Pioneer Valley Family Friendly Events This Weekend

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! If you’re sticking around Western Mass this weekend, then you’re likely hunting for something to do with your family. Well, have I got some great news for you! There are tons of great Pioneer Valley family friendly events this weekend! We’ve got zoo on the go, a few fairs/festivals, a Harry Potter event and an open house at a police station. PLUS! If you’re willing to hop in the car and travel just a little bit, there are some other super fun options for you!

Pioneer Valley Family Friendly Events This Weekend

Zoo On The Go, Hatfield Public Library 
5/28/16 l 12:00 PM

Thanks to the Collaborative for Educational Services’ CFCE grant from the MA Dept. of Early Education and Care, Zoo on the Go will be bringing live animals to the library! No signup is required, but space will be limited and a “first come, first served” basis will be used. Contact the library for more information: 413-247-909

Amherst Rotary Town Fair, Amherst, MA 
5/25/16 – 5/28/16 l 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM

The Amherst Rotary Club will host the annual Amherst Rotary Town Fair on the Amherst Town Common Wednesday through Saturday (May 25-28, 2016). Admission is free. Fair hours are: Wednesday 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM & Thursday, Friday & Saturday 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM. There will be carnival rides for thrill-seekers of all ages coupled with many other carnival activities. There will be assorted food trucks and Bart’s will have their ice cream truck parked near the Common. Once you visit the food trucks, stop by the Rotary tent. While supplies last every $15.00 spent at one of the food trucks Rotary will give you 5 tickets. More Info.

Harry Potter Gathering, Buttery Brook Park South Hadley, MA
5/28/16 l 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Get together to chat, to compare costuming tips, to talk about upcoming Harry Potter events, to purchase your very own wand, practice spells and take part in Harry Potter re-enactments that focus on the books, the movies and fanfic. Imagine getting petrified by a basilisk and finding yourself in Hospital! Try your hand at replanting mandrakes! Remember, the scream of the mandrake is fatal! Forest wand dueling will be encouraged! We can even try to re-enact the final battle of Hogwarts!  Above all, this is a gathering of fans coming together to share expertise, friendship and admiration for one of the most prolific authors of our time, J. K. Rowling and her Harry Potter vision. Tickets are $5 to cover the cost of park admittance and clean-up.  More Info.

International Food Fest, The Big E, West Springfield, MA 
5/26/16 – 5/30/16 l Time Varies (see below)

The Northeast part of America, with the most diverse population in the world, is hosting an International Festival of Peace, Food, Music, Spirits, and Family Fun. Tickets available now online or save your BIG E ticket for a one-time entry of $5. In 2016, we will be hosting over 50 nations representing their Culture, Food, Music, Crafts, Faiths, clothing, Beer, Wine, Cheeses, Pickles and so much more. More Info.

The times of operation are:

Thursday 4pm-10pm
Friday 4pm-10pm
Saturday & Sunday: 12 noon-10pm
Monday: 12 noon-8pm

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
• Nightly Fireworks
• 30+ International Food Vendors, including some of our favorite K-Fest Kielbasa Vendors
• Live Music consisting of Nationally Touring Acts & Local Artists
• 30+ carnival rides & games (unlimited rides wristband available)
• Daily Parades
• Family games, food for all people
• Beer & Wine Café
• Craft vendors of all sorts and natures

Police Day, Northampton Police Department
5/28/16 l 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

We invite citizens of all ages to our 2nd annual Police Day! This year will be even bigger and better than last year and we have invited several food vendors to join us. So come out for the fun and stay for lunch! Take a tour of the station and meet police men up close and personal! More Info. 

Live Birds Of Prey, Bartholomew’s Cobble, Ashley Falls, MA 
5/28/16 l 1:00 PM

Join wildlife rehabilitator Tom Ricardi to meet – in person- the hawks, owls, falcons, eagles and turkey vultures that he cares for. Tom’s respect for living creatures and his fascinating stories make him an inspirational presenter to all ages. $9 Members and $15 Nonmembers KIDS FREE More Info. 

AHS Band-a-thon, School Street Park, Agawam, MA 
5/28/16 l 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Music Festival to benefit the AHS award winning band program and support music education in our school system. Join us for an afternoon of live music, food, fun, alumni, vendors, crafts, games and dunk the director tank! Agawams Got Talent Contest and a salute to our Veterans community band concert! More Info. 

Weekend Events: Worth The Road Trip

These are hand picked events from me for you. The criteria for selection is simple: these events are ones that I’d pop my family in the car and travel to! 

WDS Revolutionary War Encampment, Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum, Wethersfield, CT 
5/28/16 l 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Memorial Day weekend will begin with a bang at the WDS Revolutionary War Encampment on Sat., May 28, 10 to 4! See the 5th CT Regiment in period clothing, 18th-century horsemanship with swords, musket firing, open-fire cookery, colonial medicine, music and more. The British attack at 1 p.m.! Admission to the encampment is free; regular admission charged for optional tours of the museum. More Info.

Junie B. Jones Play, Playhouse On Park Theatre, West Hartford, CT 
5/28/16 – 5/29/16 l 1:00 PM & 4:00 Pm Showings

It’s Junie B.’s first day of first grade and a lot of things have changed for her: Junie’s friend Lucille doesn’t want to be her best pal anymore, and on the bus, Junie B. makes friends with Herb, the new kid at school. Also, Junie has trouble reading the blackboard and her teacher Mr. Scary thinks she may need glasses. Throw in a friendly cafeteria lady, a kickball tournament and a “Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal”, and first grade has never been more exciting. Featuring a tremendously loveable character and fun-filled songs, Junie B. Jones will capture your heart just as the books captivated an entire generation of students. – 1-hour run time. Recommended for students in grades K – 5 but offers fun for the entire family. More Info. 

Hero’s Weekend at The  Dinosaur Place, Oakdale, CT 
5/28/16 – 5/30/16 l 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

As a special thank you to our American Heroes, The Dinosaur Place at Nature’s Art Village will offer FREE admission to members of the Military, Police Officers, Fire Fighters and EMTs during Memorial Day Weekend & their accompanying family members will receive 10% off their admission! Plus, New England’s largest Splashpad opens May 28th and is included with The Dinosaur Place admission. More Info. 

Princess & Superheros BBQ Brunch, Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ, Hartford, CT 
5/29/16 l 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

The Greater Hartford Beard and Mustache Club will be hosting a Superheroes & Princesses BBQ Brunch at Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ Hartford. Customers will be able to enjoy some Grade-A Barbecue while interacting with their favorite superheroes and princesses. In addition to a percentage of the day’s sale going to Team Zombie Leader 2016 LLS Man of the Year Campaign benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society CT Westchester Chapter, there will be photo-ops with your superhero or princess of choice for a small donation, or with on-demand 8×10 printouts for only $10! We’ll also have 50/50 raffles and silent auction items along with some sweet Greater Hartford Beard and Mustache Club items, and face painting by Dara DeCroce! More Info. 

CircusNext Performance “Growing Up”, Brattleboro, VT
5/29/16 l 5:00 PM

Members of the New England Center for Circus Arts’ Youth Performance Troupe share their talents in this end of year showcase. Trapeze, acrobatics, tumbling and more will be presented by youth age 7 – 18. Students in the program train with elite coaches to prepare for a path in circus training through more demanding skills, rigorous strength and flexibility training, and act creation. More Info.