Bay State Winter Games Return to Berkshires in January

04:36PM / Thursday, October 17, 2019Print Story | Email Story

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Bay State Games are set to host the 35th annual Winter Games in the Berkshires in 2020.

The Bay State Winter Games have been held in the Berkshire region each year since 1985 except for one year because of funding. The Winter Games expects to attract hundreds of athletes and families to the Berkshire region to compete in sports like figure skating and masters ice hockey.

The 2020 Figure Skating competition will take place Jan. 3-5, 2020, at Williams College. This is the earliest the competition has ever been held in Bay State Games history. This competition will feature more than 400 skaters from Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Skaters ranging in age from 5 to older than 65 represent the U.S. Figure Skating Association or the International Skating Institute.

Highlights for this upcoming competition include the reinstatement of the Bay State Skate Show on Saturday, Jan. 4. Gold medalists from certain events will skate in this exhibition show. The figure skating competition will begin on Friday evening with the short programs. This event will also serve as a qualifier for the 2021 State Games of America to be held in Ames and Des Moines, Iowa. All medal winners will receive an invitation to compete at the 2021 State Games of America.

"We are thrilled to be hosting the Bay State Games again in 2020," says Sue Briggs, executive director of the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce. "The games bring an incredible group of up-and-coming athletes from all over Massachusetts, to our small corner of the state. We look forward to welcoming them and their families into our community in January."

Masters Ice Hockey will take place Feb. 28 to March 1, 2020 in North Adams at the Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Skating Rink. Bay State Games is expecting eight to 10 teams to register with the tournament, some of whom have participated in every Bay State Winter Games thus far.

Registration for both figure skating and masters ice hockey is ongoing. For more details and links to online registration, go to www.baystategames.org. For questions, contact info@baystategames.org or 781-932-6555.

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Williamstown Dedicates Max Rothschild Memorial Skatepark

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
03:55PM / Saturday, October 17, 2026

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — As hundreds gathered to celebrate the opening of the town's new skatepark, the minds of many were on the one person they most wished could be in attendance.

The park on Stetson Road "officially" opened with a ribbon cutting a little after 2 p.m., two hours after attendees started using their skateboards, bicycles, scooters and rollerblades at the Max Rothschild Memorial Skatepark.

And just before the ribbon was cut, Adam Rothschild talked about his 7-year-old son, for whom the venue was named.

"As much as Max loved sports and adventure, what really made him special was his exuberance — the exuberance he brought to every day," Rothschild told the crowd. "He approached life with confidence, energy and a sense of fun and mischief that was contagious. He loved playing with [siblings] Ellie and Caleb and with his friends. He was competitive. He could be bossy. And he certainly liked to do things his own way.

"But, above all, he was fun to be around. He brought energy and excitement and a lot of love wherever he went.

"I think that's what makes this skatepark such a fitting place to honor Max. A skatepark is about more than skateboarding. It is about community and friendship. It's about trying something new, taking a chance, falling down, getting back up and having fun all along the way. It's a place where kids can challenge themselves, cheer each other on and make memories together. And that sounds a lot like Max."

The Rothschild family joined organizers who fund-raised to make the park happen and local government officials in a day that included trick competitions, music and food.

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