See Events page for more recent past events.
Save the Date – Sunday, March 3, 2024
FREE Lecture & Book Signing, James L. Swanson / Memorial Hall Museum Exhibit Preview
Lecture: “The Deerfield Massacre in Myth and Memory”
Hess Auditorium, Deerfield Academy, 2 pm (doors open at 1 pm)
1704 Exhibit Preview: Memorial Hall Museum,
11 am-1:30 pm and 3:30-4:30 pm
On Sunday, March 3, 2024, at 2 pm—close to the anniversary of the 1704 Raid on Deerfield in the early morning hours of February 29—PVMA is hosting a free lecture and book signing by renowned author and scholar, James L. Swanson, in Deerfield Academy’s Hess Auditorium. Doors open and books are available for sale at 1 pm. Get a sneak preview of new elements in Memorial Hall Museum’s 1704 exhibit from 11 am-1:30 pm before the lecture, or from 3:30-4:30 pm that same day. The redesigned sections of the 1704 Memorial Gallery include new interpretation of the Sheldon House Door, feature diverse perspectives on the meaning of the door, and highlight rarely seen objects from the PVMA collection.
“A wonderful read! James Swanson’s eloquent and gripping account of Deerfield’s bloody past transports readers across space and time, while critically assessing the town’s multiple efforts to grapple with its history. He explores the persistence of colonial memories, and welcomes the inclusion of often-ignored Native American voices and perspectives. From a midnight vigil in a haunting colonial graveyard, a visit to the tomahawk-splintered Indian House door, or a stroll along an icy moonlit river on a cold February night, Swanson evokes disparate and unexpectedly poetic connections. He invites readers to walk with him into, through, and beyond this complicated past.” —Margaret M. Bruchac, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania and author of Savage Kin: Indigenous Informants and American Anthropologists
Free Teacher Workshop
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Eastern European Immigration to the Connecticut River Valley
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
1-3:30 pm (snow date 2/29/24)
The Polish Center of Discovery and Learning
33 South St., Chicopee, MA
Click here for more information and registration
PVMA Members: FREE Admission to New “Garden of Hearts” Exhibit at Historic Deerfield
PVMA collaborated with Historic Deerfield Inc., loaning several objects for their exhibition that celebrates the 20th century Arts and Crafts Movement in Deerfield. PVMA members will receive FREE admission to the Garden of Hearts exhibit at Historic Deerfield’s Flynt Center from Saturday, April 15, 2023- Sunday, February 4, 2024. Open 9:30am-4:30pm. Learn more here.
2020
The time of my life” Traveling Exhibit
After traveling from the Great Falls Discovery Center, Memorial Hall Museum, and the Summit House at Skinner State Park, “The time of my life”–Vintage Views of Western Massachusetts, an interactive exhibit looking at 20th-century postcards, is at the Holyoke Heritage State Park, on view October 5 to December 1, 2019.
September 14–October 31, 2019
The Living Landscape of Robert Strong Woodward
on view in the Music Gallery, presented by the Friends of Robert Strong Woodward
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JULY 7 – AUGUST 25, 2019
2019 OLD DEERFIELD SUNDAY AFTERNOON CONCERT SERIES
Beautiful chamber music performed in the lovely Victorian setting of Memorial Hall Museum’s Music Room—newly renovated and air-conditioned—at 3 p.m. on Sundays July 7th through August 25th, 2019. Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for seniors and students. Tickets available at the door. See schedule below.
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July 7th
The Deerfield Trio
Mark Fraser, Cello
Anthony Berner, Violin
Yu-Mei Wei, Piano
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July 14th
Bella Voce
Lisa Woods, Mezzo-Soprano
Teri LaFleur, Soprano
Jerry Noble, Piano
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July 21st
Music of Beethoven & Chopin
Ken Forfia, Piano
Amy Gates, Piano
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July 28th
Carol Hutter and Friends
Carol Hutter, Viola
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August 4th
Alex Kollias, Clarinet
James Maes, Piano
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August 11th
The Valtchev-Tchekoratova Duo
Gregory Valtchev, Violin
Lora Tchekoratova, Piano
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August 18th
David Kopp, Piano
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August 25th
Michael Nix, Banjar
Chris Devine, Violin
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.July 4, 2019 – 3 pm
INDEPENDENCE DAY CONCERT
FREE!
Please join us for our annual Fourth of July concert featuring the wonderful Westmoreland (NH) Town Band at 3 pm in the Blue and White Society Room (all-purpose room) of the Deerfield Teachers’ Center at 10 Memorial Street in Deerfield. This always-fun, free event is held rain or shine, and a wonderful way to celebrate the day with the whole family.
OPENING WEEKEND CELEBRATES ARTWEEK!
May 4, 5 2019
Memorial Hall Museum opens for the season with an ArtWeek celebration of the sights, sounds, and tastes of Our Living Landscape. Our beautiful river valley provides a wealth of inspiration for a FREE weekend of art-making, tastings, and other sensory experiences on May 4 & 5.
Inside the museum galleries, make your own mini souvenir album with scenes from our early 20th-century postcard exhibit, emboss soft metal with landscape designs, and create nature-themed paper quilt squares. Outside, ongoing “drop in and stay a while” activities include wet-felting and collage workshops inspired by landscapes, bird-call identification led by the Great Falls Discovery Center/DCR, and tastings of local food and drink. Engage all your senses!
Admission to the museum’s 19 rooms of history, culture and fine art (including landscapes) and all special activities is offered FREE on Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 2:30 pm. For adults and school-age children. Outdoor workshops will be moved inside if inclement weather. The museum is open free both days from 11 am to 4:30 pm.
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THREE DAYS ONLY
November 10–12, 2018
11 am to 4:30 pm
Free admission for this special exhibit
Memorial Hall Museum will open for Veterans Day weekend to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.
Get a rare glimpse into the lives of the local men and women on the front lines. Uniforms, official correspondences, personal letters, and other artifacts bring the reality of the war and the Armistice to life.
Learn about memorial poppies and pin one on the board to honor someone special.
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JULY 8 – AUGUST 26, 2018
2018 OLD DEERFIELD SUNDAY AFTERNOON CONCERT SERIES
Beautiful chamber music performed in the lovely Victorian setting of Memorial Hall Museum’s Music Room—newly renovated and air-conditioned—at 3 p.m. on Sundays July 8th through August 26th, 2018. Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for seniors and students. Tickets available at the door. See schedule below.
