Staying on the go through the winter's snow

By Jeanne Feder12:00AM / Wednesday, January 05, 2005Print Story | Email Story

We may be having a mild winter in the Berkshires so far, but winter is definitely here, and of course there are some of the best outdoor activities for families in the country right in our own backyard. Weâ€™ve pulled together a list of ice and snow fun in the region, as well as some wonderful indoor activities to keep adults and children on the go for the next few months. The following is just a small selection from the wealth of choices nearby. Check the Family Beat, The Advocate and iberkshires.com calendars regularly for updates and added family winter activities. Stay warm, keep moving and have a healthy family fun winter season! Ice skating rinks Amelia Park Ice Arena, 21 S Broad St, Westfield, 568-2503 Riley Rink at Hunter Park, Route 7A, Manchester, Vt., 802-362-0150 Catamount wetland pond, 802-879-6001. The weather hasn't allowed ice on the oval yet. Ice skate rentals available for all sizes. Skating on the pond from 9 to 4 as long as the weather allows. Vietnam Veteranâ€™s Memorial Rink, South Church Street, North Adams, 662-5112, www.vvmsrink.org Special Programs: Berkshire Bruins: A youth hockey program designed to put childrenâ€™s interests first and a positive and proactive environment for learning. The Berkshire Bruins Hockey program welcomes families from Berkshire County and Southern Vermont. Hockey Hot Line: 884-4800, e-mail BruinsInfo@berkshirebruins.com. Learn-to-Skate Program: Northern Berkshire Youth Hockey League, 664-9564. Williams College Ice Hockey Rink, limited public skating hours. www.williams.edu Reuelâ€™s Ice Skating, Butternut Basin, 380 State Road, Route 23, Great Barrington. Killington, Vt.: Natural frozen pond located at the Grist Mill restaurant on Killington Road. Rentals are available. Sledding and sleigh rides Sheep Hill in Williamstown and several area public and private golf courses offer sledding. Call individually to check. Sleigh rides are available in several locales around the Bromley, Vt., area, including on Route 11 in Londonderry, Taylor Farm, 802-824-5690, and in Landgrove, Karl Pfister, 802-824-6320. A few miles up Route 30, in Rawsonville, Horses for Hire, 802-297-1468. Skiing General information: www.snocountry.com. Winter Feels Good, www.winterfeelsgood.com Winter Feels Good is a national program that promotes health and fitness through skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The Winter Feels Good Web site has lots of information on how to get started with a snow sport. Berkshire East, off Mohawk Trail, Charlemont, 339-6617, www.berkshireeast.com Mighty-Mites and Mountain Club, 4-14 year-olds, Snowboard Club, 8-12 year-olds. Bousquet Ski, 101 Dan Fox Drive, Pittsfield, 442-8316 Mommy (or Daddy) and Me: The six-week program is an innovative learn-to-ski program for 3-and 4-year-olds with participation their parents. It includes a one-hour lesson and one-hour free ski unsupervised for child and parent. It began Jan. 5. Catamount Ski Area, Hillsdale, N.Y., 518-325-3200 or 413-528-1262,www.catamountski.com Catamount has created the "4s & 5s Club" to encourage youths in fourth and fifth grades to get away from sedentary activities. The 4s and 5s Club allows students who register in advance to ski or snowboard for free on weekends as long as they are accompanied by a fully-paid adult. Catamount is a partner in the STRIDE initiative. STRIDE is a not-for-profit volunteer organization dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals with disabilities through sports and recreation. Its programs are designed to give individuals ages 5 to 21 the opportunity to test their limits, develop new skills, make friends and have fun in the process Jiminy Peak, Hancock, 738-5500, www.jiminypeak.com After Hours Coyote Challenge Ski/Snowboard Series Jan. 8 and 29, Feb. 5 and 26, March 5 and 19, on Coyote Ridge, a new expert half pipe and terrain park. Skiers and riders are invited to compete in any combination of two Rail Jams, two Half-pipe competitions and two Park Jams in two age divisions â€” 13 and under, and 14-plus. Ultimately the top finishers will move on to the finals on Spring Fling weekend, where division and overall winners will be crowned. Prizes will be awarded. To be eligible participants must be able to ski or ride Coyote Ridge (a black diamond trail), have been in a terrain park and half pipe before and be able to ride rails. Sports Illustrated For Kids Presents NextXSnow Search, Sunday Jan. 9. Skiers and riders ages 9 to 