Pittsfield to Host Second Annual Winter Festival at Clapp Park

08:14AM / Thursday, February 13, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield's Department of Community Development Recreation Program has announced the second annual Winter Festival, set to take place on Monday, Feb. 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Clapp Park.

The event, designed to kick off the winter break, will feature a variety of activities for children, families, and community members of all ages.

Among the scheduled activities are group-led outdoor experiences, including a Winter Senses Safari with the Berkshire Natural Resources Council and snowshoeing with Mass Audubon.

The festival will also feature a Snow Sculpture Contest, open to participants ranging from novices to professional artists. Contestants are encouraged to bring their own tools to shape their creations, with judging taking place by the end of the event.

Additionally, a Cardboard Sled Design Contest invites children and families to construct sleds using only glue, tape, paint, and decorations. Plastic or store-bought sleds are not permitted. Awards will be given in three categories: Best Use of Materials, Most Creative Sled, and Largest Sled Design. Participants must register at the Clapp Park sledding hill by 11 a.m., with open sledding available throughout the event and awards announced at 12:30 p.m.

Other festival highlights include a campfire with s'mores and hot chocolate, sponsored by Indulgence Salon, as well as a Touch-A-Truck exhibit, where children can explore city vehicles such as a firetruck, police car, and plow truck, pending city emergencies.

All activities are free to the public. Attendees are encouraged to donate plastic or purchased sleds to the Clapp Park Little Sled Library, which provides free sleds for children throughout the winter season.

The Winter Festival is part of Pittsfield's annual 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival, which runs from February 13-23 and is hosted by the city's Cultural Development Office.

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Lake Management Commission Proposed for Pittsfield

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:29PM / Tuesday, January 27, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Peter Marchetti has proposed a Lake Management Commission to handle issues with Pittsfield's waterbodies.

There are two sizable lakes in the city: Onota, which spans 617 acres, and Pontoosuc, which is more than 500 acres. Pontoosuc is shared with the town of Lanesborough, and both communities have residential and commercial properties around the lakes.

"The Pittsfield Lake Management Commission's mission is to support the preservation and protection of lakes and ponds [from] environmental harm on behalf of present and future generations of Pittsfield residents, while understanding the interests of property owners and the public," the proposed ordinance reads.

"Its goals are to enhance the water quality of Onota and Pontoosuc lakes, while maintaining the natural beauty of lake surroundings."

This includes a focus on items such as water quality, the management of invasive weed species, the fall drawdown of water, zebra mussel control, Cyanobacteria monitoring, and the effects of climate change. The goal is to maintain consistently high-quality water levels that the community can enjoy.

Pittsfield struggled with zebra mussel detections in 2024, as eDNA was detected in both Onota and Pontoosuc lakes. Tuesday's City Council agenda also includes an $18,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation to hire boat ramp monitors over the summer, which helps mitigate the spread of invasive species.

Also on the volunteer commission's charge is a five-year lake management and financial budget plan for all Pittsfield waterbodies.

The commission will seek grants, or local/state funding for periodic evaluations of water quality and the overall ecological health of the lakes. It will also review issues that could potentially negatively impact the lakes, and make recommendations to the mayor.