July 8th
Music of Beethoven and Chopin
Ken Forfia, Piano
Amy Gates, Piano
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July 15th
Bella Voce
Lisa Woods, Mezzo-Soprano
Teri LaFleur, Soprano
Jerry Noble, Piano
July 22nd
The Deerfield Duo
Mark Fraser, Cello
Anthony Berner, Violin
Yu-Mei Wei, Piano
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July 29th
Carol Hutter and Friends
Carol Hutter, Viola
Lisa Woodard, Violin
David Siegel, Violin
Jennifer Allen, Cello
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August 5th
James Winn, Flutist
David Kopp, Pianist
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August 12th
The Valtchev-Tchekoratova Duo
Gregory Valtchev, Violin
Lora Tchekoratova, Piano
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August 19th
Piper Pichette, Harp
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August 26th
Michael Nix, Banjar
Chris Devine, Violin
Sunday, June 17, 2018 – 3 pm
Memorial Hall Museum Music Room
Admission: $10
A CONCERT OF SONG IN HONOR OF JUNETEENTH! *
Spanning many centuries, from the Renaissance period to African American art music of the 20th century, there will be toe-tapping songs from Broadway shows as well as soulful spirituals.
Featuring: Metropolitan Opera tenor Irwin Reese and local pianist Julia Bady
*Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
FREE OPENING WEEKEND – MAY 5 & 6, 2018
MEMORIAL HALL MUSEUM is an ARTWEEK HOST!
Engage all your senses! Memorial Hall Museum opens for the season with a special two-day event. Check our ArtWeek listing here, and join us for a FREE weekend of botanically inspired activities.
Saturday offers workshops in floral design, perfumery, watercolor painting, wet felting, and includes an infused mint-water tasting salon. Sunday kicks-off at 11:00 am with live music in praise of honey bees and features drop-in nature-inpired art activities for all ages.
Museum admission is free both days from 11:00 am-4:30 pm with a special floral-themed scavenger hunt.
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OFF-SITE EXHIBIT, February & March 2018
Reading the Rocky Book of the Past—Dinosaur Footprints in the Connecticut River Valley
Great Falls Discovery Center, Turners Falls, MA
On view until March 31st (except Saturday, March 3rd, and Saturday morning, March 10, when the Great Hall will be closed). The Great Hall is a community space. If you are traveling a distance, please call ahead to be sure a large event has not been scheduled in the space.
The Great Falls Discovery Center and the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association are hosting a family learning exhibit in the Discovery Center’s Great Hall. “Reading the Rocky Book of the Past—Dinosaur Footprints in the Connecticut River Valley” focuses on the 19th-century discovery of dinosaur footprints in the Connecticut River Valley and the local people, especially Dexter Marsh and Edward Hitchcock, who played starring roles in the story. PVMA designed the traveling exhibit for family learning, but with something of interest for everyone, whether part of a group or not. It features two simulated 19th-century cabinets (precursors to today’s museums), a “make your own collection” takeaway activity, dinosaur track reproductions and other “touch-its” and learning opportunities. Many labels are in English and Spanish.
Make a bookmark, botanical picture, and your own small collection of gems and shells; or relax with dinosaur books and puzzles and learn about this fascinating local history!
The exhibit is in conjunction with the recent launch of PVMA’s educational website, “Impressions from a Lost World” (www.dinotracksdiscovery.org). Both the exhibit and website focus on the colorful history of the discovery of dinosaur tracks in the Connecticut River Valley in the 1800s. Sponsored in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and members and donors of the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association.
2017 SUMMER
2017 Old Deerfield Sunday Afternoon Concert Series
Beautiful chamber music performed in the lovely Victorian setting of Memorial Hall Museum’s Music Room—newly renovated and air-conditioned—at 3 p.m. on Sundays July 9th through August 20th, 2017. Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for seniors and students. Tickets available at the door. See schedule below.
July 9th
Ken Forfia, Piano
Amy Gates, Piano
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July 16th
Bella Voce
Lisa Woods, Mezzo-Soprano
Teri LaFleur, Soprano
Jerry Noble, Piano
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July 23rd
Piper Pichette, Harp
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July 30th
Michael Nix, Banjar
Eileen Ruby, Mezzo Soprano
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August 6th
The Deerfield Duo
Mark Fraser, Cello
Anthony Berner, Violin
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August 13th
The Valtchev-Tchekoratova Duo
Gregory Valtchev, Violin
Lora Tchekoratova, Piano
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August 20th
Carol Hutter, Viola
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FEBRUARY & MARCH, 2017
Off-site Family Learning Exhibit
Saturday, February 18–Sunday, March 26, 2017
Tuesday–Sunday, 12-4 pm
Holyoke Heritage State Park Visitors’ Center
Reading the Rocky Book of the Past—
Dinosaur Footprints in the Connecticut River Valley
The Holyoke Heritage State Park Visitor Center is hosting a natural history exhibit, designed for family learning by the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association. The exhibit includes two simulated 19th century cabinets (precursors to today’s museums), a “make your own collection” takeaway activity, dinosaur track reproductions and other engaging “touch-its.” Many labels are in English and Spanish.
2016 SUMMER
Old Deerfield Sunday Afternoon Concert Series
Beautiful chamber music performed in the lovely Victorian setting of Memorial Hall Museum’s Music Room—newly renovated and air-conditioned—at 3 p.m. on Sundays July 3rd through August 28th, 2016. Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for seniors and students. Tickets available at the door. See schedule below.
July 10th
Ken Forfia, Piano
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July 17th
Carol Hutter, Viola
Anderson Paes, Clarinet
Larry Picard, Piano.
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July 24th
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Akal Dev Sharonne, Flute
Larry Picard, Piano
“Stolen Goods,” works by Mozart, Albeniz and Brahms
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July 31st
The Pioneer Consort
Chris Devine, Violin
Michael Nix, Banjar
Greg Snedeker, Cello
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August 7th
Duo Fusion
Sarah Swersey, Flute
Joe Belmont, Guitar
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August 14th
The Valtchev-Tchekoratova Duo
Gregory Valtchev, Violin
Lora Tchekoratova, Piano
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August 21st
Bella Voce
Lisa Woods, Mezzo-Soprano
Teri LaFleur, Soprano
Jerry Noble, Piano
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August 28th
The Deerfield Duo
Mark Fraser, Cello
Anthony Berner, Violin
MORE 2016 EVENTS
FREE Independence Day Band Concert
Please join us for our annual 4th of July concert (Monday, July 4th, 2016) featuring the Westmoreland Town Band at 3:00 p.m. in the Deerfield Teachers’ Center at 10 Memorial Street, Deerfield, in our handicap accessible Multi-Purpose Room. We hope you’ll join us for this wonderful concert, which has been a tradition for more than a quarter century! There is seating available for over 100. FREE ADMISSION.
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2016 Juneteenth Concert
Old Deerfield’s Brick Church at 4:00, June 19, 2016; Admission is $10
June 19th, 1865, known as Juneteenth, was the first African American celebration of the end of slavery. It is still celebrated every year. This program addresses the little known, but extensive presence of African Americans in New England’s history and their significant influence on the unfolding American Culture.
Performers, a storyteller, and musicians take their audience on a “journey back in time” in the Connecticut River Valley of Western Massachusetts, 1700 through the 1920s. The stories reveal specific historical African American individuals, their day-to-day lives, the events they were involved in, and the music they thrived on as the time period unfolds.