13 will have a chance to go to the finals in Keystone, Colo., (to be broadcast live on NBC TV). Judges will consider outside factors such as grades and personality to determine the winner. Information: www.nextxsnow.com. Participants must be able to ski or ride Coyote Ridge, have been in a terrain park and half pipe before and be able to ride rails. OP Girls Learn to Ride, Saturday, Jan. 22, Saturday, Feb. 12, and Sunday, March 20. The program is designed to help women of all ages (from 8 on up) learn to ride together â€” no boys or men are allowed. Learn to Snowboard packages will be available, and all-girl lessons will be taught. A portion of all the proceeds will benefit Boarding for Breast Cancer. Information: www.girlslearntoride.com. Advance registration is available at www.active.com. Magic Mountain, Londonderry, Vt., 802-824-5645, www.magicmtn.com Camp Magic offers a full day of instruction for 7-to 12-year-olds, and Little Dragons offers half and full days for children ages 4 to 6 every weekend and on holidays. Mount Snow, West Dover, Vt., 800-498-0479, www.mountsnow.com Kids Rule Adventure Weeks: Jan. 16-21, March 6-11 and March 20-25. Children 12 and under will learn to ski or snowboard for free and get a free lift ticket. Family activities will be offered all week. Juniors (ages 3 to 12) receive a free lift ticket good for three, four or five days and a free midweek clinic for up to five days when a parent or guardian purchases a similar lift ticket and lodging package. Advance notice is required 48 hours prior to arrival for phone orders and 72 hours for online bookings. Mount Snow Family Deals: Children 5 and under always ski/ride free. Kids Ski Free: midweek, non-holiday, when an adult buys a three-to-five-day ticket, their child receives a free ticket for the same period. Ski Butternut, 380 State Road, Route 23, Great Barrington, 528-2000 Childrenâ€™s Programs: Mountaineers (ages 4 to 12) miniRiders (ages 7 to 12) Saturday Junior Program and day care. Beginners-only slopes are out of the path of fast-moving advanced skiers. Bromley Mountain, Manchester Center, Vt., 802-824-5522, www.bromley.com. Family Friendly Fridays at Bromley: Jan 7, 14, 21 and 28. Special family rates. Jan 16: Radio Disney at Bromley. Thirtieth annual Boy Scout Weekend, Jan 29 and 30; fireworks at dusk. Stratton, Stratton Mountain, Vt., 1-800-Stratton, www.stratton.com. Saturdays and holidays at Ski and Snowboard School, ski and ride with other teens, 13 to 16 years old. Women's Workshops: Ski, Snowboard & Snow Blades, Jan. 10, 11, 12: Skiers and riders are matched according to ability level in small groups that allow for personalized instruction. National Safety Ski Week: Jan. 15-21. Programs and giveaways all about winter sport safety. Tubbs Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer: Jan. 22, 10 a.m., Stratton Nordic Center, Annual 'Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer' Snowshoe Series. A 3-or 5-k snowshoe walk to benefit breast cancer research, education and screening. All proceeds will go to the Komen Foundation and the Vermont Affiliate. Killington Resort & Pico Mountain, 4763 Killington Road., Killington, Vt., 802-422-6200, www.killington.com. Family events weekday afternoons include Magic Show, Ice Cream Sundae Party, Puppet Show, Gentle Slalom Race, Awards Ceremony. Tubing: at the Village Lodging Center. Open 2:30 to 6:00 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Sundays and Holidays; 2:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays. Killington Snowmobile Tours daily. Rock Climbing Wall, indoors at Snowshed Base Lodge, Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Okemo Mountain Resort, 77 Okemo Ridge Road, Ludlow, Vt., 1-800-78-OKEMO, www.okemo.com. Children's programs include day care (6 months to 6 years old), separate classes for children 4 to 7, 7 to 14 and older teens. Mount Snow, 12 Pisgah Road, West Dover, Vt., 800-245-SNOW. Children's Programs: camp, day care and instruction by age â€“ 3 years old and up. Cross-country skiing and showshoeing General information: www.xcskimass.com Butternut, Route 23, Great Barrington, 528-2000, butternutxc@aol.com The trails offer easy access to the Upper Lodge and the downhill skiing facilities, including cafeteria, ski shop and child care. Notchview, Windsor, 684-0148, www.thetrustees.org Winter Trails Day: Jan. 8, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (part of the "Winter Feels Good" campaign to get people out to exercise in the winter countryside). Snowshoes and trail passes will be available free