Friends of The Great Falls Discovery Center

Nice and Easy Walk
2026-06-04 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | 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 older adults, but open to all. Enjoy some 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. Note: there is no walk on April 16.

19th Annual Free Family Fishing Day!
2026-06-06 10:00 - 14:00 | Barton Cove Day Use Area, Barton Cove Road, Gill, MA, United States
19th Annual Free Family Fishing Day!
At Two Locations.
Our annual Family Fishing Day, at Barton Cove, with additional activities at the Great Falls Discovery Center. Join us for a day of FREE fishing fun. Adults and children of all ages are welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Event is held rain or shine. Parking is free. Free shuttle bus between sites.
At Barton Cove Campground: Barton Cove Road in Gill.
§ Free fishing from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. All ages welcome.
§ Fishing equipment provided – limited supplies available. Bring your own pole if you have one. No MA fishing license needed.
At Great Falls Discovery Center: 2 Avenue A.
§ Fly lure tying demonstrations.
§ Come see an impressive guest fish from the USGS Conte Anadromous Fish Research Lab.
§ Fish printing: The art of Gyotaku, 11 am –2 pm.
§ CATCH THE FISH BUS HERE! Free shuttle bus to and from Barton Cove, as needed, 10 am –2 pm.
For information call 413-863-3221.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Turtles
2026-06-12 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
For ages 3-6, accompanied by an adult. Learn more about our wildlife neighbors in the Connecticut River Watershed. Program includes a story, activities, and crafts. Activities are indoors and outdoors, weather permitting. Siblings and friends are welcome. Meet in the Great Hall.

Pride Hike
2026-06-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Connect with nature and community by hiking along the Canalside Rail Trail! Learn about birds, beavers and each other as we walk and talk beside a historic canal. This is a 2.6-mile 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.
Celebrate Pride month by getting outdoors and on the trails on one of our Pride Hikes!
All DCR programs are welcoming and inclusive, these hikes are geared towards our
LGBTQIA+ communities, their families, and allies; providing an enjoyable and safe
opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. For ADA/reasonable accommodations: call (617) 645-0358, or email moneesha.dasgupta2@mass.gov.

Ongoing, Chill Out Indoor StoryWalks® - Fatima’s Great Outdoors
2026-06-17 - 2026-06-30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
StoryWalk®: Fatima’s Great Outdoors, by Ambreen Tariq
Come on inside and Chill Out with DCR! You can find “COOL” activities for kids and families inside, including indoor StoryWalk® all summer long! Meet at the welcome desk. Accessible during open hours.
Enjoy a family camping adventure, a love letter to the outdoors, and a reminder that public land belongs to all of us. For ages 4–8 and everyone who’s ready to go camping!

Nice & Easy Walks
2026-06-18 10:00 - 11:00 | 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 older adults, but open to all. Enjoy some 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. Note: we are transitioning to our summer schedule of hosting walks at 10 am. to avoid afternoon heat.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Hummingbirds
2026-06-19 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States

Nice & Easy Walk
2026-06-25 10:00 - 11:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Spiders
2026-06-26 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States

Mammals of the North Woods Presentation and Friends Group Annual Meeting
2026-06-27 14:00 - 16:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Dawn Marvin Ward, naturalist/educator, presents a slide show on mammals common to the New England woodlands followed by a hands-on sharing of related nature findings. Dawn is an educator and naturalist who has been sharing her appreciation of nature to folks of all ages for over 30 years now, and she is a board member of our Friends Group. Learn about the Friends Group in a brief annual meeting before the program begins. For ages 8 and up. Meet in the Great Hall.
Image by VJ Anderson.

Art Naturally: Fields & Forests — What Do Bees Need?
2026-06-28 10:30 - 12:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
In honor of Pollinator Week, make your own native bee habitat by “painting” with yarn, fleece, pre-felt shapes and water. Will your bees live in a tree trunk or holes in the ground, in a nest made of mud or leaves? Learn how important native bees are, especially for growing food. For ages 4 & up, including teens and adults! Children must be accompanied by an adult. Designed for families. All are welcome! Meet in the Great Hall.

Program Update: Nice and Easy Walk will be a Talk Indoors
2026-07-02 10:00 - 11:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Instead of a walk today our program offering at 10 a.m. will be a talk and demonstration about silk with information about the McLane Silk Mill that used to be in Turners Falls. Meet in the Great Hall!
Cancelled: Easy-paced, 1- to 2-mile guided walk, along the Canalside Rail Trail or downtown Turners Falls, geared for older adults, but open to all. Enjoy some 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.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Eagles
2026-07-03 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Learn more about our wildlife neighbors in the Connecticut River Watershed. Program includes a story, activities, and crafts. Activities are indoors and outdoors, weather permitting. Siblings and friends are welcome. For ages 3-6, accompanied by an adult. Meet in the Great Hall.

First Friday: Eagles
2026-07-03 14:30 - 17:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Celebrate the bald eagle, our national bird by joining us at our drop-in eagle investigation station outside the Center on our grounds. We’ll have artifacts and crafts as we imagine the freedom of flight. Find out how long your wingspan is! In case of rain, join us inside the Center.

Find Us at the Farmers Market!
2026-07-04 10:30 - 13:00 | Peskeompskut Park, Avenue A between 6th and 7th Streets, Turners Falls, 01376
Join DCR staff for family activities at the Great Falls Farmers Market, located between 6th and 7th streets along Avenue A at Peskeompskut Park. For all ages.

