Friends of The Great Falls Discovery Center

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.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Dragonflies
2025-08-01 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
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.

First Friday: Monarch Butterfly Migration Station
2025-08-01 15:00 - 17:30
Help us welcome the last generation of monarch butterflies to live their entire life in the north before their offspring begin the long journey to Michoacán in Mexico. Find our drop-in butterfly migration investigation station outside the center for artifacts and crafts as we celebrate this continental migration. All ages. Find our station outside the center.

Outdoor StoryWalk® at Unity Park — Mosbas and the Magic Flute
2025-08-02 - 2025-08-03
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.

Pocumtuck Homelands Festival: Fish Printing
2025-08-02 10:00 - 17:00
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 2, 10 a.m.— 5 p.m., families may visit the Northfield Mountain & 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.

Nice & Easy Walks
2025-08-07 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-14 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-21 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-28 10:00 - 11:00
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.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Ants
2025-08-08 10:30 - 11:30

Great Falls Coffeehouse Presents: Silverback Swing
2025-08-08 19:00 - 21:00
Join us for the Friends of the Great Falls Discovery Center’s concert series featuring local talent. Silverback Swing plays swing music of the 1920’s and1930’s, in the style of the great Belgian-born Roma guitarist, Django Reinhardt. This style of music combines traditional jazz elements with upbeat tempos and intricate guitar improvisation. 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.

River Baron walk: Reshaping New England’s Longest River
2025-08-09 10:00 - 11:00
Experience America’s longest log drive through the photos and stories of locals, laborers and the infamous River Baron, George Van Dyke. Join us for an easy 1.25-mile hike through downtown Turners Falls and along the Canalside Rail Trail. This walk is scheduled for rain or shine. For adults and children ages 9 and up. Meet at the main entrance.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Who Lives in the River?
2025-08-15 10:30 - 11:30

Art Naturally: Source to Sea Mosaics
2025-08-16 10:30 - 12:00
Discover nature through story, poetry and art in our series of free art programs. With instruction and technique, you create an art piece to take home from tile, pebbles, marble and glue, inspired by the Connecticut River’s annual Source to Sea Clean-up in late September. For adults, teens, and children ages 6 and up (accompanied by an adult). All art materials provided. Meet in the Great Hall at 10:30 a.m. for complete instructions.

A French/Breton Jam Session
2025-08-17 14:30 - 16:30
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.

Fly Fishing 101
2025-08-21 17:00 - 20:00
Join MassWildlife to get started in this wonderful pastime. Learn about fly fishing gear, how to rig, and cast a fly rod, as well as tips on how to fly fish. This class is designed for beginner fly anglers (ages 15+). Bring your own fly-fishing gear or borrow ours. Pre-registration required via EventBrite. To register visit: Fly Fishing 101 Tickets, Thu, Aug 21, 2025 at 5:00 PM | Eventbrite. Or email Jim Lagacy at jim.lagacy@mass.gov for more information.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Bobcats
2025-08-22 10:30 - 11:30

Find Us at the Farmers Market!
2025-08-23 10:30 - 13:00, 2025-08-30 10:30 - 13:00
Join DCR staff for family activities at the Great Falls Farmers Market, located between 6th and 7th streets along Avenue A at Peskeompskut Park. In case of rain, you can find our activities inside the center instead. For all ages.

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Spiders
2025-08-29 10:30 - 11:30

Watershed History Station: Women Who Made Franklin County
2025-08-31 15:00 - 17:30
This Labor Day Weekend, experience Franklin County through the maps, stories, photos and lives of four women who worked here. Stop by our table for a few minutes or longer to explore and relive history. Meet outside the center. In case of inclement weather, find us inside the center. For all ages.

Ongoing: Outdoor StoryWalk® — Mole Music
2025-09-02 - 2025-10-28
Enjoy a story, fresh air and exercise! Join us on the Discovery Center’s grounds for a free self-guided StoryWalk® featuring Mole Music by David McPhail. For ages 4 to 7 and anyone who appreciates moles and the power of music to help us connect! Follow the path to book pages posted along the route.
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 - Butterflies
2025-09-05 10:30 - 11:30
Learn about our wildlife neighbors in the Connecticut River Watershed. Program includes a story, activities, and crafts. Activities are indoors and outdoors, weather permitting. For ages 3-6, accompanied by an adult. Siblings and friends welcome. Meet in the Great Hall.

First Friday: Investigation Station — From Fiber into Yarn
2025-09-05 15:00 - 17:30
Spinning fiber into yarn was once a skill that everyone needed to get by. Whether you spun for yourself or were among the one-in-five Bay Staters who spun fiber for work, everyone recognized a spindle. Stop by our table outside the center for five minutes or longer and learn about fiber arts along the Connecticut River. All ages. Meet at the main entrance.

Presentation and Walk: Wildlife out Your Window
2025-09-06 10:30 - 12:30
Join us on a leisurely, family-friendly combined wildlife presentation and walk by Brad Timm, wildlife ecologist and founder of the Northeast Wildlife Team. This program is inspired by Brad’s book Wildlife Out Your Window: Fascinating Facts About 100 Animals Commonly Seen in the Northeastern U.S., which is full of interesting facts about common wildlife all around us. We’ll start inside with a short presentation that will open your eyes to wildlife in ways you never imagined! Then we’ll take a leisurely stroll up the bike path along the Connecticut River and keep our eyes and ears peeled for all sorts of wildlife as we walk. All ages are welcome and encouraged to join. Meet in the Great Hall.

Nice and Easy Walks
2025-09-11 10:00 - 11:00

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Skunks
2025-09-12 10:30 - 11:30
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. For ages 3-6, accompanied by an adult. Siblings and friends welcome. Meet in the Great Hall.

Great Falls Coffeehouse Presents: Harry Remer
2025-09-12 19:00 - 21:00
Join us for the Friends of the Great Falls Discovery Center’s concert series featuring local talent. Harry Remer performs original songs with American roots. 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.

Nice and Easy Walk
2025-09-18 10:00 - 11:00

Kidleidoscope Story Hour - Snakes
2025-09-19 10:30 - 11:30