for two-hour periods. The international Learn-To-Ski Day is a tradition. Notchview will feature free lessons, waxing clinics and other activities. Ski rentals can be arranged. Cranwell Resort, Spa & Golf Club, Lenox, 637-1364, www.cranwell.com With 10 kilometers of scenic, groomed trails, the Cranwell Ski Center welcomes all levels of skiers and snowshoe enthusiasts. Rossignol ski equipment rentals for adults and children, snowshoe rentals, full-day and half-day ski passes, private and group lessons, introduction to ski packages (equipment rental, pass and group lesson). Prospect Mountain, Woodford, Vt., 802, 442-2575, www.skivermont.com The Mountain Goat, 130 Water St., Williamstown, 458-8445, www.themountaingoat.com Snowshoe treks throughout the winter. Free snowshoes available. Call or check the Web site for schedule. Museums Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, 597-2429/ www.wcma.org Jan. 29: â€œThe Book of Kings: Art, War, and the Morgan Library's Medieval Picture Bibleâ€ includes facsimiles of every page of the manuscript and features a variety of medieval objects. Kidspace at Mass MoCA, North Adams, 662-6211/www.massmoca.org A contemporary art gallery for children and adults. It is open to the public from noon to 4 every Saturday and Sunday from Oct. 14 to Feb. 27. Admission to is free. Mass MoCA, 87 Marshall St., North Adams, 662-2111, www.massmoca.org The former Sprague Electric Co. mill complex has been restored and consists of 27 interlinked buildings on 12 acres. There is performance as well as exhibit space, and bistros, shops and commercial offices. North Adams Museum of History and Science, Western Gateway Heritage State Park, 57 Main St., Suite 223, North Adams, 663-9204 A three-story facility detailing the history of North Adams through culture, industry and science. Interactive play space for kids as well as a gift shop. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The park entrance is on Furnace Street, just off Route 8, at the southern end of the Hadley Overpass. Arrowhead, Pittsfield, 442-1793 Arrowhead is the 18th-century home of the legendary Herman Melville, one of America's most celebrated authors. From 1850 to 1863, Melville lived, farmed and raised a family in Pittsfield, having escaped the bustle of New York to practice his craft in the home he named Arrowhead. It was here that he completed one of the masterpieces of American literature, â€œMoby-Dick.â€ Berkshire Museum: Pittsfield, 443-7171, www.berkshiremuseum.org Family museum with art shows, natural history exhibits, performances, outdoor experiences, concerts and workshops for all ages with special focus on childrenâ€™s and family programs. Clark Art Institute, South Street, Williamstown, 458-2303, www.clarkart.edu Internationally acclaimed permanent collection and ongoing visiting shows, as well as special family days, special events, films, music and more. Upcoming events for families: Pancake Brunch, Feb. 20, 10 a.m.; Snowshoe Hike, Feb. 20, 1 p.m. Hancock Shaker Village, Route 20, Pittsfield, 443-0188, www.hancockshakervillage.org Hancock Shaker Village is a living history museum consisting of 20 historic buildings set on 1,200 acres of farm, field, meadow and woodland, and a collection of 22,200 objects. Each year 75,000 visitors from around the world come to the village to experience programs, view the collection and learn about Shaker life. Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Glendale Road, Stockbridge, 298-4100, www.nrm.org Founded in 1969 with the help of Norman and Molly Rockwell, the museum is dedicated to the enjoyment and study of the celebrated artistâ€™s work. The changing Rockwell exhibitions present an illustrated chronicle of American life. â€œPicture This! The Art of the Children's Bookâ€ will be on exhibit through June 12. Bennington Museum, Bennington, Vt., 802-447-1571, www.benningtonmuseum.com The Bennington Museum, 75 Main St. (Route 9), is one mile west of the intersection of Routes 7 and 9. The museum houses the largest public collection of Grandma Moses paintings and memorabilia, along with the Grandma Moses Schoolhouse she attended as a child. Annual Student Art Showâ€ The exhibition celebrates the achievements of student artists from nearly 20 schools, grades kindergarten through 12, displaying an array of paintings, drawings, sculpture and crafts, in the Paul Paresky Museum Court, Jan. 16 through Feb. 9 Annual Young Musicians' Concert, Jan. 30, 2 p.m., free: In conjunction with the student show, student musical groups in the area will entertain in the Ada Paresky