community together for a little safe fun this year.  Many activities will take place in the weeks leading up to Feb. 13th, our official WinterFest date.

Most of our events will be VIRTUAL, allowing participants to join in the fun from home, or in small family circles.  Our theme this year is simple - - -  LOVE.  Love the pond, love our community and love each other.  It's fitting that WinterFest often falls on Valentine's Day weekend and love is in the air. 

Enter contests for the best Window Displays, Snowflake Making, Pond Photo, and sponsored events including naming a new ice cream flavor for Mt. Tom's Ice Cream, creating a winning snow sculpture with Valley Paddlers. Take a walk in the woods at Arcadia and discover snow fleas (yes, they are a thing!). Are you a trivia fanatic? Enter our Pond Trivia contest.  Love a good Scavenger Hunt? We've got that, too.  There is something for everyone at WinterFest!!!

WinterFest has been our main fundraiser for the last seven years, and we have relied on the funds raised through local business and resident support to help us care for the pond. We are an advisory committee to the city and do not receive any funds through our city government for important pond health projects. We work collaboratively with our mayor's office, city planning department, park and rec department, local conservation commission, DPW, city health department, CPA (Community Preservation Act) committee and other supporters.  If you would like to become a sponsor of WinterFest, you can download a form here.

Check out our calendar of activities here.

They say it takes a village . . . . It sure does, especially when working out the logistics of the long standing tradition of creating a visual lighting display on the pond.  A group of semi-secret "elves" led by Mike LaValley, owner of The Brass Cat, made sure that the tree shined its light for all to see for more than twenty years. After a year's absence, a number of volunteers decided to bring the tradition back and worked hard to gather supplies and labor to make it happen. 

In late November, a tree was once again donated by Mrs. Mumblo who had a Christmas Tree Farm for many years in town. The Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee, led by Paul Nowak, Pat Brough from Finck and Perras Insurance Co., volunteers and equipment from Williston Northampton School, Chief Alberti from the Easthampton Police Dept. and Dan Whiteley, of Whiteley Electric who supplied the technical lighting knowledge and electrical power made it all happen.  Paul put his boat captain license to good work as he guided the tree by boat to its resting spot. 

The pond lighting display joins the light on Mt. Tom as a symbol. Let the light shine each night as we keep in mind what a wonderful, caring community we are lucky to have. Pasqualina Azzarello, our City Arts Coordinator, says it best. . . "Easthampton, a little city with a big heart."

The Easthampton Rod and Gun Club is pleased to announce the 34th Annual Junior Trout Fishing Derby on Saturday, May 18th from 6AM - 2PM on the shore of Nashawannuck Pond. The event is rain or shine and registration is held the day of the event.

If you have questions, please contact the Easthampton Rod and Gun Club, https://www.facebook.com/TheEtonrodandgun/

​FYI - this is not a city sponsored event and we have limited information available.

Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee
50 Payson Ave. Easthampton, MA 01027

MEDIA ALERT

December 27, 2018

For Immediate Release

Contact Information:

Liz Provo, Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee - WinterFest Chair
[email protected]
(413) 539-7950
www.nashawannuckpond.org

City plans 6th Annual Easthampton WinterFest to celebrate winter and our community.

Easthampton, MA  - On Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 the 6th Annual Easthampton WinterFest will be held in locations throughout the city. The day long festival is coordinated by the Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee and is a fundraising event created to bring public awareness about ongoing efforts needed to keep Nashawannuck Pond healthy for generations to come.  Most activities are free to attend and are family friendly. Donations are gladly accepted.

New this year, the festival’s first Ice Bar at WinterFest will be hosted by the Brass Cat. Visitors can experience the ice bar for $10 which includes light appetizers. The outdoor bar feature a signature WinterFest drink served through a luge, music and ice table tops.  Must be 21 to enter. Non-alcoholic beverages will also be available. Tickets may be purchased online.

An Historical Ice Harvest on Nashawannuck Pond features historian, Dennis Picard. Participants can try their hands at using a pond saw to "harvest" blocks of ice as they learn about Easthampton's part in the area's ice industry. Other activities include wagon rides by Blue Star Equiculture, a fun scavenger hunt, nature hike at Arcadia, and a community fire with roasted marshmallows and hot cocoa.

Indoor activities include a Craft & Vendor Fair with over 90 vendors, student art show and art workshops, dance parties, kid’s magic and comedy shows, pictures with Anna followed by the movie “Frozen” on the big screen, and the annual Chili Cook Off. The results of the city-wide Albert Kiesling snow sculpture contest, chili cook off and scavenger hunt winners will be live in the Easthampton Media studio beginning at 3PM. Bring the kids, grandparents, friends and out of area visitors and make it a day in Easthampton.  

More information about sponsorship and volunteering are available on the pond's website: www.nashawannuckpond.org. For up to date information, join our mailing list, follow Nashawannuck Pond on Facebook and our Facebook events. All outdoor events are weather permitting and may be cancelled without notice.

"This program is supported in part by a grant from the Easthampton City Arts/Easthampton Cultural Council), a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency."
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​Enjoy a day of fierce and fun competition at Ride The Dragon on Nashawannuk Pond in Easthampton! Teams will compete in dragon boat tug-of-wars throughout the day. There will be music from DJ Rockin' Reenie, food vendors, raffles, children's activities, dragon boat rides and more. 

Funds raised at this event will support the Paradise City Dragon Boat, a team of cancer survivors and supporters, and the Nashawannuck Pond, the co host of this year's event.

The event runs from 9 AM to 3 PM with competitors kicking off the day as teams go head to head in the boats. From noon to 1 PM there will be rides in the dragon boats, performances and food vendors serving up lunch and frozen treats. We will wrap up the day with a medal ceremony for the top crews at 3 pm.

If you're interested in forming a 6-person team to compete in the event please contact Karen, our Team Coordinator, at [email protected].

The Easthampton Rod & Gun Club has announced the date for the 2018 35th Annual Junior Trout Fishing Derby on Nashawannuck Pond.  This year the derby will be held on Saturday, May 19th, 6AM - 2PM.

​This annual tradition is well loved by families - a time when children are introduced to the outdoors, nature, wildlife and sport fishing. For more information, please follow the Easthampton Rod & Gun Club  (Facebook page). More info. should be announced soon.