Snow makes for added fun at 103rd annual Greenfield Winter Carnival
Published: 02-02-2025 4:42 PM
Modified: 02-03-2025 11:11 AM |
GREENFIELD — With snow, sledding and a host of seasonal activities, the 103rd annual Winter Carnival had plenty to offer for those willing to brave the cold for a few hours this weekend.
The Winter Carnival offered activities such as winter-themed movie screenings, crafts, ice sculptures and fireworks. On Sunday, the Recreation Department and its community partners turned their attention to Beacon Field, where carnival attendees could enjoy a chili cook-off and cookie bake-off, s’mores, snowmobile rides, the traditional K-9 Keg Pull and, for the first time in a few years, snow.
“It’s great that we had snow this year,” Greenfield Recreation Director Christy Moore said. “It’s so cold it feels like winter.”
Moore said she would have preferred it to be a little warmer, as the temperature Sunday afternoon was approximately 18 degrees, but it was a nice winter day for the community to gather and enjoy everything the carnival had to offer.
Bernardston resident Camilla Thacher said she, too, was happy to see some snow. The last few years of mud and ice during Winter Carnival weekend were challenging, especially for those hoping to catch a snowmobile ride.
Thacher and her husband, Brad Stafford, have been coming to the Winter Carnival and offering snowmobile rides for about four years. Thacher said her husband loved snowmobiling as a kid and a few years ago expressed a desire to go snowmobiling again, like he did when he was younger.
“A couple of years ago he said, ‘I would love to get the snowmobile I grew up with,’ so I searched online and found one,” Thacher recounted.
Stafford spends a lot of time working on the snowmobile and keeping it running. Even Sunday afternoon, in between giving free rides around Beacon Field to attendees, he was working on the engine.
Article continues after...
Yesterday's Most Read Articles
“It’s a labor of love,” Stafford said.
Stafford and Thacher had two of their snowmobiles on display. They were joined by other members of the Bernardston Gill Leyden Snowmobile Club, and some of their other friends who are also snowmobile enthusiasts from across New England. The oldest snowmobile on display was a 1964 Fox Trac.
Stafford said he loves working on and riding his snowmobile, and giving other people rides so they can enjoy the experience as well. The Winter Carnival is a great place for many to enjoy their first ride on a snowmobile.
“There’s a lot of people that have never been on a sled and their first time is here,” Thacher said.
The snow on the ground made snowmobiling all the more enjoyable and also made a difference to those traveling with traditional sleds, or those made of cardboard. This year’s cardboard sled contest saw more than a dozen entries with themes ranging from robots to houses and even boats, all competing for the title of fastest, most creative, zaniest, best crash and field favorite.
“We built a ‘Moana’ boat because of the ‘Moana’ movie that came out this year,” explained 9-year-old Greenfield resident Ellie McIntyre.
Ellie’s mother, Becky McIntyre, said her family has been coming to the Winter Carnival for 14 years, and loves the cardboard sled contest. Ellie came up with the idea and built the boat sled with her dad, complete with a mast, sail and Heihei, the rooster.
“We love a good theme and have done a lot of boats in the past,” Becky McIntyre added.
Sunday’s activities also included the 13th annual K-9 Keg Pull where dogs of all sizes were given proportionally sized beer kegs to pull and race to the finish line.
This year’s race welcomed quite a few newcomers, such as Rosie, a 7-year-old boxer-mastiff mix.
“She’s a runner, so I thought maybe she’ll do it,” said Rosie’s owner, Greenfield resident Megan Green. “And I brought her favorite treats.
Rosie seemed less than enthusiastic about having something tied to her back to pull, but she still made it across the finish line in less than 30 seconds, and was rewarded with treats.
Also running for the first time this year was Princess, a 12-year-old terrier, who pulled a four-pack of beer across the field, but had the spirit of a younger and larger dog who could take on a full keg.
“She’s 12 but she doesn’t know she’s not a baby still,” owner Jared Fowler said.
Fowler adopted Princess this past summer, and thought she could handle the challenge of the K-9 Keg Pull. Princess sped across the field while onlookers cheered, and crossed the finish line in less than 15 seconds.
“She’s got a cute butt, too!” announcer Margot Van Natta exclaimed.
Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.