Among the extracurricular activities that FCLIR has historically offered its members are in-person activities and excursions for small groups. These include day trips to local points of interest and group attendance at concerts or theater performances. They may be free or a fee may be charged to cover costs such as admission or transportation. They may require hiring a bus or renting space. The Program Coordinating Committee (contact them!) will help you flesh out budget and other details, but the initial proposal must come from YOU.
Here are some activities that have been undertaken in the past or could be considered in the future. What type of event would you like to see?
Nature Walks and Gardens
Mass Audubon Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, Easthampton
Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, Hadley
Smith College Botanic Garden
Also, Richard Little, professor of geology at GCC, has led local geology tours for FCLIR in the past. He has a YouTube channel
Museums
Mead Art Gallery (Amherst)
Smith College Museum of Art (Northampton)
Beinecke Museum of Natural History (Amherst)
Springfield Museums (Springfield)
The Clark (Williamstown)
Mass MOCA (North Adams)
Yiddish Book Center (Amherst)
The Mount (Lenox)
Music and theater
Chester Theater (Chester)
Jacob’s Pillow (Becket)
Tanglewood (Lennox)
Green River Festival (Greenfield)
Goodspeed (East Haddam, CT)
Yidstock (Amherst)
Local expeditions
Connecticut River Cruise (Northfield)
Historic Sites
Several historical communities: Old Deerfield, of course, and some that were mentioned in Jay Russell’s seminar on Utopian Communities:
- Brook Farm (West Roxbury),
- Fruitlands (Harvard)
- Hancock Shaker Village (Pittsfield) and Shaker Village Historic District (Harvard)
Mark Twain House (Hartford, CT)
General Sources
List of all MA State Parks: https://www.mass.gov/guides/list-of-state-parks-by-region
A Local’s Guide for Things to Do in Western MA: Pioneer Valley https://newenglandwithlove.com/things-to-do-in-western-ma-pioneer-valley/
