03/06/2009
Category: General

Geologic Walking Tour Release

Turners Falls RiverCulture completes self guided Geologic Walking Tour booklet of Turners Falls, written by SteveWinters and designed by Nina Rossi, both of Turners Falls. Celebration to take place March 21 2009 from 1:30 - 3:30 at the Great Falls Discovery Center.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 5, 2009

CONTACT:
Lisa Davol, Turners Falls RiverCulture, Phone: 413-230.9910
riverculture@montague-ma.gov      www.turnersfallsriverculture.org

The Turners Falls RiverCulture Project Produces a Self Guided Booklet of the Great Falls Geowalk. Booklet Celebration March 21st.

Turners Falls, MA, March 3, 2009 The popular Great Falls Geowalk, led by Turners Falls geologist Steve Winters, is now available in a colorful and engaging booklet written by Winters and designed by artist Nina Rossi also of Turners Falls.  A celebration to mark the release of A Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls will be held at the Great Hall of the Great Falls Discovery Center, March 21, 1:30 – 3:30 PM, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls.

For the past three years, Steve Winters has been leading the Great Falls Geowalk up and down the streets of Turners Falls, which has some of the most interesting geology of the Pioneer Valley—most of it is visible from sidewalks, footpaths, and bike paths.  He stresses, “Unless you stop to look, and maybe talk about what you see, you’ll never notice the wonder beneath our feet.”  His walk gives a glimpse of the geologic history that is captured, like snapshots in the rocks and stones of the village. Lisa Davol, Coordinator of the Turners Falls RiverCulture Project, says, “the geology of the village is one of its distinguishing characteristics and adds to a unique sense of place.  We want to be able to share this knowledge with all who live here and come to visit.”

The geologic story of Turners Falls begins about 250 million years ago when all the continents on Earth had joined to form one large supercontinent called Pangea. Around 245 million years ago Pangea began to break apart forming the continents we know today. The village of Turners Falls lies roughly in the middle of an extensive rift valley that spanned Pangea’s heart.  A

Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls provides short but complete descriptions of ten of Winters’ favorite geologic stops in the village, including the River Rock Overlook at the fish ladder, the glacially polished sandstones at Our Lady of Czestochowa church on K Street, and the world famous mudballs at Unity Park. 

A celebration of the new publication will take place at the Great Falls Discovery Center on March 21st from 1:30 – 3:30 and will include refreshments, music by Steve Alves, a special display of the Discovery Center’s fossilized dinosaur footprints, and a short presentation by Steve Winters who will then lead an actual tour of the sites from the booklet.  Copies of the 18-page booklet will be available at the event as well as at  the Great Falls Discovery Center, Carnegie Library, Town Hall and other downtown venues—free for the taking, however donations would be gratefully accepted! 

Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls was made possible through grants and contributions from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, The Town of Montague, Western Massachusetts Electric Company, Hillside Plastics, Fostering the Arts and Culture Partnership and Greenfield Savings Bank.  

Steve Winters is a hydrogeologist and earth science educator.  Steve teaches geology at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester and at Holyoke Community College in Holyoke.  Through Boston University's Prisoner Education Project, he teaches environmental geology and math at Framingham women's prison and astronomy at Norfolk men's prison.  Steve lives in Turners Falls.  He can be reached at science_matters@yahoo.com.

For more info on the Turners Falls RiverCulture Project, please call 413-230-9910. Click Here to download the Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls.

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New events and programs

Do you have an idea for an event or art project?  Would you like to hold it in Turners Falls?  Email us and we will see if we can make the process easy for you as well as see how we can help involve the community in your project.

Triple S at Nina's Nook

Erotic art by area artists - Sexual, Sensual, Smut

February 1- March 10, Reception Feb. 4!
Nina's Nook - 125 A, Avenue A

In celebration of the "Love Month" of February and in honor of Valentine's Day, Nina's Nook presents inspiring artwork by over a dozen artists. There will be sculpture, paintings, drawings, and ceramics that range from mild to wild on the "SSS" scale. Details here. Artists are:

Amina Silk, Edite Cunha, Wednesday Nelena Sorokin, Peter Monroe, Patrick Bogart, Christin Couture, Dan Cheney, Nina Rossi, Glenn Ridler, Nicol Wander, Joseph McCarthy, Tim DeChristopher, Kathleen Anderson, Camille, Leslie DeGraffe, Marvin Paige, Tony Palumbo.