From 1700s West African Homelands, to Colonial New England, to 1920s Jazz – The journey begins with memories of the ancestral West African homelands, where daily life included tribal music of Senega; and Gambia tied to the passing of seasons, as well as traditional Griot storytelling music. Moving through time, the program’s fourteen stories with songs and tunes include:
~Napthalo, a lover of sacred music, singing in the Sunderland Church during the revivals of the Great Awakening;
~Angeline finding refuge in Colrain after a harrowing rescue from Amherst;
~Put’s fiddlin’ in Greenfield’s Mansion House, and traveling with his band to county-wide gigs by horse-drawn carriage or sleigh;
~Pre-battle singing of Black soldiers in the tent camps of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment;
~Gospel singing in the first local African churches;
~Rent parties in Holyoke’s Black community during segregation and prohibition;
~Finding Gil Roberts – a custodian at the Lord Jeffrey’s Inn – on the back porch or furnace room in the late afternoons, playing amazing jazz on his banjo.
The performance is the culmination of a week-long workshop for local seasoned and amateur musicians of mixed ages, facilitated by professional musicians, who are collaborating with the project’s creator, conductor of research, and program director, Jacqueline Cooper, and PVMA. This program is funded in part by the Cultural Councils of Deerfield, Conway, Sunderland, and Whately.
June 18, 2016, Eaglebrook School, Deerfield, MA
Glacial Lake Hitchcock and Its Primal Inhabitants: A Conference Dedicated to the Native American Culture, Legacy and Artifacts in the Connecticut River Valley
Learn more here. Download the registration form here.
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COMMEMORATION OF THE 1704 RAID ON DEERFIELD
Saturday, February 27, 10 am–4:30 pm
Sunday, February 28, 10 am–2 pm
Old Indian House Children’s Museum, Old Deerfield, MA
See the full weekend schedule here!
“Rain or shine”—but the number of reenactors present may be fewer if the weather is bad (the Indian House will still be open with limited activities).
2015
SPECIAL EXHIBITS
Made of Thunder, Made of Glass II: Continuing Traditions in Northeastern Indian Beadwork
May 30 – November 1, 2015
Intricate, colorful, and symbolic, beadwork is a traditional form of Native artistic expression. In this exhibition, over 250 extraordinary examples of contemporary and historical Native American beadwork made in the Northeast between 1800 and 2015 are accompanied by compelling portraits of the beadwork artisans by Gerry Biron. On view at Memorial Hall Museum, Deerfield, MA.
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Robert Strong Woodward: Artist For All Seasons
September 5 – November 1, 2015
Robert Strong Woodward, Mrs. Keach’s Front Porch, 1933. Private Collectio
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The realist paintings of Robert Strong Woodward (1885-1957) are marked by strong lines, beguiling compositions, and pragmatic colors. Featuring landscapes and scenes of rural Buckland, Massachusetts, dating to the 1930s, this special exhibition celebrates New England regionalism. Organized by the Friends of Robert Strong Woodward, on view at Memorial Hall Museum, Deerfield.
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.“New England Impressions: Art and the Making of Regional Identity, 1885 – 1950”
Thursday, October 1, 7 pm
Lecture by William Hosley at Memorial Hall Museum, in conjunction with the recently-opened exhibition “Robert Strong Woodward: Artist for All Seasons.” Learn more here.
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Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day
Saturday, September 26, 2015.
Free admission to Memorial Hall Museum and Indian House Children’s Museum
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2015 SUMMER
Old Deerfield Sunday Afternoon Concert Series
Beautiful chamber music performed in the lovely Victorian setting of Memorial Hall Museum’s Music Room at
3 p.m. on Sundays July 12th through August 30th, 2015. Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for seniors and students. Tickets available at the door. See the schedule below.
July 12
Ken Forfia, Piano
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July 19
Beth Welty, Violin
Carol Hutter, Viola & Violin
Jennifer Allen, Cello
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July 26
Akal Dev Sharonne, Flute
Dana Muller, Piano
August 2
The Deerfield Duo
Mark Fraser, Cello
Anthony Berner, Violin
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August 9
Duo Fusion
Sarah Swersey, Flute
Joe Belmont, Guitar
August 16
Bella Voce
Lisa Woods, Mezzo-Soprano
Teri LaFleur, Soprano
Jerry Noble, Piano
www.classicalsinger.net/
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August 23
The Valtchev-Tchekoratova Duo
Gregory Valtchev, Violin
Lora Tchekoratova, Piano
August 30 – CANCELLED
Michael Nix, Banjar
& Greg Snedeker, Cello
of The Pioneer Consort
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JULY 4th EVENT!
Please join PVMA for our FREE 4th of July celebration from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., featuring Stone Soul, Inc., from Springfield (MA), and the Westmoreland (NH) Town Band. Stone Soul, Inc.’s, historical re-enactors emphasize the military contributions of the African Americans in America’s wars. Their 54th MA Colored Troops Regiment, Co. E, will set up a Civil War-era encampment on the front lawn of Memorial Hall Museum.
The schedule for the day includes:
• 10:00 – A brief discussion of the Civil War Sesquicentennial by members of Stone Soul, Inc., with a gun salute;
• 11:00 – Youth dance and drum troupe performances;
• 11:30 – A brief discussion about African American soldiers in the Civil War and the significance of faith to them, followed by a Gospel music concert;
• 1:00 – Black powder rifle demonstration, and a brief discussion about African American contributions to music, followed by a Rhythm & Blues concert;
• 3:00 – The Westmoreland (NH) Town Band concert will perform in the Deerfield Teachers’ Center.
Ongoing events throughout the day include the 54th MA Colored Troops encampment, and Memorial Hall Museum will be open with FREE ADMISSION from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. There will also be four different barbecue concession trucks selling food provided by Stone Soul, Inc.
BEADING WORKSHOP
Saturday, May 30, 10 am to 12:30 pm
Presenter: Rhonda Besaw, Canadian Metis/Abanaki
Where: Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association
2014
Indian House Open until October 19th
Open Weekends, 11:00 am–4:30 pm
The “Indian House” was built in 1929 as a replica of the famous 1699 Ensign John Sheldon House. Located at 107 Main Street, the house is a few doors north of the Deerfield Inn, on the same side of the street.
Admission is a choice on the Memorial Hall Single Building ticket. All others: $6 for adults; $3 for students (ages 13-18); children 12 and under are free. The door is kept locked, please ring bell for admission.
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At Arm’s Length:
Photographs by Masha Arms
Find more information here.
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Scarecrow Gardens
by Michael Melle
A new collection on display on
Memorial Hall Museum’s front
lawn through October.
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Robert Strong Woodward
SPECIAL EXHIBIT
Memorial Hall Museum
Open through October 13th: There will be a special exhibition of paintings by New England artist Robert Strong Woodward (1885–1957) at Memorial Hall Museum, presented by the Friends of Robert Strong Woodward. Museum admission grants access to both the exhibition and the museum’s collections.
