Artist Reception. Nature’s Colors
2026-06-07 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Join painter Kate Marion Lapierre for an artist reception celebrating her exhibit, Nature’s Colors. Come experience the colorful beauty that nature brings through Kate’s artwork and enjoy light refreshments. Meet in the Great Hall.

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.

Great Falls Coffeehouse Presents: On the Lam
2026-06-12 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. On the Lam offers sweet harmonies and harmony-heavy Americana. Refreshments available. Sliding scale suggested donations, in support of educational programming at the Center. All ages. Meet in the Great Hall.

Find Us at the Farmers Market!
2026-06-13 10:30 - 13:00, 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.

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

Montague Public Libraries Presents: Favorite Storybook Character Day
2026-06-20 13:00 - 15:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Whether you want to channel your inner hero, K-Pop singer, or a beloved blue heeler pup, we can’t wait to see your favorite stories come to life. Take home themed art inspired by classic and contemporary storybook characters. Costumes are highly encouraged but not required. This is a fun, family-friendly event perfect for book lovers of all ages! Sponsored by Montague Public Libraries. Meet in the Great Hall.
Step into the pages of your favorite book! 📚✨
Come celebrate the joy of reading with the community. 📖❤️

Solstice Stroll for Pollinators!
2026-06-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Help us kick off Pollinator Week and the Summer Solstice! Grab your friends and family for a leisurely 1.5-mile summer solstice stroll as we look for signs of pollinators and talk about their favorite plants on the grounds of the Great Falls Discovery Center, downtown Turners Falls, and along the Canalside Rail Trail. For ages 6 and up. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Meet at the main entrance.

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.

A French / Breton Jam Session
2026-06-28 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 - Chill Out Indoor Story Walks® - Berry Song, by Michaela Goade
2026-07-01 - 2026-07-10 | 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.
This story is a gorgeous celebration of the land and the powerful wisdom of elders. For ages 4 – 8 and everyone who loves berries!
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.

Ongoing - Great Hall Art Exhibit: Ways of My Ancestors – Imagery: Lighting the Path to Awareness
2026-07-02 - 2026-08-26 | 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. For all ages.

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.

Outdoor Story Walk® — Bowwow Powwow
2026-07-05 - 2026-08-06 | Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, United States
Enjoy a story, fresh air, and exercise! Join us on the Discovery Center’s grounds for a free self-guided StoryWalk® featuring Bowwow Powwow by Brenda Child. For ages 3–7 and anyone who loves dogs and powwows!
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.

Nice and Easy Walk
2026-07-09 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* – Dinosaur Footprints at Barton Cove: History and Geology Walk
2026-07-11 13:00 - 14:00 | Barton Cove Day Use Area, Barton Cove Road, Gill, MA, United States
Join Sarah Doyle and a guest geologist/paleontologist for a leisurely walk around Barton Cove in Gill, MA. Learn about the role of this site in the 19th-century discovery of fossilized dinosaur footprints when the property was owned by Roswell Field, a local farmer and businessman who was an early discoverer of the tracks. Dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes, and bring water. Consider enjoying a picnic before the walk. The trails are not difficult but are rough in spots and covered in tree roots. Meet at the picnic tables at the Barton Cove Campground Day Use area on Barton Cove Road in Gill, MA. The walk is less than 1 mile long. For adults and children over 12 years old. Sponsored by our Friends Group. Rain date: Saturday, July 18.
* 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.
