Tag Archives: Southwick

6th Annual Farm Parade (Southwick, MA)

Date of Event: October 19, 2024

Location: College Highway, Southwick, MA (2 hours southwest of Boston, MA, 30 minutes northwest of Hartford, CT)

Cost: Free

Parking: Free parking was available at some of the local establishments including the shopping center on College Highway

Universally Accessible: Yes

Pet Friendly: Yes

Summary: Horses, cows, dogs, chickens and even a few people marched in the 6th annual animal parade to raise funds for the Polverari-Southwick Animal Shelter.

Parades usually feature people as the main participants. However, the Farm Parade in Southwick, MA, is a little different. Animals were the main attraction at this parade. Officials projected that 75 to 100 animals of all kinds were expected at the parade.

The parade was free for all who came to watch. But, there was a $20 fee to enter the parade. The proceeds went to help the Polverari-Southwick Animal Shelter.

The Powder Mill School marching band provided the musical entertainment for the event.

Another big attraction of the parade were the tractors, cars and other modes of transportation in the parade.

Since the parade was just before Halloween, there were lots of people dressed up and some of the vehicles were also decorated for the season!

But, out of all of the vehicles in the parade, the ones posted below are my favorites.

What fun it must have been to ride around in your own mini tractor or vehicle.

The people who went to the parade weren’t left out of the fun! As you may have noticed in the photo above, some of the people on the vehicles threw candy and beads to the onlookers!

Although it wasn’t required, some of the visitors dressed up for the event!

The farm parade has been growing in size over the years and I look forward to seeing what the following years have in store!


Congamond Lakes (Southwick, MA)

Date Of Visit: July 4, 2017

Location: 93 Point Grove Rd, Southwick, MA

Hours: the ramps are open around the clock

Cost: $5 boat launch fee

Parking: there is parking available in the parking lot of the boat launch and there is limited parking on Point Grove Rd.,

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: boat launch, fishing, scenic

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What better way to spend July 4th than at one of the busier lakes in Western MA?

Lake Congamond in Southwick, MA, seemed like the perfect place to spend the summer morning hours before our barbecue.  But, mostly because I like to say and write Lake Congamond.  What a fun name to say and what a fun lake to visit.

As  the name suggests, Congamond Lakes is not one lake but, rather, a group of lakes at the border of Massachusetts and Connecticut.  There are various boat launches.  We stopped off at the boat launch in Southwick (MA).

 

With a maximum depth level of 35 feet, the Congamond Lakes are a popular place for boating or taking some other aquatic vehicle.

 

Ducks are common at the lake and they are so used to being fed they will sometimes eat from your own hand.

 

Congamond roughly translates to “long fishing place” and we saw quite a few people fishing.

 

The pier offers spots for fishing, places to view the water and the boats or a place to sit with a friend.

 

Dogs are allowed at Congamond Lakes.  I’m just not sure they’re supposed to navigate the boats.

 

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Some dogs prefer land to being on boats.  Samurai is a Belgian Malinois.

 

Today’s featured link is Paul Samson’s Kayaking Blog.    People on boats, or in this case a kayak, can get to places those on land can’t get to and Paul found some gems during his kayaking adventure.  Paul’s blog post about Congamond Lakes can be found here.