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102nd Annual Greenfield Winter Carnival

2024 Winter Carnival Header

About This Event

DATE: FEBRUARY 2nd – FEBRUARY 4th, 2024
LOCATION: Events all over the city, all weekend long!

 Schedule of Events Brochure(Large file – could take a few moments to download)

Ice Sculpture Contests, Fireworks, Parade of Lights, Glow Party, Family Activities, Donuts with Olaf, Mad Science Show, Jigsaw Puzzle Contest, Cribbage Tournament, Cardboard Sled Race, K9 Keg Pull, Chili Cook Off, Vintage Snowmobiles, Sledding, Ice Skating, and so much more!

 Ice Walk MapIce Sculpture Voting >>
 Cookie Bake-Off Rules and Registration Chili Cook-Off Rules and Registration
 Parade of Lights Rules and Application
 Main Street Bar & Grille Coloring Contest
Cardboard Sled Race Pre-Registration >>
Virtual Jigsaw Puzzle Contest Team Online Registration >>
K9 Keg Pull Pre-Registration >>K9 Keg Pull Facebook >>
Adams Donuts Online Ordering >>
 Main Street Bar & Grille Mid Winters Menu
 2024 Winter Carnival Flyer

 2023 WINTER CARNIVAL AWARD WINNERS – Check out last years Winners >>

We need your help – Volunteer at the Carnival Today!
Volunteer at the Carnival Today!

Centennial Celebration

GCTVGreenfield’s Winter Carnival through the years >>

 

Enjoy throughout the Weekend

Four Phantoms BrewingOngoing – Sledding & Outdoor Ice Skating
Come enjoy the Beacon Sledding Hill and our Ice Rink. Available all winter long! Bring your own sleds or skates.

Find the Golden CarrotOngoing – Find the Golden Carrot
Uh oh! It looks like our Winter Carnival Snowman has lost his nose! We challenge you to find one of the 10 golden carrots in this city-wide scavenger hunt. Will you be able to sniff out their hiding places and restore the snowman’s sense of smell? Once you find a carrot, take a picture with the noseless snowman located outside the Recreation Department building, post the photo to the Facebook event, and leave the carrot along with a paper that includes your name, age, and telephone number in the dropbox.

Ongoing – Poetry Walk
Enjoy winter themed poetry along the ice sculpture route in downtown Greenfield. Poems will be posted on February 2nd and stay up for the month.

Four Phantoms BrewingOngoing – Sour Fest at Four Phantoms Brewing
Put on your favorite Hawaiian shirt and stop on by for some delicious brews! Four Phantom’s Sour Fest will feature 4 of our sours which can be enjoyed by the flight or by the pint beginning Thursday, February 1st at 4:00 pm through Monday, February 5th. fourphantoms.net >>

Main Street Bar and GrilleOngoing – Midwinter’s Dream Drink Menu at Main Street Bar & Grille
Enjoy a special Winter inspired drink menu throughout the weekend! mainstreetbarandgrille.com >>

Ongoing – Coloring Contest at Main Street Bar & Grille
Create a colorful masterpiece (no larger than 11”x17”) with Greenfield Winter Carnival themed activities in mind. Drop off at Main Street Bar & Grille from January 24th through February 3rd by 9:00 pm to enter. Winners announced on February 4th.  Receive a free hot chocolate with your coloring entry!

 

Friday, February 2nd Events

Ice CarvingAll day – Live Ice Carvings Downtown – Artists will be sculpting ice throughout the day in front of our downtown sponsoring businesses. Check out the Ice Walk Map. Vote for your favorite in our online contest by 10:00 am on Sunday, February 4th.

2:00 pm-4:30 pm – Hot Chocolate and Board Game Social –Stop by the library meeting room and enjoy hot cocoa and board games for all ages.

Torch4:00 pm – Torch Lighting – A celebratory torch provided by Suburban Propane will be lit on City Common to mark the beginning of the 102nd Annual Winter Carnival.

