Friends of The Great Falls Discovery Center

Nice & Easy Walk
2025-02-21 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-02-28 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-03-21 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-03-28 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-04-04 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 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.

Author Reading with Astrid Sheckels
2025-02-22 15:00 - 16:00
All ages. Local author, Astrid Sheckels, reads Hector Fox and the Map of Mystery. Look for animals from the story with a Map of Mystery scavenger hunt! Sponsored by the Montague Public Libraries. Meet in the Great Hall.

A French/Breton Jam Session
2025-02-23 14:30 - 16:30
All ages. 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. Meet in the Great Hall.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Beavers
2025-02-28 10:30 - 11:30
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 welcome. Meet in the Great Hall.

Ongoing - Indoor Story Walk® 999 Tadpoles
2025-03-01 - 2025-03-11
Explore the lives of our favorite mud season amphibians. For ages 3 and up, accompanied by an adult. Meet at the welcome desk.
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 Exhibit— Cameron Schmitz: Where We Are, Together
2025-03-01 - 2025-05-26
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.” Enjoy the paintings of Greenfield artist, Cameron Schmitz, who uses color and mark-making as her language of expression. “Dashes of paint and gestural strokes tell a story— orchestrated by movement, intuition, and the shifting of time.” Our Great Hall room is also a programming space. If there is a program in progress, you are welcome to visit the Great Hall to view the exhibits.
* 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.

A Bridge Too Far
2025-03-01 14:00 - 15:00
What about building new bridges in Gilded Age Turners Falls drove neighbors and whole towns against each other? How do these dramas and debates that played out in newspapers and town meetings still impact us today? Join DCR staff as we piece together the stories and lessons of these burning questions affecting all five villages in Montague during the late 1800s. For youth and adults. Meet in the Great Hall.

To Breathe Freely: Tenements of Turners Falls
2025-03-02 14:00 - 15:00
As the brick blocks went up, the Turners Falls tenements tested every aspect of the town, from its ability to deal with disease to what laborers expected from their lot in life. Join DCR staff as we use photographs, maps and news clippings to step back in time and learn about life in the tenements. Ages 12 and up. Meet in the Great Hall.

Nice & Easy Walk - Tenements of Turners Falls
2025-03-07 13:00 - 14:00
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. Special topics—March 7: Turners Falls Tenements; March 14: Riverside neighborhood in Gill.

First Friday: Big Night for Beginners
2025-03-07 16:00 - 18:00
Every First Friday of the Month, Turners Falls businesses and organizations stay open late for activities. On a mild, rainy night in early Spring, thousands of frogs, toads, and salamanders move across Massachusetts to reach their vernal pools and start the next generation of amphibians. But the journey across roads and lawns can be deadly. For this drop-in program, come for crafting, a game, and stay for conversations about how you can help a local Big Night Brigade! Take a moment to enjoy hot chocolate too. For all ages. Families welcome! Meet in the Great Hall.

Saturday Matinee Documentaries: Millers Falls Tools & Martin Machine Co.
2025-03-08 14:00 - 15:30
Join us for two back-to-back documentaries, brought back to life by the Montague Historical Society, about local machine companies. Join Ed Gregory and Chris Clawson from the Montague Historical Society, and Dawn Ward from our Friends Group for Q & A. For teens and adults. Hot chocolate included! Meet in the Great Hall.
The Mill at Montague
An oral history time capsule from 1991 of the Martin Machine Company, once in operation in the location now known as the Montague Bookmill. (29 minutes)
Factory Tour of Millers Falls Tools
Several generations of the Shortell family, of Greenfield MA, were involved with the famous Millers Falls Tool Company, which once had manufacturing facilities in both Greenfield and Erving (at the border with Millers Falls). Ed Shortell was the last manager of production before the company’s absorption by the Ingersol-Rand company in the 1970s. The footage is from 1943 and includes recent narration from Rich Shortell and Ed Gregory. It is a unique and amazing war time tour of the factory at Millers Falls (Ervingside). Watch how production from another era at war got the job done! (14 minutes)

Quabbin Obscura: The Swift River in Black-&-White
2025-03-09 14:00 - 15:00
From farm to canvas to camera, artist Burt V. Brooks (1849-1934) captured the landscapes and daily life in the “drowned towns” before the Quabbin Reservoir (today managed by DCR) was filled. Join DCR staff as we look back on Brooks’ work for answers about who he was and what life in the Swift River Valley was like around the turn of the century. Ages 12 and up. Meet in the Great Hall.