Please join us at 4:30 today, Saturday, October 4th, to hear Peter Trippi, editor of the magazine Fine Art Connoisseur, present “An Artist of His Time: Seeing Robert Strong Woodward in Context.” The lecture will be at the Deerfield Teachers’ Center (located behind Memorial Hall Museum).
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Saturday September 27
Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day Live!
FREE museum admission!
Memorial Hall Museum and Indian House Memorial Children’s Museum will once again participate in Museum Day Live!, an annual event hosted by Smithsonian Magazine. This is a great day to introduce friends to Deerfield. To learn more about Museum Day Live! or to download a free admission ticket, click here.
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Saturday & Sunday, September 20 & 21, 2014
Old Deerfield Fall Craft Fair
Memorial Hall Museum will be open at noon on Saturday and Sunday, featuring two new exhibits—Tools, Trades & Tasks: All Work and No Play and At Arms Length: Photographs by Masha Arms—and the third annual exhibit of Robert Strong Woodward paintings. Lean more here.
10 am – 5 pm Saturday
10 AM – 4 pm Sunday
$7 Adults, $1 Children under 12
GPS – 10 Memorial Street, Deerfield, MA 01342
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Old Deerfield Sunday Afternoon Concert Series 2014
Beautiful chamber music performed in the lovely Victorian setting of Memorial Hall Museum’s Music Room at
3 p.m. on Sundays through July and August. Admission is $10 for adults; $5 for seniors and students. See the schedule below.
July 4th
3 pm, under the trees behind Town Hall
Band Concert
CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN
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July 6
Julia Bady, Piano
Kathleen Shimeta, Soprano
America: Poets, Patriotism, Politics and Life
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July 13
Ken Forfia, Piano
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July 20
The Deerfield Trio
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July 27
Bob Cummings, Piano
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.August 3
Duo Fusion, Flute and Guitar
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August 10
Akal Dev Sharonne, Flute
Sarah Ehle, Piano
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August 17
Bella Voce
Lisa Woods, Mezzo-Soprano
Teri LaFleur, Soprano
Jerry Noble Piano
www.classicalsinger.net/
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August 24
Pioneer Consort
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August 31
The Valtchev-Tchekoratova Duo
Gregory Valtchev, Violin
Lora Tchekoratova, Piano
May – October 2014
FREE ADMISSION to Memorial Hall Museum for the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families (up to 5 family members), including National Guard and Reserve, through Labor Day, September 1, 2014. More information here.
March & April 2014
Jurassic Road Show Events
Learn more here.
Sunday, April 13, 3 pm
Fine Arts Center, UMass-Amherst
For the hour prior to Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo—all the way from Australia!—Jurassic Roadshow will have displays and an activity in the lobby, in the company of Amherst College’s Beneski Museum of Natural History and The Trustees of Reservations. If you don’t know about Erth’s Japanese-style puppetry, it’s fabulous! You can buy your tickets through this link,
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March 23 in the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade! Keep an eye out for the metal dilophosaurus riding on a flatbed. Even a dinosaur can be Irish for a day! Parade details here.
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Saturday and Sunday, March 29-30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Connecticut Valley Mineral Club Annual Show
Clarion Hotel, Northampton, MA
Jurassic Roadshow participated for the first time last year and had such a good time it’s going back!
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2013
Indian House Open until October 6
Open 11:00 am–4:30 pm
Tuesday–Sunday in August
Weekends only September 1–October 6
The “Indian House” was built in 1929 as a replica of the famous 1699 Ensign John Sheldon House. Located at 107 Main Street, the house is a few doors north of the Deerfield Inn, on the same side of the street.
Admission is a choice on the Memorial Hall Single Building ticket. All others: $6 for adults; $3 for students (ages 13-18); children 12 and under are free. The door is kept locked, please ring bell for admission.
September 21–October 14
Robert Strong Woodward SPECIAL EXHIBIT
Memorial Hall Museum
There will be a special exhibition of paintings by New England artist Robert Strong Woodward (1885–1957) at Memorial Hall Museum, presented by the Friends of Robert Strong Woodward. Museum admission grants access to both the exhibition and the museum’s collections. Come to the Old Deerfield Craft Fair on September 21st or 22nd—admission to the museum and this exhibit are included!
Thursday, October 17, 7 pm
Poetry to the Earth: The Arts and Crafts Movement in Deerfield
Memorial Hall Museum Music Room
Lecture and book signing by Suzanne Flynt
Exhibit Preview 6:30-7 pm
Saturday, October 19 & Sunday, October 20
ARCHAEOLOGY DAYS IN DEERFIELD
October is Massachusetts Archaeology Month. To celebrate there will be several events happening in Deerfield on Saturday, October 19th, which are FREE and open to the public.
Saturday, October 19
10:00 am–11:30 am Archaeological Tour of Deerfield Village led by Dr. Robert Paynter, Department of Anthropology, University of Anthropology. Location: Tour starts at the Visitor Center at Hall Tavern at Historic Deerfield, 80A Old Main Street.
11:30 am–12:30 pm Guided Tour of the Old Burying Ground Meet Claire Carlson, Education Program Coordinator at Historic Deerfield, at the Old Burying Ground. Location: At the end of Albany Road.
11:00 am–4:00 pm Interactive Mock Dig for Children Location: The Indian House Memorial Children’s Museum, 117 Main Street. This free interactive archaeology dig for children will be led by archaeologist Aaron Miller and members of the Sanford Tavern Archaeology Excavation and Education Project. Co-sponsored by the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association and the Western Mass Chapter of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society.
11:00 am–4:00 pm The Sanford Tavern Site and the Taylor’s Fort Site Location: The Visitor Center at Hall Tavern at Historic Deerfield, 80A Old Main Street. Come see artifacts and learn about these two important historic sites from Western Mass!
Saturday, October 20
2:00 pm The Pocumtuck Fort Site: An Illustrated Slide Lecture by Dr. Elizabeth Chilton, the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Dr. Siobhan Hart, Binghampton University. Location: The Visitor Center at Hall Tavern at Historic Deerfield, 80A Old Main Street.
For more information contact Claire Carlson, Board Member, WMCMAS; at 413-775-7217; ccarlson@historic-deerfield.org.
These archaeology events are hosted by: Western Massachusetts Chapter of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society (WMCMAS); Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association; University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and Historic Deerfield.
Saturday September 28
Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day Live!
FREE museum admission!
Memorial Hall Museum and Indian House Memorial Children’s Museum will once again participate in Museum Day Live!, an annual event hosted by Smithsonian Magazine. This is a great day to introduce friends to Deerfield. To learn more about Museum Day Live! or to download a free admission ticket, click here (you’ll see “download ticket” on the right).
