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Paradise in Western Mass.

 As far as we're concerned, summer is here!  Starting this weekend, Northfield Mountain recreation is open for the season with biking and hiking trails, camping, kayaking, and canoeing.  Indulge in shaded walks, sunsets over the Connecticut River, beautiful sweeps of mountainside, 26 miles of trails, quiet paddling in plunge pools of ancient waterfalls, bald eagle viewing....aaahh.

Check the website for hours, boating/camping information and fees.
Visit Northfield mountain website here.

Discover the Watershed

 Visit the Great Falls Discovery Center and learn about the Connecticut River Watershed's rich natural, cultural and industrial history. Housed within a complex of old mill buildings, the center includes habitat exhibits, fish tanks,  and info on various habitats found in the watershed.  Timelines put perspective on today's view of the threats to habitats and what we can do to safeguard them.  The four-acre park that surrounds the Center has butterfly gardens, native plantings, views of the canal and river as well as safe play areas.  Check out Regis Paris' landscape photography exhibit on view through May 31.

Open 7 days a week 10 am- 4pm including Memorial Day  • FREE  • 2 Avenue A  • Turners Falls

Republican photo by CORI URBAN
Visit the Discovery Center's website here.

Scenic Bike Path

 Smooth pavement, breathtaking views of the Connecticut River and canal, and starting right downtown, this trail not only provides the most picturesque biking, it also serves as an educational tour of the cultural, ecological, and industrial history of Turners Falls. Along the way, you'll pass the Great Falls Discovery Center, Turners Falls Fish Ladder, power canal, mills, Silvio O Conte fish lab, picnic benches with BBQ grills and two RiverCulture public art pieces on themes of industry, architecture and energy. Located on the periphery of downtown, refreshments and attractions are just blocks away.

Bike Racks are located at the Great falls Discovery Center.

Walking Tours

 While you're strollong around town, equip yourself with RiverCulture's walking tour booklets.  Pick up a Geologic Walking Tour booklet and roam the streets of Turners Falls, which has some of the most interesting geology of the Pioneer Valley.  Visible from sidewalks, footpaths, and the bike path, learn about fascinating rock  formations dating from 250 million years ago!

Jump ahead 250 million years (give or take a few) and uncover the history behind the 19th century signature brick buildings of the downtown.  Why were they built? Who built them? Who inhabited them?   Pick up a Historic Walking tour booklet and find out.

Find these booklets and more at the Great Falls Discovery Center. 

Turners Falls Fishway!

 See what fish look like underwater as they swim upstream via the fish ladder, which allows fish, including shad, lampreys, and Atlantic salmon to bypass the dam and return upstream to spawn in the spring. Located on the bike trail, the fish ladder is open for public viewing during the height of spawning season.

Now through June 14 • Wednesday - Sunday • 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. • FREE at Turners Falls dam behind Town Hall • 413-659-3714 • Free
Learn more about migrating fish here.

Contemporary Photography

 Stop into the Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography on the corner of 3rd Street and Avenue A for Life Studies, three documentary projects by Stan Sherer.   'Albania' and 'Shopkeepers' are straightforward studies of people and places. 'Lantern Slides' is a more personal visual interpretation and construction by Mr. Sherer.

Through June 28  • open Thurs - Sun 1-5 pm  • FREE  • 85 Avenue A  • Turners Falls, MA
Visit Hallmark's website here

Saturday Night: Valley Idol Finals!
Who will hold the esteemed title of  Valley Idol for the next 12 months and collect $1,000 cash?
If you want to find out in person,
get to the Shea Theater early on Saturday before the show sells out.  

More about Valley Idol here.

Next Weekend: 4th Annual Family Fish Day:

Fun for the whole family!

Fly Tying
Spin casting and fly casting instruction
Spin fishing on the river (tackle provided)
Free rod and reel and tackle raffle
Credits for Scouts Fly Fishing Merit Badge
Special drawing for a half day fly fishing float trip
Information on where to fish in the upper CT. River Valley                                &nb sp;    

May 30  • 10:00am - 2:00pm  • rain or shine  • FREE  • Great Falls Discovery Center  • 2 Avenue A  • Turners Falls, MA  • info 413-863-3221
Fully Accessible!
Visit the Discovery Center's website here.

Next Weekend: Open Auditions

 Arena Civic Theatre will hold auditions for its fall musical, The King and I on Sunday May 31 @ 2 pm at the Jones Library(Amherst) and on Monday June 1 @ 7 pm at the Shea Theater (Turners Falls). Roles available for adult men and women (some non-singing), teen girls and boys ages 13-up and boys and girls ages 6 to 12. Dancers are welcome. The show will be directed by Catherine King with musical direction by Rebecca Phelps and choreography by Kathy Dunn.

For more information call Sondra Radosh 413-549-1511 or The Shea Theater  413-863-2281 ext 3.  

Food, Drink and More

 There are plenty of spots to relax and have a drink or a meal al fresco downtown. Ristorante DiPaolo, The Rendezvous and Jakes Tavern all have outdoor seating. Between the Uprights will host an all day outdoor cafe concert this Saturday.  If you prefer a picnic, there are picnic benches and grills as well as expanses of grassy seating along the river and bike path at Unity Park.  After a long day at Northfield Mountain pull up to the Wagon Wheel on Rt 2 just before the Gill Montague bridge and let your suit dry at this fresh country drive-in.

Stop in to the Deerfield Valley Art Association space next to the Discovery Center on Saturday to check out their summer show.  More happenings at area venues on the RiverCulture calendar.
Visit the RiverCulture website here.

Posted by RiverCulture - May 22, 2009