Pittsfield Parks Commission OKs Outdoor February Events
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Locals can experience the snow-covered Berkshire landscape during outdoor February events in Pittsfield.
The Parks Commission on Tuesday approved a winter festival, fireworks at The Common, and a fishing festival at Onota Lake for the upcoming month.
The winter festival and fireworks are part of the 15th annual 10x10 Upstreet Winter Arts Festival, which runs from Feb. 12 to Feb. 22. More than a dozen organizations collaborate to offer ten days of events that bring the community downtown during the winter.
The third annual Winter Festival will bring people of all ages to Clapp Park on Presidents' Day, Feb. 10. It will kick off at 10 a.m. and run to 1 p.m, and is free.
Recreation and Special Events Coordinator Jennifer VanBramer explained that the family-friendly event includes a cardboard sled design contest, sled races, snowshoeing with Mass Audubon, and a snow sculpture building contest.
There will also be carnival field games, a campfire, and the city will bring back its touch-a-truck area with vehicles from Pittsfield's various departments.
VanBramer pointed out that this will happen during the week of school break.
The 10x10 fireworks will occur on Feb. 21 at The Common. The display can be seen from the public parking lot on First Street.
"We've been doing fireworks for almost 10 years now," Director of Cultural Development Jennifer Glockner reported.
She added that the winter fireworks go off when it gets dark around six o'clock, rather than 10:30 p.m. or 11 p.m. in the summer. This means that younger community members can enjoy them before bedtime.
Also part of the 10 x 10 Winter Arts Festival, the Berkshire Environmental Action Team will hold a free winter tree identification walk at Springside Park on Feb 14, from 10 a.m. to noon. It will be led by BEAT Naturalist Chelsey Simmons.
BEAT will also offer a walk during the Westside Legends' Westside Block Party on May 23 at Riverway Park.
The commission also approved the MassWildlife's Lake Onota Family Ice Fishing Festival on Feb. 28 at Burbank Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is held at the boat launch, and registration is in the boat launch parking lot.
"It's just a nice family event," explained James Legacy, of MassWildlife.
He reported that they must have six inches of black ice to hold the event, and it isn't held if there is heavy rain or snow. The fishing festival typically draws hundreds of people throughout the course of the event.
Roots Rising was also approved for the Pittsfield Farmer's Market, which was launched in 2013. The market will be at The Common from May 9 to October 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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