Community Events Adult Spelling Bee
NEF’s 23rd Adult Spelling Bee!
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
BOMBYX Center for Arts & Equity
130 Pine Street, Florence
Le BEEstro opens at 5:00 p.m with dinner options from Cooper’s Corner and State Street Fruit & Deli, homemade baked goods, and ice cream donated by Herrell’s
Competition starts at 6:00 p.m.
This family-friendly event is FREE, but attendees must register in advance on the Bombyx website. Walk-up entry will be available if we haven't reached capacity.
jelerang (JELL-er-ang): a giant squirrel (Ratufa bicolor) of Java and southern Asia
Well, I know that someone ate my ten-pound box of peanut brittle, Gerald, and I doubt it was a rogue jelerang!
—Winning word from the 2023 NEF Adult Spelling Bee
Sponsor a team or form a team of spellers!
Support NEF and Northampton’s public schools by sponsoring a Spelling Bee team or forming a team to be matched with a sponsor?
Businesses, organizations, and community members can sponsor a Spelling Bee team for $300. If you want to sponsor but don’t want to put together a team, NEF can match you with one. If you want to form a team but don’t have funds to register one, NEF will match you with a sponsor.
The NEF Spelling Bee is well-attended by an enthusiastic audience of community members and NEF supporters. Up to 40 teams composed of three adults, most in costume, vie for awards in spelling, costume, and humor. The Bee is broadcast live by WHMP and recorded and shared for replay by Northampton Open Media (NOM).
All funds raised by the NEF Spelling Bee support our Small Grants for Teachers program, which funds the development of creative and innovative teaching and learning initiatives in Northampton Public Schools and Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School. Last year’s Spelling Bee raised over $13,000 and NEF awarded over $30,000 in Small Grants across grade levels and content areas in Northampton’s public schools. Help us fund even more grants and opportunities by participating in the Bee!
This family-friendly event is FREE, but attendees must register in advance on the Bombyx website. Walk-up entry will be available if we haven’t reached capacity.
Check out the 2023 NEF Spelling Bee on NOM’s YouTube site.
More Information
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What can you do?
Sponsor and form a team for $300! Teams consist of three spellers. Humorous team names (especially with ”bee“ puns) and costumes are encouraged.
Sponsor and we‘ll match you with a team! If you don‘t have spellers to send we can match you with a team in need of sponsorship.
Form a team and we‘ll match you with a sponsor.
Complete the Spelling Bee Registration to participate.
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Why bee a sponsor? Why bee a speller?
It's a blast! Plus, all the money raised by this event funds NEF‘s Small Grants and helps us fulfill our mission to support and strengthen public education in Northampton by providing resources that bring innovation and enrichment to students and teachers in every school.
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Will people know that you support our public schools?
Yes! Team sponsors will be recognized with gratitude on the Spelling Bee poster, in the spelling bee program, on NEF’s social media, and in the NEF newsletter.
Live Broadcast
Special thanks to our partners for live broadcasting the Spelling Bee Event!
WHMP
Northampton Open Media
Past Event Gallery
Check out photos from our previous events!