Mesa Verde4:00-8:00 pm – Meltdown at Mesa – Melt the cold away at Mesa Verde’s outdoor beach bash and ice bar on the patio. Music, drinks, and festive fun will sure to warm up your spirit even on the coldest of days. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available. All proceeds benefit the Carnival! mesaverdegreenfield.com >>
Bonfire
4:00-8:00 pm – Downtown Defrost – As you enjoy our downtown and the many offerings of our unique businesses, stop by Court Square to join the GBA and watch fantastic fire spinning performances while you warm up around the fire barrels and toast s’mores.

5:30-7:00 pm – Beacon Field Warm Up – Join us at Beacon Field for sledding, ice skating, music by DJ Jason Antes, and a warming fire as you await the arrival of the Parade of Lights and the launch of the Fireworks.
Parade of Lights
6:00 pm – Parade of Lights – Kick-off the festival with displays that will surely light up the night! Decorated vehicles will travel from Newton School, along Main Street, down Federal Street, on to Beacon Street, and ending at Beacon Field. Lighted vehicle entries are needed. Entries will be judged with prizes awarded in multiple categories. Rules and application available here. Whether you are in the parade or just observing, it’s an event you won’t want to miss!

Fireworks7:00 pm – Fireworks Display – The kick-off continues at Beacon Field for a dazzling Fireworks Display being shot from Poet’s Seat Tower. It’s a display that’s sure to captivate all ages.

10 Forward7:00 pm-12:00 am – Cover Band Night at 10 Forward – Join 10 Forward for Cover Band Night and watch local folks rock out. All ages welcome. $10-$20 Sliding scale tickets at the door. 10forwardartsvenue.org >>

 

Saturday, February 3rd Events

9:00 am-2:00 pm – Youth Basketball League Games – Stop by the Middle School gym to watch the Greenfield Recreation Youth Basketball teams play against local rivals. Admission is free.

10:00 am-1:00 pm – Library Activities – Stop by the library meeting room and enjoy hot cocoa and board games for all ages. Make a lei in the Children’s Room (kids up to age 12) or make a tiny Hawaiian Shirt in the Makerspace (all ages).

Virtual Jigsaw Puzzle10:00 am – Virtual Jigsaw Puzzle Contest – Assemble your team to compete for the Winter Carnival Piece Prize! This virtual puzzle contest will put your puzzling skills to the test as teams of up to 4 compete to complete a 550 piece puzzle the quickest, all from the comfort of your home via Zoom. Team pre-registration required. Registration fee is $20 and team gets to keep the puzzle.
See complete details below:
• Each team will receive the same puzzle.
• Puzzles will be available for pick-up at the Recreation Department January 30th-February 1st from 8:00 am-4:30 pm and will be concealed in plain packaging.
• Absolutely no peeking or opening the exterior package before the start time of the competition. Puzzles must stay in the package until everyone opens them together on the Zoom Screen. Teams who open early or packages that show signs of tampering will be disqualified.
• The Zoom link will be emailed to teams on Thursday, February 1st. This link may not be shared with others. Please test your computer in advance to ensure your camera and microphone are working properly. During the competition, please ensure your microphone is on mute.
• A maximum of 4 people may work on the puzzle.
• Virtual judges will be monitoring the event and watching as teams get close to finishing. When your team is close to finishing, please raise your hand or send a message in the chat.

10:30 am-12:30 pm – Family Activities – Join us at 20 Sanderson Street for arts and crafts projects, festive face paint, and a board game social presented by Greenfield Games.

10:30 am-12:30 pm – Greenfield Public School Art Exhibit – Artwork by Greenfield Public School students will be on display on the Second Floor of 20 Sanderson Street. Come admire the artistic talent of our youth.

10:30 am-12:30 pm – Free Take Home Activities – Please stop by the Greenfield Public Schools Title I Program booth at 20 Sanderson Street for a free take-home winter family activity and game brochure for all who visit. Free giveaways such as books, bookmarks, pencils, and much more will also be available to each child. In addition, there will be a drawing to win a World Eye gift certificate.

11:45 am-12:45 pm – Family Dance Lesson at Dawn’s School of Dance – Learn a special dance with Miss Dawn! All ages and dance levels are welcome. This is a simple but very fun routine that will get you moving and put a smile on everyone’s face. Bring your friends, your siblings, and even your grandparents! You won’t want to miss out on this free hoppin’ and poppin’ dance spectacular!

