MONTAGUE — While most snow days or winter activities end with the setting sun, children were able to scurry up and down the hill at Unity Park late into the evening Saturday.
The evening of night sledding, hosted by the Montague Parks & Recreation Department, saw the large hill at Unity Park lit up thanks to a light tower lent by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office from 4 to 9 p.m. Last year’s event saw roughly 50 people in attendance.
This year, however, the event turned into a small family party, with the icy hill and cold weather keeping other residents indoors. Eric Coates, of Montague, and his children Saige, 4, and Madden, 7, were among the few braving the cold.
“We do this every year,” Coates said. “We come out here and let the kids shred it.”
Coates’ in-laws, Abe and Julie, came along as spectators. The icy hill didn’t deter the children, who enjoyed the higher speeds and extra distance. In a blur, the youngsters managed to slide over 50 feet past the bottom of the slope.
“We grew up doing this,” Abe recalled. “We used to build a jump down at the bottom of the hill.”
According to Montague Parks & Recreation Director Jon Dobosz, night sledding became an official department-sanctioned event a few years ago. He said Montague’s last winter carnival was in the early 2000s, and the department wanted to bring back a winter event.
The Parks & Recreation Department also provides s’mores and hot chocolate for families to enjoy around a campfire after they sled.
“People tend to hibernate and its good to get outside,” Dobosz said, “even if it’s winter.”
Zack DeLuca can be reached at zdeluca@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.