Nice and Easy Walk
2026-07-09 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-07-23 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-07-30 10:00 - 11:00 | 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 older adults, but open to all. Enjoy some 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.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Coyotes
2026-07-10 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States

Ongoing - StoryWalk®: Dino Trail Week*®: Daring to Dig by Beth Strickler
2026-07-11 - 2026-07-22 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Includes the stories of Mary Anning, a hero of fossil discovery, and of Mignon Talbot and the discovery of podokesaurus holyokensis. Enjoy this story for young readers ages 8 – 12, and everyone who appreciates women in science.
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.
* Dino Trail Week
An asterix identifies Dino Trail Week programs, part of a celebratory week in July of performances, films, talks, exhibits, and activities inspired by dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley. Look for events from 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. Visit the website dinotrail.org to learn more.

Dino Trail Week* – Art Naturally: Gel Printing Trace Fossils
2026-07-12 10:30 - 12:00 | 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 10:30 a.m. in the Great Hall for complete instructions.
* Dino Trail Week
An asterix identifies Dino Trail Week programs, part of a celebratory week in July of performances, films, talks, exhibits, and activities inspired by dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley. Look for events from 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. Visit the website dinotrail.org to learn more.

Dino Trail Week* – Nice & Easy Walk: Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls
2026-07-16 10:00 - 11:00 | 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 and downtown Turners Falls, geared for older adults, but open to all. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Inclement weather cancels. This week’s topic is the geology of downtown Turners Falls in celebration of Dino Trail Week! Meet at the main entrance.
* Dino Trail Week
An asterix identifies Dino Trail Week programs, part of a celebratory week in July of performances, films, talks, exhibits, and activities inspired by dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley. Look for events from 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. Visit the website dinotrail.org to learn more.

Dino Trail Week* – Kidleidoscope Story Hour: Dinosaurs
2026-07-17 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Learn about giant creatures from the past that roamed the Connecticut River Valley. Program includes a story, activities, and crafts. Activities are indoors and outdoors, weather permitting. Siblings and friends welcome. For ages 3-6, accompanied by an adult. Meet in the Great Hall.
* Dino Trail Week
An asterix identifies Dino Trail Week programs, part of a celebratory week in July of performances, films, talks, exhibits, and activities inspired by dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley. Look for events from 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. Visit the website dinotrail.org to learn more.

Dino Trail Week* – Find us at the Great Greenfield DinoFest!
2026-07-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Greenfield Common, 16 Court Square, Greenfield, MA, 01301, United States
In Greenfield, join Piti Theatre, Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association and Great Falls Discovery Center staff for interactive exhibits, activities, fossils and a chance to make up a dino story with Story Wizards: Dino Drama. Location: on the lawn in front of the 2nd Congregational Church on the Common. For All ages.
* Dino Trail Week
An asterix identifies Dino Trail Week programs, part of a celebratory week in July of performances, films, talks, exhibits, and activities inspired by dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley. Look for events from 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. Visit the website dinotrail.org to learn more.

Dino Trail Week* – Art Naturally: Make Your Own Jurassic Dinosaur Habitat Diorama and Collage Workshop
2026-07-19 10:30 - 12:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Discover dinosaur pre-history through story, poetry, and art in our series of free art programs. Create a Jurassic habitat diorama for your own dinosaur, with instruction and techniques or make your own Jurassic inspired collage. For adults, teens and children ages 6 and up. All art materials provided. Arrive at 10:30 a.m. in the Great Hall for complete instructions.
* Dino Trail Week
An asterix identifies Dino Trail Week programs, part of a celebratory week in July of performances, films, talks, exhibits, and activities inspired by dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley. Look for events from 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. Visit the website dinotrail.org to learn more.

Ongoing - Chill Out Indoor Story Walks® – Sploot by Sadonna Heathman
2026-07-23 - 2026-08-11 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Come on inside and Chill Out with DCR! You can find “Cool” activities for kids and families inside, including indoor StoryWalk® all summer long! Meet at the welcome desk. Accessible during open hours.
Enjoy the story Sploot by Sadonna Heathman. Two squirrels. One mission: stay cool! When the summer sun is blazing, two silly squirrels will try anything to find the perfect cool-down spot. For ages 6 – 8 and everyone cool.
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.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Bees & Flowers
2026-07-24 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States

Drop-in and Chill-out Activities: Sploot! How Animals Keep Their Cool
2026-07-26 10:30 - 12:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Join us inside the Center for drop-in family-friendly activities and crafts all about how animals keep cool, including a story about splooting squirrels. What can we learn from animals during the heat of summer? What’s your plan to keep cool? Come on in and chill out and make your own Flat Squirrely to take on cool adventures and consider painting a scene with acorn cap ink. For ages 4 and up including youth and adults.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Dragonflies
2026-07-31 10:30 - 11:30 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States

Pocumtuck Homelands Festival: Fish Printing at Unity Park
2026-08-01 10:00 - 17:00 | Unity Park, 56 First Street, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
A free two-day celebration at Unity Park on First Street in Turners Falls, sponsored by the Nolumbeka Project and RiverCulture. This festival is the perfect combination of live music, drumming, dancing, storytelling, native crafts and food. On Saturday August 1, 10 am—5 pm, families may visit the Northfield Mountain and Great Falls Discovery Center tent to make your own vibrantly colored fish print to take home. All materials provided. For more information on the entire event visit: nolumbekaproject.org/events.
