AMHERST — Smiles and the laughter of children filled the Amherst Town Common on Saturday for the Apple Harvest, Crafts and Children’s Festival.
Melissa Hudasko, mother of 2-year-old attendee Isadora, said she liked the event because of “all the schools and information.”
“We just moved here and are enjoying checking things out,” Hudasko said.
Near Isadora, Jeremy Brown and his son William Brown, 7, of Amherst, worked on building an “exploding popsicle Cobra” at the activity run by Jay Mankita called “Little Engineers Play Space.”
Jeremy Brown, who recently moved to the area with his family, said, “This is awesome: a free event on the Amherst Town Common with all these people. It’s just awesome.”
The event was sponsored by Valley Kids magazine, a publication of the Daily Hampshire Gazette and Greenfield Recorder, and featured pony rides, face-painting, a petting zoo, local food and crafters, and other activities by Valley preschools. Proceeds benefited the Amherst Family Center, which provides free services to area children and families.
“I love that the event supports the family center and so many people come out as well as tons of volunteers,” said Mankita. “I love being the curator of these materials and stepping back and letting kids play without a lot of words.”
