Family events in Amherst, MA

Enjoy a free, family-friendly workshop series on the River Valley Co-op Easthampton store patio, led by Mariah Freemole, a local nature preschool educator and mindfulness and meditation teacher. These sessions are created with kids in mind, and families are welcome to take part together. If the weather is unfavorable, activities relocate to the community room. Registration is not required. Mariah has spent 19 years teaching young children and emphasizes self-regulation through mindfulness, yoga, singing, and time outdoors. She is certified as a Deep Play for Kids instructor and a Forest Kindergarten teacher, and she teaches at Mass Audubon’s Arcadia Nature Preschool. Hands-on activities vary by session and may include storytelling with textures and color, printing with plants such as potatoes while exploring natural hues, and building tiny houses from clay and found materials. Participants can also create art inspired by favorite animals, make collage portraits, craft pendants and other wearable pieces, construct a mobile or lantern while looking skyward for inspiration, experiment with mud painting using different soils, and finish with a tea-themed morning using dried herbs to make tea bags and a small gift to share or enjoy at home.

Part of Summer at The Carle, the museum extends its hours for evenings that bring the community together through art and live music. As daylight fades, the scene features outdoor jazz by local performers curated by Northampton Jazz Festival, plus drawing for all ages, hands-on artmaking, storytimes, local food vendors, and other creative activities. Weather permitting, everything unfolds in Bobbie’s Meadow within the museum’s 100-year-old orchard. If it rains, the program moves indoors to the museum’s Jazz Café. Guests can relax on the grass, explore the galleries, and enjoy the creative energy of the season. Bring takeout or pack your own meal, and feel free to bring blankets or lawn chairs for comfort. Live music is co-presented with Northampton Jazz Festival.

ELO Academy Branded Horsemanship will host a liberty and bridleless show in Massachusetts, culminating in a freestyle invitational performance. More details will be shared as they become available.

Signature Sounds and Mass Audubon’s Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary present the eighth annual Arcadia Folk Festival, a day of live music that brings the community together and supports the sanctuary’s mission while highlighting a sustainable approach to large gatherings. The 2026 lineup features Allison Russell, Milk Carton Kids, John Craige, Fantastic Cat, Caitlin Canty, Lisa Bastoni, and Little Roots, with additional performers to be announced. Mass Audubon members receive first access to tickets.

A welcoming, low-stimulation session at the Carnegie Library designed for preschool-aged children with sensory sensitivities and their caregivers. The program supports both sensory-seeking and sensory-avoiding children in a calm, comfortable setting. To create a quieter experience, the library opens beyond normal hours, with softer lighting and a thoughtfully arranged space. Children can explore a selection of sensory tools and hands-on materials, including pop-it toys, at their own pace. The building offers one accessible parking space, a wheelchair ramp with an automatic door at the top, and a restroom whose entrance is not ADA compliant. Individuals who need accommodations or have questions about physical access may contact Library Director Caitlin Kelley in advance at librarydirector@montague-ma.gov or 413-863-3214 ext. 6.

Imagine, design, and build with LEGO bricks at the Carnegie Library. This weekly drop-in style activity runs during open hours on Wednesdays and offers a relaxed space for creativity using the library’s LEGO collection. It is designed for children ages 6 to 11. The library can be reached by FRTA Routes 22, 24, or 32 to the Food City stop, or by Route 23 to the Ave A and 3rd Street stop. Accessibility features include one accessible parking space on the 7th Street side of the building, a wheelchair ramp accessed from the driveway on that side, and an automatic door at the top of the ramp. A restroom is available, though its entrance is not ADA compliant. For questions about access or to request accommodations, contact library director Caitlin Kelley at librarydirector@montague-ma.gov or 413-863-3214 ext. 6 in advance of your visit.