The Sun has finally risen from the clouds and shines its golden rays on the bare trees bringing the wildlife back to life and awakening the wildlife from their blissful sleep. The snow melts and the sky cries with joy, wetting the ground filling the air with the smell of petrichor.

The grass becomes green, the leaves return, and the flowers pollinate, filling the world with the forgotten color. Nature celebrates the coming of Spring and so should you. Here are some events happening this Spring to help with your celebration.

SpringFest 

Saturday, May 9 

Berkshire Botanical Garden, Stockbridge

The 24-acre botanical garden will have free admission family fun designed to celebrate Spring and community. The event features food trucks and enough children’s activities to keep the youngest visitors happily busy for hours including a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, and more. A traditional Maypole dance will add a whimsical, old-world flourish to the day’s lineup.

The festival is part of the garden's immersive weekend experience Mother's Day weekend, coinciding with its 49th Annual Plants-and-Answers Plant Sale from May 8 through 10. The event was established in 1977 and has become a cherished Mother’s Day weekend tradition for gardeners across the region. This year’s edition, curated by BBG’s horticulture staff, offers hundreds of perennials, annuals, herbs, and vegetables — each selected with a thoughtful emphasis on diversity and nature-based landscaping.

Daffodil and Tulip Festival

April 18 thru May 10

Naumkeag, Stockbridge

Naumkeag is a historic home and garden in Stockbridge Massachusetts which offers guided tours, world famous landscapes, amazing views, and year round programs. It is one of Berkshire counties original gilded-age “cottages” known for the surrounding gardens and landscape that was designed in the late 1800’s by Nathan Barrett and was later expanded by Fletcher Steele and Mabel Choate.

Naumkeag will be having its Annual Daffodil and Tulip Festival throughout the months of April and May showcasing over 130,000 daffodil, tulip and minor bulbs across its 8 acres of land.

The 48-acre estate will be decorated with “with a variety of blooms, containers, displays and decorations against the backdrop of stunning views of Monument Mountain and the Berkshire Hills.” the website said.

Mixed bouquets, container plants, and a pre-sale of spring bulbs will be sold at a pop-up shop outside the greenhouse. Food and refreshments will be for sale at the outdoor snack shack. Admittance to the inside of the house will be permitted for self-guided tours of the first floor and to provide access to the museum's gift shop.

Tickets to the festival must be purchased in advance and will not be sold on site. Visitors must arrive during their arrival window and cannot be accommodated if early or late. The museum requests visitors limit their stay to one hour due to the high number of participants.

For more information on the Daffodil and Tulip Festival or to purchase tickets visit: https://thetrustees.org/program/daffodil-and-tulip-festival-at-naumkeag/

Baby Animal Festival

April 18 thru May 10

Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield

Hancock Shaker Village will be having its Annual Baby Animal Festival giving visitors a chance to see baby lambs, goats, piglets, calves, and chicks while partaking in daily events and activities.

Families will have the chance to learn and enjoy activities including blacksmithing, woodworking, spinning, and daily Livestock 101 talks from the informative farm teams. On weekends visitors can take pony rides and face painting.

The village offers one daily tour a day before they open during Baby Animals at 10am. The tour will be open to a single group of up to 20 people and must be reserved in advance due to high popularity.

Visitors will get a chance to get a behind the scenes look on the farm during the hour long hayride. The farm’s farmers will spill all the dirt on the village's history, facts, and secrets.

The tour will take farm-goers to the Round Stone Barn, Dairy Ell, and barnyard so they can see calves, lambs, kids, piglets, and chicks. Interaction with some of the baby animals will be permitted, and sometimes visitors will be able to bottle-feed a calf.

The Village will be open to the public at 11 and after the tour visitors are welcome to revisit the barn and explore.