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Old Deerfield Sunday Afternoon Concert Series 2013
August 4th
Beth Welty, Violin
Carol Hutter, Viola
August 11th
Celebrating Music from Many Lands and Cultures
Akal Dev Sharonne,Flute
Timothy Rogers, Piano
www.thehealingmuse.com
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August 18th
The Valtchev-Tchekoratova Duo
Gregory Valtchev, Violin
Lora Techekoratova, Piano
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August 25th
“The Lucy Terry Prince Concert”
Irwin Reese, Tenor
Julia Bady, Piano
www.juliabadypianist.com
July 7th
Lisa Woods, Mezzo-Soprano
Teri LaFleur, Soprano
Clifton “Jerry” Noble, Jr., Accompanist
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July 14th
Ken Forfia, Piano
July 21st
The Pioneer Consort
Chris Devine, Violin
Michael Nix, Banjar
Greg Snedeker, Cello
www.pioneerconsort.com
July 28th -No Concert
June 30th
The Deerfield Trio
Anthony Berner, Violin
Mark Fraser, Cello
Sooka Wang, Piano
June 2013
May 18–June 23
Memorial Hall Museum, Special Guest Exhibit
Follow the Thread: America’s Jewish Immigrants and the Birth of the Garment Industry, a multimedia print exhibit created by Jacqueline Cooper.
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May 2013
Follow the Thread Vintage Fashion Show
Free at Frontier Regional High School auditorium, 113 North Main Street, S. Deerfield. If you like, visit the exhibit at Memorial Hall Museum first.
Daily through the end of May10:00 am–4:00 pm
Great Falls Discovery Center Exhibit
Make What You Can of It Student Art Exhibit Our 5th annual family-friendly art & history BIG READ-inspired exhibit at the Great Hall at the Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls. This year’s exhibit looks at quilts and quiltmaking related to the themes of Their Eyes Were Watching God. The Great Hall is a multi-purpose space used by many community groups, so you may want to call to be sure there is not a public event scheduled the day you want to visit.
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April 2013
Monday, April 22, 9:00 pm
Big Read Movie Night at the Rendezvous – Join us to for Oprah Winfrey’s production of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. At our keynote event, Lucy Anne Hurston, neice of Zora Neale Hurston, had some strong opinions about the movie. Come watch and share your opinion! Come early for “dinner and a movie” or join us at 9 pm.
Book discussions: Please let us know if you would like to host a book discussion or if your book group would like materials to support a discussion. Call Tilton Library in South Deerfield to find out the time and location of their May 16th book discussion.
Saturday, April 6
Opening reception for our 5th annual family-friendly art & history BIG READ-inspired exhibit at the Great Hall at the Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls. This year’s exhibit will look at quilts and quiltmaking related to the themes of Their Eyes Were Watching God; 1:00 pm–3:00 pm.
Ongoing: Fridays & Saturdays, April 12-May 17; and daily through the end of May
The exhibit at the Discovery Center will be open Fridays and Saturdays through May 18; then daily through the end of May. The Great Hall is a multi-purpose space used by many community groups, so you may want to call to be sure there is not a public event scheduled the day you want to visit. Open 10:00 am–4:00 pm.
March 2013
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Saturday, March 23
The BIG READ will be at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art as part of a program for teachers, librarians and other educators, “From Creative Process to curriculum Connections: Children’s Books in the Classroom; 10:00 am–3:30 pm.
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Wednesday, March 27: Keynote events
Lucy Anne Hurston, the niece of Zora Neale Hurston, and author of Speak, So You Can Speak Again: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston, will speak at Greenfield Community College’s Stinchfield Lecture Hall at 12 noon. Later, PVMA and GCC will host a Reception & Conversation with Lucy Anne Hurston at the Arts Block in Greenfield. Moonlight Davis, Morning Star and friends will be performing jazz, swing, blues, and gospel; light fare; and cash bar from 5:30–7:30 pm. Both events are free and open to the public. Special thanks to Greenfield Community College for co-sponsoring these events.
2012
November 8
A Sense of Place
10 Memorial Street, Blue & White Room
Thursday, 7:00–9:00 pm, FREE
with David Brule, John Currie, Bill Danielson & Wally Swist
Celebrate the land, history and life of our towns. Join these talented authors and performers in an evening of songs, stories, and poetry inspired by the natural world, past and present.
Sponsored by the Franklin Land Trust and Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association
November 15, 17, & 18
Christmas Sampler
Better Living Center
1305 Memorial Avenue
West Springfield, MA 01089
(GPS- 875 Memorial Avenue, Gate 9 Entrance)
Friday, 12 pm – 7 pm
Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm
Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm
$8 Adults; $1 children under 12
Click here for coupon or to learn more about the Christmas Sampler.
October 2012
October 13th
Jurassic Roadshow on the Amherst Common
In the center of Amherst, Massachusetts Saturday, October 13, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Roadshow will be there under a big tent, rain or shine!
FREE! For more information go to the Jurassic Roadshow web site
September 2012
September 15 – October 8
Robert Strong Woodward in Deerfield
An exhibition of paintings by artist Robert Strong Woodward (1885 – 1957), including landscapes and his celebrated window pictures, will be held at the Memorial Hall Museum of the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, 5 Memorial St., in Old Deerfield, MA. Presented by the Friends of Robert Strong Woodward. The exhibit will open as part of the Old Deerfield Fall Arts and Crafts Festival September 15 & 16.
Your $ 7.00 admission grants access to the exhibition, the museum’s collections and the Fall Arts and Crafts Festival.
The exhibit can also be seen starting Tuesday September 17th through Columbus Day. The museum is open 11:00 to 4:30 Tuesday through Sunday.
Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for youth ages 6 to 21.
For more information visit RobertStrongWoodward.com.
February 2012
Saturday, February 24 & Sunday, February 25 FREE ADMISSION
Commemoration of the 1704 Raid on Deerfield
See the whole 1704 story .
(For background into the story see our website: Raid on Deerfield: The Many Stories of 1704 )
Join us on Saturday, February 25 & Sunday, February 26, 2012, for the Commemoration of the 1704 Raid on Deerfield, Massachusetts. The Indian House Children’s Museum, located at #107 Old Main Street in Old Deerfield, will come alive with historical re-enactors representing English settlers, French soldiers, and their Native American allies who were involved in the raid. There will be demonstrations, displays and hands-on activities for families. On Saturday at 2:00, a battle reenactment will be held on the Deerfield Academy soccer fields located at the end of Old Albany Road. The Red Brick Church, located just up the street at #77 Old Main Street, will 
feature a program each day of period music and historical presentations. Admission is free to all of these events!
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March 2012
East to West—Stories, Games, and Festivals
March 3rd, and Fridays and Saturdays March 9-31
10:00 am–4:00 pm
4th annual family-friendly Big Read art & history exhibit around the themes of The Joy Luck Club at the Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls.
Community Reception March 3rd, 1:00-3:00 pm.
