Easthampton WinterFest Celebrates the Beauty of Nashawannuck Pond
By Melissa Karen Sances
Published In Northampton Living | February 2026
Sponsored by Greenfield Savings Bank
While winter in the Pioneer Valley promises plummeting temperatures and afternoons that hastily evolve into evenings, the Friends of Nashawannuck Pond see the season as an icy opportunity. The nonprofit supports the longstanding Steering Committee established to preserve the pond, considered the official gateway to Easthampton’s Cottage Street Cultural District. To enjoy its beauty all year, and to maintain and enhance the pond, the Friends of Nashawannuck Pond gathers the community in January and February for its biggest annual fundraiser: WinterFest.
Now in its 13th year, WinterFest features more than 30 family-friendly activities over six weeks, culminating in a Polar Plunge on Feb. 14. There is so much to do that we only have the space for some of this month’s events, but check out the full schedule at nashawannuckpond.org/winterfest.
From Humble Beginnings …
“WinterFest began with two activities and a fire by the pond,” said Beth Tiffany, treasurer of the Friends of Nashawannuck Pond. Today, thousands of people attend events in-person and online. Got a perfect pond pic? The remote photo contest runs until Feb. 7. Other online activities include an ice cream flavor naming contest for Mt. Tom’s Homemade Ice Cream, through Feb. 8. The winner gets a free Mt. Tom's tee-shirt and a pint of their own recipe, which will also be available in the store.
This month, upcoming in-person events at Abandoned Building Brewery include the One Man Party Trivia on Feb. 7, followed by Bingo on Feb. 8. And on Feb. 13, the popular Chili Tasting returns, judged by local restaurateurs on looks, smell, heat – and bite. But WinterFest’s busiest day is its final one.
… To a Local LoveFest
Feb. 14 is “a great day to show your love for the community,” said Amy Marsters, president of the Friends of Nashawannuck Pond. Activities abound throughout the morning and afternoon.
At 11 a.m., Clay Hill Farm in Chesterfield offers 10-minute, horse-drawn wagon rides up Williston Ave. until 2:30 p.m. Meanwhile, over at CitySpace, the Easthampton Police Department is joined by K9 Gino and Ellen Feld, who authored a book about police K9s, at 10 a.m. A dance demonstration by Art in Motion starts at 11 a.m., and a puppeteer and a balloonist will be on-hand in the afternoon. Across the street at the Easthampton Library annex, Family Jungle Entertainment hosts an exotic animal and reptile show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. And on the pond, folks can harvest ice with historian Dennis Picard at noon or take the Polar Plunge with the Easthampton Fire Department at 3 p.m. Last year, nearly 100 people braved the chilly water to raise money for the beloved pond.
“The pond has become such a beautiful piece of the town,” said Tiffany. “This is how we maintain its beauty.”
The Friends of Nashawannuck Pond are looking for 57 volunteers for WinterFest. Sign up at nashawannuckpond.org/volunteer.
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