Great Falls Coffeehouse: Austin & Elliott!

Local singer-songwriter duo, Chris Elliott and Lisa Austin have been performing together in a musical partnership across the northeast from Vermont to New Jersey since 2003. They tap into traditional folk with a modern outsider's sensibility. Elliott's songs reach for both scathing irony and genuine beauty, and along with Austin's blended harmonies, they are "two voices telling tales of love gone wrong and death done right". Elliott performs guitar and vocals while Austin adds energetic vocal harmony, guitar, 6-string banjo, bass, and percussion.

Coffee and homemade baked goods are available. The museum and museum store are open during intermission. Suggested sliding scale donation $6-$12, free for children. Donations help the Friends of the Discovery Center provide free nature programming for the public.

Friday Feb 10, 2012, 7pm - 9pm, Great Hall of the Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, in downtown Turners Falls. Doors open at 6:30 pm. The Discovery Center is wheelchair accessible. For more information, please call the Discovery Center at (413) 863-3221

Treasure Island at the Shea

Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and performed by New Renaissance Players. The story follows Jim Hawkins on his unforgettable journey that starts with his encounter with the pirate Billy Bones at the Admiral Benbow Inn, and takes him on the adventure of a lifetime. This high energy show is filled with humor, action, and spectacle. The play features some of Stevenson's most celebrated characters, including the clever and charismatic Long John Silver. Like all other NRP shows 100% of the profit will go back to the operating budget of the Shea.

The show dates are...

February 17, 7pm
February 18-19, 2pm
February 23-24, 7pm
February 25-26, 2pm

$10 for adults, $7 for children 12 and under, Shea Theater, 71 Avenue A, Tickets can be reserved through calling The Shea Theater's Box office (413) 863 2281, or online http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/221781

"Imitating Art" A Student Photo Exhibition

 Through April 1, 2012 at The Gallery at Hallmark

For this assignment, Hallmark students study the history of art, and attempt to photographically reproduce an original work of art. To create their image, students must study lighting, color, gesture and propping to analyze their roles in the original piece. Meticulous attention must be paid to the small details; the curve of a hand, the tilt of a head, the drape of a fabric. Finding specific props and understanding their importance in the overall image leads to a journey of discovery and growth.  Visit the Gallery at Hallmark here.


 

Franklin County Falls Pumpkin Fest

October 20, 2012

 

The third annual Pumpkinfest will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2012 on Avenue A in Turners Falls. The event is FREE to the public. Just bring cash for food, beer, and fun! The event runs from 3-9pm, with FREE shuttling from Turners Falls High School and Sheffield School!  More info on how you can get involved here.

 

Missoula Oblongata in Food City Photos

 

 

 

Many thanks to Food City, Missoula Oblongata, local food producers and RiverCulture's Producers committee for this most recent Producers performance which truly re-imagined and re-engaged a beloved Turners Falls institution - FoodCity.  Details on the show here and more photos on our facebook page.  

RiverCulture goes to Hamburg, Germany

RiverCulture Director, Lisa Davol, participated in a cultural exchange to Hamburg, Germany as part of the Riverscaping project. The goal of the trip was to learn about the processes by which the progressive, environmentally conscious and artistic community of Hamburg achieved its goals so we can then bring these experiences back home to better our own communities. Details here.

Strathmore Mill Opportunity

The Strathmore Mill Redevelopment Project will result in the restoration of a picturesque brick mill complex and adjacent grounds to its place as a cornerstone of the community and downtown economy in the historic village of Turners Falls, Massachusetts. The Town of Montague seeks an innovative partner to serve as master developer for this unique redevelopment opportunity in a location that boasts both natural beauty and the conveniences of an urban area. Details here.

RiverCulture Wins the Commonwealth Award!

RiverCulture is the proud recipient of the 2011/2012 Commonwealth Award, honoring exceptional achievement in the arts, humanities, and sciences. The Massachusetts Cultural Council presents the award every two years to individuals and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to education, economic vitality, and quality of life in communities across the state.

 

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