Free Pioneer Community Band Festival Concert-June 17

As many as 150 musicians from throughout Western Massachusetts and beyond will come together for an outdoor performance in one giant, free concert band on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 3:00 PM at the Mount Holyoke College Amphitheater in South Hadley. The concert is free and open to the public to attend. In the event of inclement weather, the rain date is Sunday June 18.

Pioneer Valley Community Band Festival Concert
Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 3:00pm
Rain Date: Sunday, June 18
FREE ADMISSION
Gettell Amphitheater at Mount Holyoke College
50 College St, South Hadley MA
MHC Campus Map: https://map.mtholyoke.edu

The Pioneer Valley Community Band Festival concert is being hosted by the Amherst, Florence, and South Hadley Community Bands and will bring together amateur and professional musicians of all ages and abilities from throughout the region to celebrate and perform live instrumental music. According to Festival Coordinator Ira Brezinsky of South Hadley, “We have a goal of 150 musicians performing together. We’ll see if we get there! With the inspiration of our guest conductor and guest soloist, band members will have the opportunity to share their musical skills, learn from their fellow musicians, and bring the joy of live music making to our audience.”

The free concert is made possible thanks to grants from the South Hadley and Amherst Cultural Councils, a Festivals Grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and a sponsorship by the South Hadley Electric Light Department (SHELD/Fiberspring).

For additional information email pioneervalleycommunitybandfest@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/pvcommunitybandfest.

Art Exhibit at South Hadley Library through June 28

Art Squad: Inspirations x4
Liz Austin, Lucia Foley, Abby Jaffe, Marion Pascone
May 2 to June 28, 2023
South Hadley Library, Community Room
2 Canal Street, South Hadley, MA

Two Shadowbrook residents, Abby Jaffe and Lucia Foley, will be showing their work with two other local women in a show at the South Hadley Public Library during the months of May and June, 2023.

In 2016, after connecting in an art class in Easthampton, Liz Austin, Lucia Foley, Abby Jaffe, and Marion Pascone started meeting once a week to paint together, chat, and plan road trips to museums and other interesting places. The group of South Hadley women were soon dubbed “The Art Squad,” and the name and weekly gatherings to create art have persisted. The four artists found solidarity, joy, creative inspiration, and a shared identity working in a variety of media even through the pandemic, as meetings moved from studios to Zoom, back yards, and hiking trails. With good art friends, there are always possibilities. 

A show of their works in oil, watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media will be on view from May 2 to June 28, 2023 in the Community Room at South Hadley Public Library, 2 Canal Street, South Hadley. The library is open Mon-Wed 9:30am-8pm, Thu-Fri 9:30am-6pm, Sat 9:30am-1pm. Call ahead at 413.538.5045 to determine that the Community Room is not in use. 



Growing Wild Spring Workshops

Growing Wild South Hadley is an initiative of our local Conservation Commission to promote biodiversity through planting native and pollinator species. The Commission, in partnership with the Massachusetts Pollinator Network, will host two free spring 2023 educational events:

Thursday, May 11, 6-7:30pm, South Hadley Public Library Community Room
How to Create Natural Ecosystems in Your Yard, with Peggy MacLeod 
Many people now realize the importance of pollinators and other essential wildlife. They want to make their property pollinator-friendly, but don’t know where to start. This talk will guide you through the process of evaluation, planning, and implementation, with many options for large and small changes.

Thursday, June 8, 6-7:30pm, South Hadley Public Library Community Room
Transform Your Yard to Support Pollinators: A 12-Step Program, with Heidi Dollard 
Many people now realize the importance of pollinators and other essential wildlife.  They want to make their yard pollinator-friendly, but don’t know where to start.  This talk will step you through the process of evaluation, planning, and implementation, with many options for large and small changes.

For more information about these programs and other resources, visit: www.southhadley.org/1345/Growing-Wild

 

April 22-Guided Earth Day Trek

The South Hadley Bike-Walk Committee (BWC) invites the public to celebrate our natural world and explore Bynan Conservation Area and its vernal pools on a special Saturday Earth Day Trek with South Hadley’s Conservation Administrator, Rebekah Cornell, and members of the Conservation Commission. 

Free Guided Earth Day Trek at Bynan Conservation Area
SATURDAY, April 22, 2023 at 1:00pm 
Parking available at Fairway Wholesale Distribution, 654 New Ludlow Road
Meet at 12:45pm at the dirt parking pull-off area adjacent to Fairway Wholesale
Bynan Conservation Area Map (PDF)

Come explore the various trails and ponds this town-owned land has to offer. Vernal pools are critical habitats that support unique and valuable wildlife communities. We will look for the egg masses of frogs, toads and salamanders at several stops along the Trek. We will also be joined by a professional ornithologist, so bring your binoculars to help make observations of birds, other wildlife, animal tracks, as well as native and invasive vegetation along the trail.