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March 10
T. Susan Chang at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
Cooking up Memories
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March 28
Craft Night at Deja Brew in Wendell
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April 2012
April 14East Meets Western Massachusetts Speaker Day
3:00 pm
Chinese Dance Performance
Culminating event following East Meets Western Massachusetts Speaker Day. Chinese Folk Art Workshop performing arts troupe comes to the Shea Theater in Turners Falls, also co-sponsored by the Pioneer Valley History Network. All welcome, fun for all ages.
April 14
Patriots’ Day 
Celebration
Patriots’ Day Celebration – Tory Tavern at Indian House. The Indian House Memorial/Children’s Museum will be open on Saturday, April 14 as a Tory Tavern, complete with historical Tory re-enactors. This event is being sponsored in conjunction with Historic Deerfield, Inc. who is providing the Patriot re-enactors. Hours are 10 am to 4 pm; admission is free to the Tory Tavern.
June 2012
June 16 & 17
Old Deerfield Summer Craft Fair
Saturday, 10 am – 5 -m
Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm
Join us in Old Deerfield for our ever-popular Summer Craft Fair. Click herefor general and special event information.
Weather permitting, some antique cars such as this 1931 Ford Model A Tudor deluxe sedan painted black and Washington Blue and a 1935 Ford Truck will be on display at the June 16 & 17 Deerfield Craft Fair—and hopefully the Deerfield Volunteer Fire Department’s 192 firetruck.
July 2012
July 4
Stone Soul Peter Brace Brigade and Mass 54th Colored Troops
Fourth of July Celebration
10 am–3 pm FREE
Memorial Hall Museum in Old Deerfield, MA
Westmorland Town Band 3 pm
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SUMMER LECTURE SERIES
Digging for Truth: Uncovering Early African American Presence and Experience in the North
This year’s lecture series is jointly sponsored by Historic Deerfield, Inc. and the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association. The series and PVMA’s African Americans in Early Rural New England Project are funded through grants from the 1772 Foundation, the Institute for Museum and Library Services , Mass Humanities, the National Park Service, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
All lectures are free and open to the public, and will be offered at 7:30 p.m. at the Deerfield Community Center on Memorial Street.
July 12
The Worm in the Apple: Slavery and Race in Early New England
Joanne Pope Melish, Associate Professor of History, University of Kentucky and author of Disowning Slavery: Gradual Emancipation and “Race” in New England, 1789-1860
July 19
The Emerging Face of Northern Bondage: An Archaeological Perspective
Alexandra Chan, Site Archaeologist, Royall House and Slave Quarters, Isaac Royall House Museum, Medford, MA co-presenting with Thomas Lincoln, Executive Director, Royall House and Slave Quarters, Medford, MA.
July 26
The New York African Burial Ground Project
Warren R. Perry, Professor of Anthropology, Central Connecticut State University and Archaeological Director of The Archaeology Laboratory for African and African Diaspora Studies.
Dr. Perry will be introduced by Robert Paynter, Professor of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
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OTHER JULY & AUGUST EVENTS
July 1 – August 26
2012 Old Deerfield Sunday Afternoon Concert Series
Sundays at 3:00 pm, July 1st–August 26th
Join us for beautiful chamber music performed in the lovely Victorian setting of Memorial Hall Museum’s Music Room, 8 Memorial Street, Deerfield.
Tickets: $10 Adults, $5 Seniors/Students; available at door
October 2011
October 16
Kelet Duo Concert at Memorial Hall Museum
Sunday, 3:00 pm
From the Danube to the Yellow River
Katalin Viszmeg, Hungarian Violinist
Pi-Hsun Shih, Taiwanese Pianist
This program is sponsored in part by the Deerfield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
September 2011
September 24
Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day at Memorial Hall Museum
Saturday, 11:30 am–4:30 pm
In the spirit of Smithsonian Museums, who offer free admission every day, Museum Day is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian magazine in which participating museums across the country open their doors to anyone presenting a Museum Day Ticket…for free to ticketholders. To get your tickets (two per family) go to the Smithsonian Magazine’s website.
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Summer 2011
2011 Old Deerfield Sunday Afternoon Concert Series
Beautiful chamber music performed in the lovely Victorian setting of Memorial Hall’s Music Room at 3 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is $10 for adults; $5 for seniors and students.
Duo Fusion
Sarah Swersey, Flute & Joe Belmont, Guitar
http://www.duo-fusion.com
July 17
Lisa Woods, Mezzo-Soprano;
Clifton “Jerry” Noble, Jr., Accompanist
www.classicalsinger.net/lisawoodsmezzo
July 24
Ken Forfia, piano
July 31
Deerfield Piano Trio
Anthony Berner, Violin; Mark Fraser, Cello; Sooka Wang, Piano
August 7
The Pioneer Consort
Chris Devine, Violin; Michael Nix, Banjar; Greg Snedeker, Cello
www.pioneerconsort.com
August 14
Irwin Reese, Tenor
Julia Bady, Piano
August 21
The Valtchev-Tchekoratova Duo
Gregory Valtchev, Violin
Lora Techekoratova, Piano
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April/May 2011
April 8–June 5
“I Was There: Stories of War and Homecoming”
Hallmark Gallery, Turners Falls, MA
May
Hallmark Gallery exhibit continues; satellite exhibit at the Academy of Music in Northampton and Holyoke Heritage State Park Visitors Center.
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March 2011
March 5th 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls
“Told and Retold: A Conversation Starter,” Read press release
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Thursday, March 10th
Springfield Museums
“Museums a la Carte” lunchtime lecture
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Saturday, March 19th
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
“Big Read for Young Readers” event, panel discussion. x
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November 2010
November 6th & 7th
16th Annual Franklin County CiderDays
CiderDays is a community event celebrating all things apple in Franklin County. There will be two days of orchard tours, cider making and tastings, workshops, and much more. There is a charge for some of the activities; the self-guided tours of the orchards and the Marketplace at the Shelburne-Buckland Community Center in Shelburne Falls are free. For more information and for tickets, click here.
The 2010 CiderDays Harvest Supper will be held at PVMA in the Blue & White Society Room in the Deerfield Teachers’ Center building from 7 to 9 pm on Saturday, November 6th.
November 19, 20, & 21
Christmas Sampler: Big E’s Better Living Center, West Springfield
The Old Deerfield Christmas Sampler combines the best traditions of Christmas & the Old Deerfield Craft Fairs, with 275 exhibitors!
Friday: 12 noon–6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Admission is $8 for adults: $1 for children under 12.
Discount coupons are available online here.
An exhibit of a miniature village decorated for the holidays circa 1897 will be on display, plus free demonstrations by crafters, and cances to win $50 gas cards and shopping certificates—multiple winners each day!
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October 2010
The BIG READ and PVMA/Veterans Education Project are co-sponsoring the following upcoming performances (off-site):
(See September calendar also)
October 8th and 9th
Friday & Saturday 8:00 p.m. at Zen Peacemakers in Montague
AMBUSH ON T STREET: A Vietnam veteran struggles to cope with demons carried home from the war. Details and advance tickets here.
