Roundup of events for the week of Feb. 17.
The week of Feb. 17 is vacation week for many public schools in the area, and many venues are offering special programs for children and their families.
The Springfield Museums will be hosting "Sights & Sounds of the Rainforest," which is a week-long program that will feature family-friendly performances, live animal demonstrations, hands-on activities, and planetarium shows. All activities are free with the price of museum admission, unless noted otherwise.
"The title for this February's school vacation week program, 'Sights and Sounds of the Rainforest,' kind of says it all," said Matt Longhi, director of public relations and marketing at the Springfield Museums.
"In addition to the new 'Rainforest Adventure' exhibit, there will be live animal demonstrations," said Longhi. "And plenty of science and art activities."
"Rainforest Adventure" is an interactive experience that is designed to help children, who are 10 years of age or younger, learn about one of the Earth's resources. It is the Science Museum's newest exhibit. A special exhibition fee applies to this exhibit.
United Bank will be sponsoring the exhibit and the school vacation week programs.
One of the special demonstrations and performances that will take place during vacation week will be on Feb. 17, with the "Animals of the Tropical Rainforest" show, which is a live animal demo by Teaching Creatures. The show will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Another performance that will take place on Feb. 17 will be "The Wild About Rainforest Balloon Magic Show," which will be presented by Jungle Jim. The show begins at 1 p.m.
On Feb. 18, Ricardo Frota will be presenting "The Ecology of Sound: Exploring the Sounds of the Rainforest" show, which will begin at 1 p.m.
On Feb. 19, the special show will be "Crocodile River Music," which is African and African-influenced music including Brazilian, Caribbean and Flamenco. The show will begin at 1 p.m.
On Feb. 20, Roger Tincknell will be doing "Earth Rhythms" show. This show will include songs, stories, and legends and it will begin at 1 p.m.
On Feb. 21, "The Rainforest Reptile Show" will include live animal demonstration. There will be two shows starting at noon and 2 p.m.
The Museum's Solutia Animal Center will be holding more demonstrations Feb. 18 through 20 at 11:30 a.m.
One of the daily events that will take place at the Science Museum, during vacation week, will be the Seymour Planetarium shows, which will be held at 11:15 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Additional fee applies to this event.
The Science Museum will be hosting gallery science demonstrations from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum will be running the Art Discovery Center from noon to 4 p.m.
The "Sights & Sounds of the Rainforest" vacation week activities are part of the Museums' School Vacation Fun programs, which are sponsored by the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation.
The special exhibition for "Rainforest Adventure" is $5 for all visitors who are three years of age or older. The special fee also includes "Intent to Deceive" at the D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts.
General admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and college students," $8 for children between the ages of three and 17, and children, who are under the age of three and museum members are free. This provides admission to all four Springfield Museums. People who live in Springfield will receive free general admission with proof of address.
The Springfield Museums include free and secure onsite parking. From Tuesday to Saturday, the hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sundays, the hours are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Old Sturbridge Village will be hosting an 1830s-style tribute to George Washington, during Presidents' Day weekend, and will offer more than 50 things to see and do, from Feb. 15 to 23.
Activities will include sleigh rides (depending on the weather), dipping candles, and writing with quill pens. As part of the Kids Free on Winter Weekends promotion, the village will be offering free admission to all children who are accompanied by an adult paying full-priced, regular admission on the weekends during school vacation week, including the Presidents' Day holiday.
The weekend will also feature portrayals of Presidents John Adams and Ulysses S. Grant.
On Feb. 15, feet will be tapping as historians dance at the village's
annual Washington Birthday Ball. Village historians will demonstrate how women who lived in the early 1800s styled their hair, using bear grease and sausage curls.
Visitors can also participate in contra dances and cotillions and the forerunners of today's line dancing and square dancing.
Washington's birthday was one of the biggest holidays celebrated in rural New England during the 19th century, and he was almost a mythical figure to the citizens of a young nation.
"George Washington was the most famous man in the world for the last 20 years of his life," said Tom Kelleher, a curator at village, in a release.
"Every generation since has used Washington as a canvas on which it paints its own feelings about the meaning of being an American."
Old Sturbridge Village will be offering a February School Vacation Family Fun Pacakge, which includes two days of admission for two adults and two children, one night in the Reeder Family Lodges, two vouchers for hands-on crafts, and cooks and cocoa for four. The package is complete with four village-made redware mugs. Pricing begins at $139.
During the winter, Old Sturbridge Village is open Tuesday through Sunday and on all Monday holidays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is open daily for School Vacation Week.
The admission is $24, $22 for seniors, and $8 for children who are between the ages of three and 17, but they get in for free, with one full-priced adult admission on weekends through March 30. No other discounts or coupons apply to this. Children that are two-years old or younger get in for free.
Admission includes free parking and a free second-day visit within 10 days. Old Sturbridge Village members receive free daytime admission all year long.
Amherst Cinema will be hosting Family Week, which will run from Feb. 14 to Feb. 23. Amherst Cinema will be showing family films from around the world.
Family Week will begin on Feb. 14, with the showing of "The Zigzag Kid," which is based on a novel by David Grossman, and is subtitled. The film is about a boy who tries to prove himself so he can be a detective like his father.
The film that will be shown on Feb. 17, Feb. 19, and Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. will be "Kiki's Delivery Service," which will be dubbed in English. The film is rated G and has a run time of 103 min. The film is about a young witch who only has the skill of flying a broom and she begins a delivery service for a local bakery where her abilities and self-confidence are put to the test.
"Porco Rosso," which is rated PG and has a run time of 94 min., will be shown on Feb. 16, Feb. 18, and Feb. 21. The film will be dubbed in English. The film is about a man who mysteriously goes from being a strapping young World War I ace pilot to an anthropomorphic pig, and he clears the skies of air pirates that prey on trade ships.
During February vacation week, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art will be hosting some events that will give children something to do with their time.
The Berkshire Theatre Group will be presenting a play of "The Emperor's New Clothes" at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Feb. 15 and 16. The admission is $6.50, and $5.50 cents for members.
The museum will be open on Feb. 17, which is Presidents' Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Pioneer Valley Performing Arts High School will be presenting a play of "The Fairy's Mistake," which will be held at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. from Feb. 18 to 20. The admission is $6, but $5.50 for members.
Hours
Hours from September through June
Tuesday – Friday* 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
*Open Monday through Friday during the Massachusetts February and April school vacation weeks
Hours in July and August
Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Holiday Closures: Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's Day
Admission
Adult $9
Youth (1-18), Student, Teacher, and Senior $6
Family (2 adults and 2 youth) $22.50