Ongoing: Indoor StoryWalk®-The Salamander Room
2025-03-12 - 2025-03-30
Explore the lives of our favorite mud season amphibians. For ages 3 and up, accompanied by an adult. Meet at the welcome desk.
3/12—3/30: The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer
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 - When Will it Be Spring?
2025-03-14 10:30 - 11:30

Nice & Easy Walk - Riverside neighborhood in Gill.
2025-03-14 13:00 - 14:00
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. Special topic March 14: Riverside neighborhood in Gill.

All Cooped Up!
2025-03-15 19:00 - 22:00
The Franklin County Musicians Cooperative (COOP) features solo artists, established duos, and small group performers who perform an unpredictable mix of folk, rock, country, Celtic, jazz and swing. Suggested donations. For all ages. Meet in the Great Hall.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Salamanders
2025-03-21 10:30 - 11:30

Reptile Nook: Animal Talk
2025-03-22 13:00 - 14:00
For ages 5-16, accompanied by an adult. Join us to meet four animals up close and dive into learning about a variety of reptile, amphibian, and invertebrate species. Free. Sponsored by the Montague Public Libraries. Meet in the Great Hall.

Haiku Tiny Books *
2025-03-23 13:00 - 15:30
Co-sponsored by PVMA and Montague Public Libraries, join Denise Fontaine-Pincince in this hands-on workshop to create a ‘Tiny Book’ to showcase a haiku of your choice. Bring up to five of your favorite haikus. Registered participants receive a sample selection of modern-day haiku prior to the workshop to help you choose. All book-making materials are provided for free. View sample ‘tiny books’ on the YouTube video— Haiku Gifts: art with poetry by Denise Fontaine-Pincince. For adults and young adults ages 16 and up. Limited space. Registration is required: call the Carnegie Library at (413) 863-3214. Meet in the Great Hall.
* 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.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Frogs
2025-03-28 10:30 - 11:30

Artist reception: Cameron Schmitz: Where We Are, Together *
2025-03-29 15:00 - 17:00
View Cameron Schmitz’s exhibit of paintings, enjoy refreshments, and meet the artist. Cameron Schmitz uses color and mark-making as her language of expression. At 4:15 p.m., Cameron speaks briefly about her work, with a Q&A. Sponsored by PVMA and Montague Public Libraries as part of the Big Read. Meet in the Great Hall.
* 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.

A French/Breton Jam Session
2025-03-30 14:30 - 16:30
All ages. 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. Meet in the Great Hall.

Ongoing: Indoor StoryWalk ® — One Earth
2025-04-03 - 2025-04-30
Enjoy the indoor StoryWalk®, One Earth by Eileen Spinelli, which is an open invitation to both celebrate our planet and honor it through stewardship. Count the reasons to love the planet and ways to protect it. For ages 4—8 and anyone who loves the earth, accompanied by an adult. Meet at the welcome desk.
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.

First Friday: Bird Zines
2025-04-04 16:00 - 18:00
Make a small booklet all about birds from a single piece of paper then fill it with your bird observations for this drop-in program. You can make your own personal field guide or start your life list. All materials provided. For all ages. Families welcome! Take a moment to enjoy hot chocolate too. Meet in the Great Hall.

Haiku postcards *
2025-04-05 13:00 - 15:00
In this hands-on workshop for families, Denise Fontaine-Pincince teaches participants how to create a haiga (art with haiku) postcard. Poems and all materials are provided. Sample ‘haiga postcards’ can be viewed by looking up Haiku Gifts: Art with Poetry by Denise Fontaine-Pincince on YouTube. Ages 8 and up. No pre-registration required. Sponsored by PVMA and Montague Public Libraries as part of NEA Big Read activities. Meet in the Great Hall.
* 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.

Artist talk by Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude cover artist Arista Alanis *
2025-04-06 14:00 - 15:30
Meet Arista Alanis and hear how her painting “on down the road” became the image used for Ross Gay’s Catalogue of Unabashed Gratitude book cover and about her creative process. Sponsored by PVMA and Montague Public Libraries NEA Big Read of Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude. Meet in the Great Hall.
* 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.