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September 2010
September 9-12, 2010
Franklin County Parade & Fair
PVMA and The Big Read march again! If you’d like to walk/ride with us in the parade and help distribute thousands of Big Read bookmarks, we’d love to have you join us. Contact sdamkoehler@deerfield.history.museum. And be sure to visit our booth outside the Dole Building during the fair to learn about this year’s book, The Things They Carried, our partnership with the Veteran’s Education Project, and how our Big Read projects explore history through great literature.
September 18 & 19, 2010
Old Deerfield Fall Craft Fair
outdoors in the village of Old Deerfield
Saturday 10:00 am–5:00 pm, Sunday 10:00 am–4:00 pm
$ 7 Adults: $ 1 Children 6–12
September 25
Saturday 11:30 to 4:30, Smithsonian Magazine’s 2010 Museum Day
Museum Day is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian Media in which participating museums across the country open their doors for free to anyone presenting a Museum Day Ticket. It’s also a perfect opportunity for PVMA’s launch of The BIG READ 2010-2011. Tim O’Brien, author of this year’s selection, The Things They Carried, speaks of how “stories rule our lives, how they’re told and retold as we look for an elusive truth.” Memorial Hall Museum and the Indian House are full of stories to discover and rediscover!
Download your FREE pass to Memorial Hall Museum and the Indian House and learn more at the Museum Day website here. Some restrictions apply. Memorial Hall Museum and the Indian House will also be free to those without a Smithsonian pass who “sign in” at the door with their email address.
September 24th & 25th
Friday & Saturday 8:00 p.m. at Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls
AMBUSH ON T STREET: A Vietnam veteran struggles to cope with demons carried home from the war. Details and advance tickets here.
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July & August 2010
Beginning July 11 through August 29
Old Deerfield Sunday Afternoon Concert Series
In the lovely setting of Memorial Hall Museum’s Music Room.
Details here.
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June 2010
June 19 & 20 Saturday & Sunday, outdoors on the PVMA campus in the village of Old Deerfield
Old Deerfield Summer Craft Fair
Saturday 10:00 am–5:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am–4:00 pm
$ 6 Adults: $ 1 Children 6–12
Learn more here.
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May 2010
May 1
Memorial Hall Museum opens for the season!
See May 16th for your invitation to our Opening Reception.
May 5
Wednesday, 7 p.m., The White Church, Old Deerfield, MA
Economic Change in the Connecticut Valley before the Civil War
Dr. Christopher Clark, Professor of History, University of Connecticut, co-sponsored by the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association and the Pioneer Valley Institute
Prior to the advent of the Civil War, there were important adaptations in local agriculture, and a significant expansion of commerce and manufacturing as this region engaged in national economic developments. For many families and individuals, these changes brought upheavals; some moved away to pursue opportunities elsewhere, while new immigrants from Ireland, Canada and elsewhere began to settle in the Valley’s towns and farmlands. Drawing on case-studies from local libraries and archives, this talk will explore the significant changes to peoples’ lives that accompanied the growth and transformation of the Connecticut Valley’s economy in the half-century or so before the American Civil War.
Christopher Clark is a Professor of History at the University of Connecticut. Three of his books are about the Connecticut Valley region: The Roots of Rural Capitalism: Western Massachusetts, 1780-1860; The Communitarian Moment: The Radical Challenge of the Northampton Community; and, edited with Kerry W. Buckley, Letters from an American Utopia.
May 16
Sunday, 1:00–4:00 p.m. Memorial Hall Museum’s Opening Gala! The event is free and open to the public.
CHANGES ON THE HORIZON: An Exhibition of Paintings and Prints
Changes on the Horizon is an exhibition of 15 paintings, and over 50 prints, maps, stereographs, and postcards depicting Franklin County’s ever-changing landscape. Looking at the period from about 1830 to 1950, we see how industrialization (Russell Cutlery, Lamson Goodnow, New Home Sewing Machine companies), transportation (railroads, trolleys, automobiles), roadways and bridges transformed the rural landscape.
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April 2010
April 1
Thursday, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Davis Auditorium, Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, MA
The BIG READ at Museums a la Carte: “Following in Frost’s Footsteps: One Writer’s Journey” It is hard to imagine becoming a writer in America in the shadow of Robert Frost and not being influenced by his work. Karen Osborn, poet and novelist, will discuss this and her own connection to the narrative and to nature writing. The author of three published novels and dozens of poems, Osborn has established her roots as a writer clearly within the tradition of American poetry and prose. Her presentation will include readings from both her own work and that tradition. Author, Karen Osborne, is a Visiting Professor with the English Department at Mt. Holyoke.
Arril 9 & 10
Friday & Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Pothole Pictures, Shelburne, MA
Tobias Wolff’s memoir, This Boy’s Life: Celebrate The BIG READ: Old School at this film event.
April 24
Saturday, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Academy of Music, Northampton, MA
Circa Sixties Music Madness: Calling all “Mad Men” fans! Shining Star Karaoke’s Tom and Dawn Mayo, of both the Valley and Amherst Idol shows, will host our culminating BIG READ event this year—a celebration of c. 1960 Music Madness in the beautifully restored Academy of Music Theater. Performers will choose hits from 1955 to 1965 (the era of “Old School”). Listen to the same pop hits that Betty and Don were dancing to. You won’t want to miss this event! (Sixties attire encouraged.) Vist the Academy of Music’s calendar for more information.
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March 2010
February 19th to March 27th
Fridays and Saturdays (except March 6th) at the Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls, MA
From Hornbooks & Samplers to facebook & SMART Boards: Living and Learning in the Connecticut River Valley—The BIG READ-Old School-inspired exhibit in the Great Hall, co-created by PVMA and students at Pioneer Valley Regional High School. The Great Falls Discovery Center‘s winter hours are Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
March 13 & 14
Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Young Building, Eastern States Exposition, W. Springfield, MA
Old Deerfield Spring Sampler
$ 6 Adults: $ 1 Children 6–12
More information here.
March 13
Saturday, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA
The BIG READ for Young Readers: The New 
England Society for Children’s Books Writers and Illustration will hold a panel discussion titled, “My Biggest Writing/Illustrating Challenge and How I Solved It” with panelists Elise Broach, Lita Judge, Grace Lin, Sara Pennypacker. With “Old School” exploring the process and challenges of writing poetry and fiction, our “BIG READ for Young Readers” event this year at The Carle looks at the process as it relates to children’s books. Listen in as four veteran authors and author-illustrators discuss how they struggled with and overcame challenges as they created the children’s books we know and love. Their stories will inform and inspire writers, writing teachers, and children’s book enthusiasts. Book sale and signing to follow. Free with Museum Admission.