Cribbage Tournament12:00 pm-4:00 pm – Cribbage Tournament – Give it a go! Is it in the cards that you will end up a peg ahead or will you be skunked? This event is fun for all ages! $15 Registration. Register online at: https://friendsofgreenfieldrecreation.org or pay at the door if space is available. Boards and cards provided. Custom Pioneer Valley Wood Art Championship and Runner-up Cribbage Board/Trophies awarded. Held at the John Zon Community Center. Doors open at 12:00 pm with play beginning at 1:00 pm.

Mesa Verde12:00 pm-6:00 pm – Meltdown at Mesa – Melt the cold away at Mesa Verde’s outdoor beach bash and ice bar on the patio. Music, drinks, and festive fun will sure to warm up your spirit even on the coldest of days. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available. All proceeds benefit the Carnival! mesaverdegreenfield.com >>

Four Phantoms Brewing12:00 pm-6:00 pm – Four Phantoms Brewing Dark HeARTs Market – The Dark HeARTs Market returns at Four Phantoms Brewing located at 301 Wells Street in Greenfield. This market will feature original art, curated oddities & homemade treasures by some of our favorite local artists. Plus, Patch Burger will be there with delicious food for purchase! A huge part of Four Phantoms mission is dedicated to supporting artists in our community, and hope you’ll consider doing the same. fourphantoms.net >>

Fire and Ice1:00 pm – Mad Science Fire and Ice – Join us at the Greenfield Middle School Auditorium for a spectacular show that thrills its audience with impressive science experiments including foggy dry ice storms, giant beach balls floating in air, and special bubbly showers! This program is supported by the Greenfield Public Schools Title I Program.

1:00 pm-3:00 pm – Free Kids Karaoke at 10 Forward – Kids of all ages are welcome to come sing karaoke.

3:00 pm – Fatbike Group Ride – Bicycle World will be leading a group ride through the Greenfield Ridge. The ride will depart from Bicycle World, 104 Federal Street at 3:00 pm. Bring your own equipment.

Glow Party5:30 pm-7:00 pm – Glow Party at Greenfield Middle School Cafeteria – Let it glow, let it glow, let it glow! DJ Jason Antes will provide music for a one of a kind glow in the dark dance! Hit the dance floor and show the Party Robot your best moves! Free glow accessories available or come decked out in your own!

8:00 pm-1:00 am –
 Winter Carnival Rave at 10 Forward – Local DJs will play tunes all night. Come dance the cold away. 18+ event. $10-$20 Sliding scale tickets at the door.

Hawks & Reed8:30 pm – Winter Carnival Party “Chasing Summer Vibes” Featuring Small Town Radio at Hawks & Reed – Get out of your winter funk with the thought of warmer days. Doors open at 8:00pm Tickets $10 in advance, $15 day of show.
www.hawksandreed.com >>

Sunday, February 5th Events

Donuts with Olaf8:00 am-10:00 am – Adams Donuts with Olaf – Adams Donuts has generously partnered with the Greenfield Recreation Department to help raise some dough for Winter Carnival! Pre-order your special Half-Dozen Winter Carnival Donuts for $15.00 beginning Wednesday, January 24th on the Adams Donuts Website: https://www.adamsdonuts.com/order-online. Quantities are limited, so pre-order early. Olaf will be at Adams Donuts on Sunday, February 4th from 8:00 am-10:00 am for Winter Carnival order pick-ups with Olaf delivering the donuts right to your vehicle! Greenfield Public Schools Title I Program will sponsor a give away to go along with those delicious donuts from Adams Donuts. Each donut order will receive a book or math games.

Small Foot10:00 am – The Garden Cinema presents a Free Showing of Smallfoot Sponsored by Dawn’s School of Dance – Migo is a friendly Yeti whose world gets turned upside down when he discovers something that he didn’t know existed — a human. He soon faces banishment from his snowy home when the rest of the villagers refuse to believe his fantastic tale. Hoping to prove them wrong, Migo embarks on an epic journey to find the mysterious creature that can put him back in good graces with his simple community. Rated PG.

