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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​With over 13,000 attendees, the 5th Annual Cultural Chaos was a monumental success. Nashawannuck Pond is part of the Cottage Street Cultural District, and is an entry point for the district.  We were thrilled to be a part of this event, the theme being "Show Us Your Culture".  

Our culture is:

1. The stewardship of Nashawannuck Pond - keeping it healthy for generations to come
2. Educating the public about restorative and ongoing projects to maintain the health of the pond.
3. Raising funds to support our efforts to keep the pond the centerpiece of Easthampton for generations to come.

We encourage you to wear your T-shirts and Sweatshirts proudly.  Purchase our beautiful notecards (created by pond committee member and avid kayaker and nature lover, Beth Tiffany) and give them to family members and others who love the pond.

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.

The Nashawannuck Pond Committee cordially invites you to join us at our August 30th meeting for a "meet & greet".

Light refreshments will be served.

Learn what the pond committee does to raise public awareness regarding restoration efforts in erosion control, invasive species control and how you can make a difference.

Join our Facebook event and help spread the word! 

​Easthampton, MA  - On Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017 the 4th Annual Easthampton WinterFest will be held in locations throughout the city. WinterFest is a day-long event celebrating winter, family fun, and Easthampton's historic past in the ice harvesting industry.  The festival is coordinated by the Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee and is a fundraising event created to bring awareness to the public about ongoing efforts needed to keep Nashawannuck Pond healthy for generations to come. 
 
Outdoor and indoor activities will be held throughout the city including wagon rides by Blue Star Equiculture and an Historical Ice Harvest demonstration on Nashawannuck Pond by noted 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. There will also be plenty of indoor activities, including a Craft & Vendor Fair which last year drew over 60 vendors and 1,000 visitors and the annual Chili Cook Off, featuring area restaurants and organizations as they compete for the Best Chili Award. Bring the kids, grandparents, friends and out of area visitors and make it a day in Easthampton! Activities are free or by a small donation.
 
More information about sponsorship and volunteering will be available on the pond's website: www.nashawannuckpond.org. Any organization or venue wishing to participate should contact the pond committee as soon as possible. Activites will be added to the day's calendar as we get closer to the event.  For up to date information, join our mailing list and follow Nashawannuck Pond on Facebook.
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