It may be cold outside, but there’s no shortage of things to do this week, indoors and out! In this edition of Week Ahead, we spotlight the town government meetings, and cultural, recreational, and athletics events that caught our eye. Read on and mark your calendars!

Town Council Meeting – Monday

There’s no football tonight, so tune in instead to the Town Council Meeting. The Council needs to elect new members to the Housing Authority and will discuss the process and interview questions at its meeting on Monday.  Monday, 6:30 pm, in Town Hall and online. MORE

School Committees – Tuesday

The Amherst (elementary) School Committee and the Regional (secondary) School Committee meet jointly on Tuesday to provide their input to the hired search firm for the Superintendent search. The Regional committee will meet afterward to discuss the Regional district’s FY25 budget as well as the ARHS track and field project. Tuesday, 5:30 pm in the ARHS Library and on Amherst Media. MORE. 

ARHS Varsity Athletics at Home – Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

Catch Amherst Hurricanes varsity action at home this week! Boys Ice Hockey (9-4) faces off on Tuesday vs. Greenfield and Thursday vs. E. Longmeadow. Both games are at 6:00 pm at Amherst College’s Orr rink. On Friday, Boys Swimming (4-5) and Girls Swimming (7-2) meet Northampton at 4:30 pm at the Middle School pool; and Boys Basketball (6-5) tip off vs. Chicopee at 7:00 pm at ARHS. $ MORE

Wolf Moon Hike to Mount Norwottuck – Thursday

Join the Kestrel Land Trust with Adventure East on Thursday for a moonrise climb to the top of Mount Norwottuck on the Mount Holyoke Range in Amherst to soak in the light of the full moon. January’s full moon is called the Wolf Moon. The hike will begin at the Kestrel Land Trust headquarters on Bay Road. Snacks and headlamps will be provided. Thursday, 3:00-6:30 pm at Kestrel Land Trust headquarters. Registration is required. $ MORE

Winterfest! – Saturday through Saturday

Amherst’s Annual Winterfest is here! Presented by the Amherst Recreation Department in collaboration with community partners, this weeklong celebration of the magic of winter and community kicks off Saturday and runs through Saturday, February 3. Most events are free and all are open to the public. Read on for this week’s highlights. For the full schedule of activities and events, follow Winterfest on Facebook or click here.

Winter Wonderland Family Science at Hitchcock Center – Saturday

Come explore the shimmery, sparkly, silvery world of snow and ice! During this journey through a Winter Wonderland, designed for children (ages 5–7) with their parents, we’ll discover properties of frozen water, investigating the shapes, sizes, and colors of snowflakes and icicles! Saturday, 10:00-11:00 am, Hitchcock Center. Free. MORE

1st Annual WinterFest Games – Saturday

Experience the thrill of friendly competition or just have fun with friends at the 1st Annual WinterFest Games, taking place at the Mill River Recreation Area. Presented by the Amherst Recreation Department, a variety of games and activities for all ages, including nature walks with Kestrel Land Trust, will help you get outside and active regardless of whether there is snow on the ground. Saturday, 1:00-4:00 pm, Mill River Recreation Area. Free. MORE

Ice Harvesting Demonstration – Sunday

Did you know that ice harvesting was the 9th largest industry in the United States at the end of the 19th century? In New England alone, commercial ice harvesting at that time employed tens of thousands of workers and produced hundreds of thousands of tons of block ice annually.

On Sunday, the Amherst Historical Society will host a demonstration with Dennis Picard, who has been demonstrating the ice harvesting trade for more than twenty years at museums and environmental education centers. He will display some of his antique tools of that trade including several invented in Massachusetts, and will share the interesting tale of this once massive enterprise that is now fading from our collective memory. Sunday, 4:00-5:00 pm, at Munson Library. Free. MORE

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Have an event you’d like us to spotlight? Email us TheAmherstCurrent@gmail.com.