Friends of The Great Falls Discovery Center

Nice & Easy Walk
2025-04-18 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-04-25 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-05-02 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-05-09 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-05-16 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-05-23 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-05-30 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-06-06 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) and 5 more dates | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Easy-paced, 1 to 2-mile guided walk, along the Canalside Rail Trail or downtown Turners Falls, geared for seniors, but open to all. Enjoy natural and local history along the way. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Inclement weather cancels. Meet at the main entrance.

Where We Live: Sense of Place Concert and Writers Showcase with Erica Wheeler *
2025-04-27 15:00 - 17:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Singer-songwriter Erica Wheeler performs a concert of place-based songs and invites participants from her NEA Big Read workshop series to share their writings with the audience. The event is free and open to all, refreshments provided. To learn more about taking a workshop visit: https://deerfield-ma.org/nea-big-read-2025-events/. Meet in the Great Hall. Free Copies of Ross Gay’s book of poetry, Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, will be available!
* The Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association (PVMA), in partnership with Montague Public Libraries, celebrates its eighth National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read. Focused on Ross Gay’s book of poetry, Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, exhibits and events explore this year’s theme of “Where We Live.” NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

Wissatinnewag Walk - Friends of GFDC only
2025-05-03 09:30 - 11:00
Saturday May 3, 2025
9:30 a.m. (Pre-registration necessary)
On Saturday May 3, the Friends of the Discovery Center will host a guided
visit and hike on Wissatinnewag, the Nolumbeka Project, Inc property in Greenfield.
Special event for Friends members only.
The hike will be guided by Nolumbeka chairman David Brule
and land steward Brent Pitcher.
This walk and talk will cover stories of the land from a spiritual, historical,
ecological, and archaeological perspective.
There will be some moderate hiking on rough terrain, wear appropriate shoes.
Be prepared for ticks!
The walk is limited to 20 members. Please register at this site:
https://greatfallsdiscoverycenter.org/friends-hike-at-wissatinnewag/
Note: You can join or update your membership at the hike OR on Friends website
https://greatfallsdiscoverycenter.org/friends-of-the-gfdc/
Registered members meet at the Discovery Center at 9:30 a.m. to carpool to
the Wissatinnewag site.
Required Liability Waivers will be available on site to sign prior to the walk.
For further info & questions call (413) 774-0204
Rain or shine ~ Heavy rain cancels

Indigo Dyeing & Shibori with Gail Callahan *
2025-05-04 13:00 - 16:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Learn about the art of Shibori and experience the magic of indigo dyeing during this hands-on workshop for adults and children, ages six and up accompanied by an adult. This NEA Big Read workshop will celebrate the poem written by Naomi Shihab Nye, “Dear Sky.” Participants each receive a white cotton square to dye, but are also invited to bring one small natural fiber item to dye if there is room in the dyepot, e.g. a cotton t-shirt or camisole. No pre-registration required. Sponsored by PVMA and Montague Public Libraries. Meet in the Great Hall.
* NEA BIG READ
The Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association (PVMA), in partnership with Montague Public Libraries, celebrates its eighth National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read. Focused on Ross Gay’s book of poetry, Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, exhibits and events explore this year’s theme of “Where We Live.” NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

“The Extincts” Event and Drawing Demo
2025-05-07 15:30 - 16:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Join the Montague Public Libraries and the Great Falls Discovery Center for a program and drawing demo with graphic novelist and illustrator Scott Magoon! This Mass Kids Lit Fest event is presented in partnership with the Mass Center for the Book. For ages 7 and up, accompanied by an adult. Meet in the Great Hall.

Nolumbeka Project Day of Remembrance
2025-05-17 13:00 - 15:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Commemorate the 349th Anniversary of the Great Falls Massacre, outdoors weather permitting, or in the Great Hall. Tribal members and non-Tribal public are welcome. Honored guests include: Liz Coldwind Santana Kiser, Elder, Council Woman, and Tribal Historical Preservation Officer for the Chaubunagungamaug Band of Nipmuck Indians and others. For more info visit: www.nolumbekaproject.org. Free and open to all. Light refreshments provided. Co-sponsored by Nolumbeka Project and DCR. For all ages.

Ongoing Great Hall Exhibit — Dam Culture 1995-2025: Skateboarding in Montague, MA
2025-05-31 - 2025-06-29 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Jeremy Latch presents a photographic and video still exhibit of skateboarding in Montague, MA. Dam Culture reveals 30 years of images of people skateboarding in our town’s public spaces and includes recently digitized footage of the 1990’s and 2000’s. The exhibit contains a record of lost spaces: no longer present landscapes and structures. It is a witness to the ongoing changing architecture of Montague. For all ages. Reception on June 21 2 – 4 p.m. in the Great Hall.

First Friday: Migratory Fish on 3rd Street
2025-06-06 17:00 - 20:00 | Third Street – Downtown Turners Falls, 24 - 42 Third Street, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Join us on 3rd Street for RiverCulture’s First Friday event and learn all about migratory fish at our investigation station. During the event 3rd Street, from Avenue A to the Brick House, is open to pedestrians only.