12:00 pm – Snowshoeing Trek or Winter Hike – Meet at Highland Pond parking lot at 12:00 pm for a 60-90 minute free guided walk around Rocky Mountain Trails. Bring your own snowshoes!

Small Foot1:00 pm – The Garden Cinema presents My Fair Lady – Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison star in this beloved musical classic celebrating its 60th Anniversary. Tickets are $11.50 per person. Rated G.

2:00 pm-6:00 pm – Winter Carnival – Tea Dance at Hawks & Reed – Join Hawks & Reed and Holyoke Lesbian Meetup for a local get together and dance that is fun and welcoming for lesbian/queer women-identified people. While they recognize and appreciate the complexities and beauty of all genders, their aim is to create an enjoyable space specifically for women and women adjacent individuals who love women. Trans women and non-binary folk who connect with femininity are part of the community.

5:00 pm-7:00 pm – Meltdown at Mesa – Melt the cold away at Mesa Verde’s outdoor beach bash and ice bar on the patio. Music, drinks, and festive fun will sure to warm up your spirit even on the coldest of days. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available. All proceeds benefit the Carnival! Also be sure to pop into Mesa to enjoy their special Haitian Pop-Up!

BEACON FIELD EVENTS – 12:00 pm-4:00 pm

BeachOngoing – Beach Bash – Bring your beach chair or towel and set-up in the snow for an afternoon of outdoor fun! Enjoy your favorite lawn games, play snow volleyball, build snow castles, and bring your camera to pose with our themed props at the season switch-up photo booth! DJ Jason Antes will be playing our favorite summer tunes to help get us in the spirit! Don’t forget your snowscreen- SPF -10◦ recommended!.

Ongoing – Sledding & Outdoor Ice Skating – Come enjoy the Beacon Sledding Hill and our Ice Rink. Available all winter long! Bring your own sleds or skates.

Ongoing – Snack Bar – Tasty treats available for purchase from the Kiwanis Club!

Cookie Bake-Off12:00 pm – Cookie Bake-Off – Enter to win our Cookie Contest. Drop off your favorite cookies to Beacon Field at 12:00 pm. Bring a minimum of 2 dozen cookies per entrant. All cookie types welcome. Please share recipes or ingredients. Categories: Most Original, Best Overall and Best Decorated! Click Here for the official rules and registration!

Chili Cook-Off12:00 pm – Chili Cook-Off – Come sample chili prepared by our local community members who will be competing for bragging rights for “The Best Chili Around”. To enter the Chili contest, please contact the Recreation Department. Click Here for the official rules and registration!.

Horse Drawn SleighOngoing – Horse Drawn Sleigh or Wagon Rides by Hubbard Farm. $3 per person, under 2 free.

SnowmobileOngoing – Vintage Snowmobile Show & Rides – Take a trip down memory lane at the Vintage Snowmobile Show sponsored by The Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts and the Bernardston-Gill-Leyden Snowmobile Club. Stop by and relive snowmobiling from the past to the present. Listen to the stories from seasoned snowmobilers. Learn about riding locally and throughout the state. Vote for your favorite snowmobile in the People’s Choice Competition.

12:30 pm – Community Wide Tug of War – Gather ‘round for a good old fashion pulling contest!

K9 Keg Pull1:00 pm – K9 Keg Pull – Run, dance, do whatever it takes to urge your dog across the finish line. Event sponsored by the Friends of the Paws Park, Coldwell Banker, Hitchcock Brewing, and the Greenfield Recreation Department. This event has proved to be great fun with dogs of all shapes and sizes sprinting for glory pulling appropriately sized “kegs” – for a Chihuahua, that’s a beer can, while mighty rotts or shepherds pull full-size kegs (all empty of course). $10 Registration Fee with funds benefiting the Paws Park: Register day of or online in advance. A donation box to the Franklin County Regional Shelter will also be on site. Come watch possibly the most adorable event of the day at Beacon Field. Please be considerate and pick up after your dog.

1:00 pm – Ice Bowling – Come experience ice bowling on our ice rink! Can you get a strike on ice?

