AMHERST — Halloween will be arriving a few days early, both in downtown Amherst and at the Amherst Dog Park, with events happening this weekend.
On Saturday at 2 p.m., the Friends of the Amherst Dog Park hosts the fifth annual dog costume “Halloween Pawty” at the Old Belchertown Road site. The contest, with a $5 suggested donation, will be judged by the Mad Hatter.
Categories include best costume for large dogs, best large dog and human duo, best costume for small dogs at 30 pounds or less and best small dog and human duo.
Raffle prizes are donated by local businesses and volunteers from the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, a University of Massachusetts service organization, will assist.
Then, on Sunday, trick-or-treating begins at the Halloween Spooktacular, which runs from noon to 3:30 p.m.
Participating businesses, in collaboration with the Amherst Business Improvement District, will offer treats to those who get a free paper trick-or-treat bag. That bag can be picked up at the Amherst Visitor Information Center, 35 South Pleasant St., or the Amherst Recreation office at the Bangs Community Center.
Between 1 and 1:15 p.m. the costume parade begins from the North Common. That will be followed by the Haunted House and Kids Carnival from the same location, featuring Halloween-themed activities, including haunted-happening character encounters, a photo booth, and “not-so-scary” story time with Jones Library staff.
For more information, contact Amherst Recreation Outreach Director Becky Demling at demlingb@amherstma.gov or 413-259-3151.
Ribbon cutting for Amethyst Brook School
School, town and state officials will have a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the Amethyst Brook School, 70 South East St., Monday at 3:30 p.m., followed by public tours of the building.
The school provides a consolidated site for the former Wildwood and Fort River schools, with capacity for 575 students and five classrooms for each of the K-5 grade levels. The town’s first net-zero energy public building, the school uses ground source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels to provide 100% of its energy needs.
At $99.2 million, the project is supported by local property taxes, the Massachusetts School Building Authority, Eversource incentives, Community Preservation Act funds and town reserves.
Speakers at the event will include State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen, who chaired the Elementary School Building Committee, and Principal Allison Estes.
Parking is available both on site and across the street at the former East Street School parking lot.
Schoen told the Town Council this week that with Fort River demolished, work is underway on seeding the new playing fields for the school, though these likely won’t be ready until 2028.
Necessities Drive
West Street Coffee & Tea is holding a Necessities Drive starting Monday and running through Halloween to benefit the Amherst Survival Center.
The cafe is collecting diapers, wipes, feminine care products, toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap and deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, toilet paper, shaving cream and razors.
League voting effort
The League of Women Voters of Amherst recently mailed 775 postcards to registered voters of all parties, in swing states, who did not vote in 2024. The postcards encourage recipients to vote early in person, bring photo identifications and invite friends to join them at the polls.
The get-out-the-vote effort was supported by many League members and volunteers
Trivia Bee returns
The Amherst Education Foundation is putting on the 32nd edition of the Trivia Bee Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the The Drake, 44 North Pleasant St.
Hosted by Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman, teams of up to four who are registered will test their knowledge against others and are encouraged to come in Halloween costumes.
Raffle tickets will also be sold at the event, which raises money to support programs and projects in the Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury schools.
To sign up a team or enter the raffle, go to www.amhersteducationfoundation.org/trivia-bee
Affordable housing restriction lifted
Town Council this week removed a permanent affordable housing restriction for a home at 49 Deepwoods Drive after longtime homeowner Heather Anderson was unable to find an income-eligible buyer, one who is earning at or below 80% of the area median income.
The unanimous vote came with support from Valley Community Development, the town’s monitoring agent, and town staff, and a written appeal from Anderson, who noted her longtime connections to the town, including graduating from the high school, but her interest in moving to Georgia to be closer to her daughter.
“Given my lifelong connection to Amherst and the significance this home holds for me, selling was not a decision I made lightly but I entered the resale process in good faith and followed all required procedures.”
In 2007, the town created and funded a first-time homebuyer program known as the Affordable Housing Buy-Down Assistance Program using Community Development Block Grant and Community Preservation Act funds.
Currently, such an affordable housing provision would lapse after 15 years, allowing the homeowner to build up equity over that time before selling the home. With the vote, Anderson can sell the home at market rate.
The council’s decision will have to be ratified by the state’s Executive OIffice of Housing and Livable Communities.
Meetings
MONDAY: Local Historic District Commission, 3 p.m.
THURSDAY: Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee, 7 p.m.