Great Falls Coffeehouse presents: Off-the-Cuff Trio
2025-06-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Join us for the Friends of the Great Falls Discovery Center’s concert series featuring local talent. Off-the-Cuff Trio features Dave LeBlanc, Larry LeBlanc & Craig Manning as they perform bluegrass, folk, cajun, zydeco, swing jazz, rock, country, old time and Brazilian choro. “Our music will reflect some or all of these interests, as we pick out our favorite songs and instrumentals and play them for you…off the cuff!” Refreshments available. Sliding scale suggested donations, all in support of educational programming at the Great Falls Discovery Center. For all ages. Meet in the Great Hall.

Exhibit Reception: Dam Culture 1995—2025: Skateboarding in Montague, MA
2025-06-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Meet exhibit creator Jeremy Latch and enjoy a photographic and video still exhibit of skateboarding in Montague. Light refreshments. Meet in the Great Hall.

Nice & Easy Walk
2025-06-26 10:00 - 11:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
We’re beating the heat by moving Nice & Easy Walks to Thursdays at 10 a.m. during the summer months of June, July, and August. Join us for an easy-paced, 1 to 2-mile guided walk, along the Canalside Rail Trail or downtown Turners Falls, geared for seniors, but open to all. Enjoy natural and local history along the way. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Inclement weather cancels. Meet outside the main entrance.

Pride Hike: Canalside Stonewall Stroll
2025-06-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Celebrate Pride and 56 years since Stonewall by hiking along the Canalside Rail Trail! Be in community with nature and each other as we walk and talk beside a historic canal. This hike is a 2.6-mile round trip hike on a flat, paved trail. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. For ages 10 and up. Meet outside the main entrance.

A French/Breton Jam Session
2025-06-29 14:30 - 16:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
An informal group of musicians gathers to play the enchanting traditional dance music from France and Brittany, commonly known as bal folk. This is not a performance but rather a coming together of musically-minded friends. The event is free and open to the public to come and go at will. For all ages. Meet in the Great Hall.

Ongoing - Great Hall Exhibit: Ways of My Ancestors — We Are Still Here
2025-07-03 - 2025-07-29 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Scott Strong Hawk Foster is a Native American photographer whose proud roots include Hassanamisco Nipmuc, Mohegan, and Cherokee lineage. His exhibit captures travels throughout the ancestral homelands of the Native American Peoples of New England. While attending powwows, cultural events, workshops, and Indigenous practices that span millennia, Scott’s passion highlights the rich, resilient, diverse cultures and history of the Indigenous peoples that are still here and living amongst us. Scott’s tagline, Capture the Moment…Share the Experience ©, expresses his philosophy that life is filled with unique and fleeting moments that must be captured and imprinted or they could be lost forever.

DINO TRAIL WEEK: * Art Naturally: Gel Printing Trace Fossils
2025-07-12 14:00 - 15:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Discover nature and pre-history through story, poetry and art in our series of free art programs. Create an art piece inspired by the valley’s fossilized dinosaur footprints using paint, paper and gel, with instruction and techniques. For adults, teens and children ages 6 and up. All art materials provided. Arrive at 2:00 p.m. for complete instructions
* Dino Trail Week:
Dino Trail Week is a celebratory week of performances, films, talks, exhibits, and activities inspired by dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley. Look for events from all of our partners during Dino Trail Week: Friends of the Great Falls Discovery Center, the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Piti Theatre, the Beneski Museum, the Trustees of Reservations, Springfield Science Museum, Wistariahurst, and the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. Learn more at: dinotrail.org.

Great Hall Artist Talk and Reception: Ways of My Ancestors — We Are Still Here
2025-07-19 14:00 - 16:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Starting at 2 p.m. Native American photographer Scott Strong Hawk Foster presents a talk about his exhibit, Ways of My Ancestors—We Are Still Here, which captures his travels throughout the ancestral homelands of the Native American Peoples of New England. Come early to see the photography and stay for the talk and refreshments. All ages. Meet in the Great Hall.

Ongoing - Great Hall Exhibit: The Towns of Franklin County— by the Springfield Photographic Society
2025-08-01 - 2025-09-30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Find out what makes our Franklin County communities so special through the eyes of avid photographers! This exhibit features a photograph of each of the communities in Franklin County by members of the Springfield Photographic Society. Founded in 1937, the club is made up of enthusiasts from photographic novices to professionals who have in common a love of their craft. Among their recent field trips were stops in Franklin County, where members took photos together and learned from one another. To learn more visit: www.springfield-ps.com.

Outdoor StoryWalk® at Unity Park — Mosbas and the Magic Flute
2025-08-02 - 2025-08-03 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
For thousands of years people have gathered at the Great Falls to tell stories. Enjoy a self-guided StoryWalk,® Mosbas and the Magic Flute by Western Abenaki author Jesse Bruchac, at the Pocumtuck Homelands Festival at Unity Park on First Street along the river’s edge. Find out how Mosbas is changed forever when he finds the power of a magic flute too much to control! For all ages.
* The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Story Walk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson. This StoryWalk® is provided by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Interpretive Services.
