Pittsfield to Host Second Annual Winter Festival at Clapp Park

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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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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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