Elise Broach is the author of six picture books and three novels. Both When Dinosaurs Came with Everything and Masterpiece won the E. B. White Read Aloud Award.
Lita Judge combines her love of history and nature to write and illustrate children’s books. Her first picture book, One Thousand Tracings, won the 2008 IRA Children’s Book Award and was a Jane Addams Award Honoree.
Grace Lin is the author/illustrator of more than a dozen picture books. Also an author of middle grade fiction, Grace’s most recent novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was the 2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Winner.
Sara Pennypacker is the author of the New York Times Best-Selling Clementine series, two other chapter book series, and two picture books, one of which won the 2007 Golden Kite Award.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
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February 2010
February 4
Thursday, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., Davis Auditorium, Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, MA
The BIG READ at Museums a la Carte: “Old School” This slide show and public conversation invites your reminiscences of an “old school” education. Images of standing old schools from around the valley may evoke your fond (and not so fond) memories of schooldays gone by. The audience is welcome to bring a lunch to enjoy during the program. Cookies and beverage are provided.
February 9
Tuesday starting at 7:30 p.m., the Rendezvous in Turners Falls, MA
Craft Night at the Voo! Join us for the third in our series of informal BIG READ get-togethers at the Voo! All materials provided for our “Old School”-inspired craft at The BIG READ Craft Night. Bring your handmade paper from last month (or we’ll provide some) and make a small accordian-folded blank book. Perfect for poems and inspiratonal quotes! Free BIG READ materials to take-away.
February 27th
Saturday, 1 p.m.–3 p.m., Community Reception, Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls, MA
From Hornbooks and Samplers to facebook and SMART Boards: Living and Learning in the Connecticut River Valley—“Old School”-inspired exhibit in the Great Hall, co-created by PVMA and students at Pioneer Valley Regional High School.
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January 2010
January 12
Tuesday, starting at 7:30 p.m., the Rendezvous, Turners Falls, MA
Join us for the second in our series of three informal BIG READ get-togethers at the Voo! All materials provided for our “Old School”-inspired craft, celebrating the art of the book—tin-can papermaking—at The BIG READ Craft Night at the Rendezvous in Turners Falls. We can use our hand-made paper for next month’s project: small poetry/blank books! Free BIG READ materials to take-away.
Decmber 2009
December 8
Tuesday, starting at 7:30 p.m., the Rendezvous, Turners Falls, MA
Just in time for holiday gift-giving, the BIG READ returns to the Rendezvous at 78 3rd Street in Turners Falls for the first of this year’s three Craft Nights—2nd Tuesdays of December, January and February—with each month’s projects inspired by a love of reading and writing. Free National Endowment for the Arts-produced Reader’s Guides and Audio Guides available. Celebrate the gift of great literature with lovely beaded bookmarks and small gift boxes. All materials provided, or bring your own favorite beads, thin yarn and heavy decorative paper.
December 9
Wednesday, 2 p.m.Tilton Library, South Deerfield, MA
Join your friends and neighbors at a regional discussion of this year’s BIG READ selection, Old School by Tobias Wolff, hosted by Tilton Library.
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November 2009
November 7 & 8, PVMA’s Blue & White Hall, Old Deerfield, MA
Annual Franklin County CiderDay
CiderDay is a community event celebrating all things apple in Franklin County, Massachusetts. 2009 marks the 15th year of this event which traditionally includes orchard tours, cider making and tastings, a dinner, workshops and much more. This event is for all who love apples, fresh or hard cider, apple cuisine, apple orchards or just being in New England in the fall. There is a small charge for some of the activities but there is no admission for the self-guided tour of the orchards. For the CiderDay Harvest Supper Chef Paul Correnty will create a savory fall feast featuring apples, cider and other locally grown foods. The dinner will be held in the Blue & White Society Room at the PVMA’s Deerfield Teachers’ Center. Map.
November 27, 28, & 29
Old Deerfield Christmas Sampler 22nd annual craft fair held at the Eastern States Exposition Better Living Center in West Springfield, MA. Combines the best traditions of Christmas and the Old Deerfield Craft Fairs. 275 exhibitors. Open Friday 12 p.m. – 8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., & Sunday
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults; $1 for children under 12. Discount coupons are available. There will be free demonstrations by crafters and a chance to win $50 gas cards and other prizes – multiple winners each day! For more details, directions and discount coupons, visit the Craft Fair website.
October 2009
October 3
The BIG READ’s BIG Book Sale and Tag Sale
Over a million pages of history, science, literature, religion, travel, cooking, biography, fiction, decorative arts, and poetry will be for sale at the Pioneer Valley BIG READ’s BIG Book Sale Saturday, October 3rd from 8 a.m. to
2 p.m. indoors at 10 Memorial Street in the former Old Deerfield Grammar School (now the Deerfield Teachers’ Center). There will also be a muliple-family Tag Sale in the all-purpose room next to the book sale room. There are treasures for all!
October 15
The first of this year’s BIG READ book discussions is happening at Tilton Library in South Deerfield on Thursday, October 15th at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome! If you’d like to host a book discussion, or suggest a program or venue for The BIG READ 2009-10: Old School, please contact Sheila Damkoehler at sdamkoehler@deerfield.history.museum.
September 2009
September 10
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association Annual Dinner Meeting
Thursday September 10th , 5 – 8 pm, at 10 Memorial Street, Deerfield. Guest speaker: Alan Swedlund, author of the forthcoming book, Shadows in the Valley. Call 413-774-7476, ext. 10, to make reservations.
September 10 – September 13
Franklin County Fair
See us in the parade, representing The BIG READ 2009-10010: Old School and at our booth outside the Dole Building during the fair. Look for the mini-jukebox and keep your ear out for the 1960 hits the boys in Old School were listening to. Free Readers’ Guides and bookmarks.
September 19 & 20
Old Deerfield Fall Craft Fair
34th annual event featuring 200+ juried exhibitors from 17 states displaying crafts in all media. Open Saturday 10 am – 5 pm, & Sunday 10 am – 4 pm, rain or shine, on the lawns of Memorial Hall Museum. Admission is $7 for adults; $1 for children under 12. Discount coupons are available on our website. Events include craft demonstrations, music, and free admission to Memorial Hall Museum, with free shuttle busses, free parking, and a chance to win $50 gas cards and other prizes – multiple winners each day!
September 26
Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day 2009
Memorial Hall Museum and the Indian House Children’s Museum are celebrating this year’s BIG READ selection, Old School with a “New England School Days” theme on the Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day 2009,
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bring the family and learn what New England school days were like in past centuries. Free General Admission to Museum Days 2009 cardholders. Get yours here: http://microsite.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/admission.html.
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Summer 2009
Old Deerfield Sunday Afternoon Concert Series
Beautiful chamber music performed in the lovely Victorian setting of Memorial Hall Museum’s Music Room at 3 p.m. on Sundays through July and August.
Admission is $10 for adults; $5 for seniors and students. See the schedule below.