The Trek is roughly 1.5 to 2.0 miles in length and will take approximately 60 to 90 minutes. Be prepared for wet ground and light forest debris conditions. Protect yourself from bugs and ticks. The chosen trail route loop is relatively flat with only a few minor ascents and descents.

Meet at 12:45pm at the dirt parking pull-off area on New Ludlow Road adjacent to Fairway Wholesale Distribution, 654 New Ludlow Road, South Hadley. To reach the meet-up location, take Rt. 33 south and turn left onto Old Lyman Road, then turn left onto New Ludlow Road. Fairway Wholesale Distribution will be on the left and participants may park in their lot or in the small dirt pull-off parking area immediately after Fairway. Wear weather-appropriate clothing and waterproof footwear and, if desired, bring walking poles and binoculars, along with water and optional snacks. 

Participants of all ages and new Trekkers are always welcomed.

All events are subject to change or cancellation due to weather or ground conditions, and any cancellation notice will be posted on the day of the Trek by 10:00am on the Bike/Walk web page. To check for a weather notification or for more information, including links to a map of the Bynan Conservation Area, visit Bike/Walk on the Town website at: https://www.southhadley.org/bikewalk.

2023 Summit House Sunset Concert Series

This year’s summer series will be held in the Notch Visitor Center, 1500 West Street (Rt. 116) in South Amherst as the Summit House has been closed by DCR for renovations of the building over the summer. Performances are on Thursdays at 7:00pm and will include:

  • July 6 – The Green Sisters 
    Bluegrass to barbershop, blues, and country
  • July 13 – Dear Ella
    Vocal-led musical trio
  • July 20 – Ed Byrne Sextet
    Grammy-nominated Latin Jazz pioneer
  • July 27 – Jeff Barnhart
    Pianist and vocalist
  • August 3 – Gumbo Jumbo Dixieland Band
    Traditional jazz of New Orleans

Admission is $15 per person and advance tickets are go on sale May 1, and details about the artists can be found at: http://www.friendsofmhr.org/2023-summer-concert-series.html. 

For updates on the Summit House, concerts, and other information, visit the Friends of the Mount Holyoke Range on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofmhr. 

Rts 33/202 intersection: Zoning change hearing March 13

The South Hadley Planning Board will hold a virtual public hearing via Zoom at 6:30pm on Monday, March 13 at 2023 to discuss a petition to change the zoning of the property at the corner of Routes 33 and 202 (diagonally across from Plains School, at 280 and 286 Granby Road) from Residence A-1 to Business A. This would allow a Starbucks with a drive-up window to go in initially, with auto access to the property from both Routes 33 and 202. The plans also show a future retail/professional addition to the Starbucks building plus a separate, freestanding retail/professional building and parking area. Those who wish to comment on this proposal may do so at the hearing on Monday.

For the hearing agenda with the URL to join the Zoom meeting, see: https://www.southhadley.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03132023-4953

To view the documents, see the Granby road (280 & 286) link at: https://www.southhadley.org/1347/Zoning-Map-Amendment-Requests

April 20-FAC Owners Forum

Shadowbrook owners are invited to come join neighbors and learn more about our community’s financial needs, brainstorm important issues, and help identify priorities to guide future decision-making. Shadowbrook’s Financial Advisory Committee will host a forum at the library on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 6:30pm. Please save the date and plan to come. Additional details will be emailed to owners as we get closer to the date.

March 10-Gaylord Library Wine Down

The historic Gaylord Library will host its second Wine Down since the return of this popular community get-together last month, this time with a St. Patrick’s Day theme. Everyone over age 21 is cordially invited to come mix and mingle in the library rotunda on March 10, 2023 at 5:30pm. It’s a great way to connect with new people and catch up with old friends. The event is open to the public and the entry fee is $10. The Gaylord branch library is located at 47 College Street in South Hadley. Proceeds help to support the Friends of the Gaylord Library. For more information, see: https://gaylordlibrary.org/winedown.

March 30-KYT Local Candidates Night

Know Your Town (www.knowyourtown.org) will host a Candidates’ Night for those running for Town offices in the 2023 South Hadley Town Election. The event will be held at 6:30pm on Thursday, March 30 in the Community Room at the South Hadley Public Library on Canal Street. Once 2023 candidate information is available (sometime after mid-March), statements and other details will be posted on the KYT website at: https://www.knowyourtown.org/election-info/meet-the-candidates. Candidates’ Night will also be broadcast live on Channel 15.

The 2023 Town Election, as well as both Fire District elections, will be held on Tuesday, April 11 at South Hadley High School, 153 Newton Street. Polls will be open from 7am to 8pm, and all precincts vote at the same location. The last day to register to vote in the Town Election is Friday, March 31, and the deadline to apply to vote by mail is Tuesday, April 4 at 5pm. For a list of offices that will appear on the Town Election Ballot and more information about voting, see: www.southhadley.org/620/Elections.