Reminder: Monday, Feb. 17 is a holiday, Presidents Day. Town offices, schools, libraries and banks will be closed.

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The South Amherst Congregational Church dinner to go is lasagna, either meat or spinach. Pickup is Saturday, Feb. 15 between 5 and 6 p.m. To order, call 253-2977. Dessert is cannoli cake.

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Amherst’s Winter Fest begins Saturday, Feb. 15 and continues through Saturday, Feb. 22 with games, crafts, music, sports and displays for all ages at the colleges, museums, the Jones Library and the Mill District. The kickoff is Feb. 15 with free games at the Mill River Recreation Area from 1 to 4 p.m., including an Atkins cider doughnut eating contest.

The Strong House will have a free exhibit, “Keeping Warm in Winter, ” Feb. 15, 18, 20 and 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. Some of the campus sports games have a fee.

The Fire and Ice Festival is Feb. 22 with ice sculptures and luminaria on the Town Common from 3 to 7 p.m. It’s free.

To see the full calendar of events visit amherstma.gov/winterfest.

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Historic Northampton continues its lecture series on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. on Zoom.

Professor Jennifer DeClue of Smith College will speak on “Of Bondage and Isolation: Meditations on the Lives of Black Women Enslaved in the Pioneer Valley.”

For details visit historicnorthampton.org.

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The Valley Light Opera will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with quite an evening, according to an email from my Orchard Valley neighbor Phyllis Jordan. She wrote that the anniversary includes a buffet dinner, music, of course, an auction and displays.

It will be held Saturday, March 15 at 5 p.m. at the Hampshire College Red Barn. Tickets are $50 and can be ordered at VLO.org. Seating is limited, so order soon.

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We have had such mild winters lately that snow dates have not been routinely included for events. However, now you should check before going to an event. A saving grace is events can pivot to Zoom, as happened with the Amherst Historical Society annual meeting. I didn’t have to get dressed up. But I did miss the cookies.

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Send items for the Lehrer Report to phyllehrer@gmail.com.