GREENFIELD — While cold gusts of wind hit the snow-filled streets of Greenfield throughout the weekend, frigid temperatures did not stop families from enjoying the city’s 104th annual Winter Carnival.
This year’s carnival, which ran from Friday, Feb. 6, through Sunday, Feb. 8, kicked off with a display of ice sculptures, the Parade of Lights making its way through the city and fireworks at Beacon Field on Friday. The weekend fun wrapped up on Sunday with an array of competitions at Beacon Field, such as the K-9 Keg Pull and the Cardboard Sled Contest.
While some residents could be seen walking down Main Street, stopping to examine the various ice sculptures stationed around the city, indoor events, such as the family-friendly Mad Science Fire & Ice Show supported by the school district’s Title I program at Greenfield Middle School, brought in a large crowd of smiling children.
“The ice carving is always a highlight for the community, and I’m grateful that Mother Nature gave us some snow this year. I wish the arctic weather would blow through overnight; it’s a little bit chilly, but we had a great turnout here,” Recreation Director Christy Moore said as families left the Fire & Ice Show. “We collaborate with the schools and they try to mix it up. Each year is something different, so that we keep kids engaged and mentally stimulated for different programs, but this show was clearly a huge success.”
Though 7-year-old Shiloh Kurland-Mellen, who attended Saturday’s event with his mother, Tara Kurland, and friend Ellie Shapiro, 8, said he enjoyed the show — particularly the part where the scientists made a flaming paper seemingly vanish in the air — he said he was most excited for Sunday’s sledding contest at Beacon Field.
“We’ve always loved the cardboard sled race, because we spend weeks working on that, brainstorming ideas and putting it together, and then the day is really fun for the kids,” Kurland said. “This year, Shiloh took the lead on making the plans.”
Both Shiloh and Ellie said they enjoyed the carnival’s “Yeti or Not” theme, with Ellie mentioning that she enjoyed looking at the ice sculptures, particularly Bondsville-based artist Billy Poe’s depiction of an owl.
A similar excitement was shared by first-time attendees Dana Sherwood and her husband Andrew Martin, who brought their 9-month-old baby Aila to take part in the festivities.
“She liked the applause,” Sherwood said, speaking of her baby’s reaction to the Fire & Ice Show. “This is our first foray into the school system and we were meeting friends here. … We found out about [the Winter Carnival] from our friend and I’m really glad we did, because otherwise we wouldn’t have been here. The sculptures are really nice.”
School Committee member Melissa McKenzie Webb, who attended this year’s Winter Carnival, explained that she appreciates the tradition’s ability to unite families and residents from not just Greenfield, but across the region.
“It’s inclusive to not just Greenfield, but all surrounding towns. With these events, we don’t just see Greenfield kids. We see everyone in the community,” McKenzie Webb said. “It’s really well-known, and the Rec Department has done a great job making it well-known to the community and having a nice variety of events. … There’s something fun every day.”
At The LAVA Center at 324 Main St., a number of residents who were curious about the 104-year-old Winter Carnival’s history made their way inside to view a 9-minute film depicting the city’s 1923 Winter Carnival.
While audience members sipped on hot apple cider watching black-and-white footage of the carnival’s original parade, LAVA Center Co-Coordinator Jan Maher explained that videographer Chris Clawson, working with the Greenfield Historical Society, worked to recover the antique footage and present it to the community.
“The 1923 Winter Carnival made national news,” Maher said. “It fascinates me to see the parade being on horse-drawn vehicles. Every time I see the ‘ice palace,’ I think, ‘Boy, it would be wonderful to have something like that on the common again.’ … It’s all very captivating, because people were doing all kinds of interesting activities. … There was an obstacle course skating event and that captivates me. There’s another where people are jumping over barrels and sometimes running around in snowshoes.”
Despite the popularity of Saturday’s indoor activities, passersby braving the cold could still be spotted on Main Street admiring the ice sculptures.
Standing before an ice carving of a meditating rabbit, sculpted by Wayne Miller, of Walpole, New Hampshire, Susanae Glovacki said she has been attending the festival for more than 35 years and has built fond memories of the event with her family.
“Years ago, I loved taking the kids sledding at Beacon Field, with the warming fire and the cardboard sled contest, the horse-pulled wagon rides, sled dog demos and everything,” Glovacki said. “Today, I really enjoyed going to The LAVA Center just now and looking at the Historical Society’s 1923 film. That was really something special.”