Education Center. Animagic: 77 Main St., Lee, 243-2051 The Animagic Museum of Animation, Special Effects and Art is full of exhibits and examples of work and techniques that have been locally developed. The museum's owners and operators, Eugene Mamut and his wife, Irina Borisova, have been and continue to be a part of the Berkshire special effects and animation industries. Call for registration. Films: Beyond the mall and cineplexes Images Cinema, www.imagescinema.org, 458-5612 Clark Art Institute, South St., Williamstown, 458-2303, www.clarkart.edu Little Cinema, Berkshire Museum, 443-7171, www.berkshiremuseum.org. Berkshire Music Hall, 30 Union St., Pittsfield, 499-5575. Kidsâ€™ movies $1, with special matinees. [Check the schedules for childrenâ€™s and family films and events.] Busters for Fun Center, Pittsfield, 457 Dalton Ave., 499-7500, www.bustersforfun.com Arcades, amusements, indoor sports and parties for teens and younger children Bowling: Candle Lanes, 255 North St., Pittsfield, 447-9640. Cove Bowling Lanes, 109 Stockbridge Road., Great Barrington, 528-1220. Imperial Bowl, 555 Dalton Ave., Pittsfield, 443-4453. Mount Greylock Bowl, Roberts Drive, North Adams, 663-3761. Ken's Bowl, 495 Dalton Ave., Pittsfield, 499-0377. Candlepin Bowling, Valley Park Lanes, North Adams, 664-9715 Bennington Lanes, 219 Northside Drive, Bennington, Vt., 802-447-7100 Art instruction Kronick Art Studio & Gallery, 57 Main St., North Adams, 663-6560 Youth centers and YMCAs: Northern Berkshire YMCA, 22 Brickyard Court, North Adams, 663-6529 Pittsfield Family YMCA, 292 North St., 499-7650 Southern Berkshire YMCA, 352 Main St., Great Barrington, 528-9622 Girls Inc. of the Berkshires, 165 East St., Pittsfield, 442-5174, www.girlsinc-berkshires.org Youth Center Inc., 20 East St., Adams, 743-3550 Williamstown Youth Center, 270 Cole Ave., 458-5925 Berkshire South Regional Community Center, 15 Crissey Road, Great Barrington, 528 2810,www.berkshiresouth.org. Activities for every age, babies to seniors. Just for parents Spas Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club, 55 Lee Road, Lenox, 637-1364, www.cranwell.com The Spa at Cranwell was named in "Top 100 Spas of the World" 35,000-square-foot, full-service facility with fitness center, 60-foot indoor pool, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, lounges, 16 treatment rooms and over 40 professional services. Yoga classes and hiking treks. Day programs available. Essencials Day Spa, 439 Pittsfield Road, Lenox, 443-6260, www.berkshirespas.com Hair, skin, body massage, facials, manicure, pedicure, waxing and makeup in one of six private treatment rooms. Locker room with sauna and showers. Go for an hour or a day. InTouch Massage & Day Spa, 84 Water St., Williamstown, 458-3235, www.intouchdayspa.com Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Route 183, Lenox, 448-3400, www.kripalu.org The country's largest yoga and holistic retreat and program center. Yoga, meditation, DansKineticsÂ®, 600+ programs, vegetarian cuisine, therapeutic bodywork and facials, whirlpools and saunas. Kripalu Shop offers spiritual books, music and more. Lenox Fitness Center and Spa, 90 Pittsfield Road, Lenox, 637-9893, lenoxfit@aol.com Aerobics, yoga, free weights, spinning, cardio, strength equipment, personal training, saunas, tanning, pilates, spa manicures, pedicures, facials, acupuncture and massage. Juice bar, day visits.

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Friends of Great Barrington Libraries Holiday Book Sale

12:15PM / Wednesday, December 17, 2025

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Friends of Great Barrington Libraries invite the community to shop their annual Holiday Good-as-New Book Sale, happening now through the end of the year at the Mason Library, 231 Main Street.

With hundreds of curated gently used books to choose from—fiction, nonfiction, children's favorites, gift-quality selections, cookbooks, and more—it's the perfect local stop for holiday gifting.

This year's sale is an addition to the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce's Holiday Stroll on this Saturday, Dec. 13, 3–8 PM. Visitors can swing by the Mason Library for early parking, browse the sale until 3:00 PM, then meet Pete the Cat on the front lawn before heading downtown for the Stroll's shopping, music, and festive eats.

Can't make the Holiday Stroll? The book sale is open during regular Mason Library hours throughout December.

Proceeds support free library programming and events for all ages.

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