1:30 pm – Broom Ball – Attempt to sweep away your competition in a round of broom ball. No skates needed, only sneakers or boots!

1:30 pm – Cardboard Sled Check In – Check In Cardboard Sled Entries at Sled Check in Station. Save time by pre-registering your sled on-line. Pre-registration available until Wednesday, February 1st. Click Here to Pre-Register

2:30 pm — Cardboard Sled Contest – Race your cardboard sled down Beacon Hill! Your creativity is limitless! Just about anything goes!! NOTE: If no snow, bring your sled to the field to be judged on creativity and construction.

The RULES are as follows:
Sled MUST be made of cardboard. Papier-mâché, tape, glue, and paint are also permitted.
Sleds may not have plastic wrap, wood or other bottom surface material, or runners (unless cardboard). Tape is ok.
Parents may help children build their sleds.
One Entry per person

Cardboard SledsPrizes will be awarded for the following categories:
Youth – Under 16: Fastest, Most Creative, Zaniest, and Best Crash
Group – 2 or more all ages: Fastest, Most Creative, Zaniest, and Best Crash
Adults – 16 and over (single riders): Fastest and Most Creative
Corporate Challenge: Best Design
Overall People’s Choice:
 Vote for your favorite at the field
Season Switch-Up Award:
Best use of theme

3:45 pm – Awards Ceremony – Announcement of the Ice Carving, Parade of Lights, Cardboard Sled Race, Vintage Snowmobile Show, Cookie Bake-Off, Chili Cook-off, and Snow Sculpture Contest winners.

Winter Carnival Souvenirs
Souvenirs on sale Sunday, February 4th at Beacon Field. Travel Mugs, Winter Carnival Hats, Greenfield Recreation Hoodies, Long and Short Sleeve Winter Carnival Shirts available. Adult and Youth Sizes.

Support Winter Carnival by participating in our Can Raffle!
The raffle will be set-up at different events throughout the weekend. Many fantastic prizes donated by local businesses.
All proceeds help to support Winter Carnival.

Thank you for supporting Winter Carnival.
Events like this are made possible by generous contributions from the community. Donations are still being accepted.


THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Nor’Easter Sponsors
Wormtown TradingMesa VerdeMass Cultural Council

Blizzard Sponsors
WHAI 98.3Bear Country 95.3The Outlaw 92.3EZ 107.5
Gagne Wealth Management GroupGreenfield Savings BankGilmore & Farrell
Next TechnologiesGreenfield 4SCFranklin Regional Council of GovernmentsNew Fortune Chinese & Japanese Restaurant

 

Snowball Sponsors
Snowball Sponsors

Snowflake Sponsors

The Academy at Charlemont
Carquest of Greenfield
Cherry Pi
Cohn & Company Real Estate
Design Alternative
Dr. Elizabeth Peterson Chiropractic & Natural Health
Freedom Credit Union
Greenfield Freemasons
Hitchcock Brewing
Montague Web Works
Patriot Care
Planet Fitness
Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters

Frosty Friends

Ice Sponsors

Summit Ice

Swift Cleaners and Adam & Eve
Cohn & Company
Franklin Community Co-Op
Gagne Wealth Management Group
The Greenfield Gallery / Studio 7
Greenfield Savings Bank
Hope & Olive
Main Street Bar And Grille
Olive Street Development
Ryan & Casey Liquors

A very special thank you to
Greenfield Department of Public Works

Recreation Commission
Donna DuSell, Danica Hochstetler, Myrt Jaquay, Mary Phillips, Daniel Piasecki, Heather Valenta, Barbara Zaccheo

Director of Recreation – Christy Moore
Assistant Director – Kelly Jenkins
Program Supervisor – Shayla Demers
Teen Center Coordinator – Benjamin Hernandez

Greenfield Recreation Department
Greenfield Recreation Department
20 Sanderson Street • Greenfield, MA 01301
(413) 772-1553

Check out our programs all year long!

We create community through people, parks, and programs!

Event Details

Date & Time: February 2 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Event Categories: , , , ,
Event Website: Event Website

Event Venue

Venue Name: Downtown
Address:
Court Square
Greenfield, MA 01301 United States
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