Legacy Banks will host a breakfast workshop for small businesses on Thursday, April 1, from 8:45 to 10:15 at the Legacy Financial Center, 99 North St., Pittsfield.

State Rep William "Smitty" Pignatelli and and former North Adams Mayor John Barrett III will be the featured speakers at the event, which will focus on steps that businesses can take to overcome obstacles in a difficult economy.

The program is free and open to local business owners/leaders on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 800-292-6634 to reserve a space.

Williamstown Wellness, 610 Main St., will be the site for the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce's Business After Hours event on Tuesday, April 6. The event, which will include healthy snacks, a raffle, and a tour of the Tasha Yoga studio and massage therapy treatment room, runs from 5 to 7 p.m. and costs $10.

Raffle items include a half-price massage with Nicole Methot, LMT, a  Dr. Hauschka skin care basket, and a half-hour private yoga session with Tasha Judson, certified Anusara yoga teacher. Proceeds from the event will go to the Mt. Greylock Regional High School Wellness Department to purchase yoga mats for students to use in gym classes.

Reservations are required; contact the Chamber at 413-458-9077 or info@williamstownchamber.com.

The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce is having a Business After Hours Event on Thursday, April 8 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Webster-Ingersoll in Sheffield. RSVP to visitor@southernberkshirechamber.com.

The Southern Berkshire Chamber plans a Chamber breakfast featuring Sen. Ben Downing on Friday, April 23, at the Route 7 Grill, Great Barrington. The breakfast runs from 7:45 to 9:15 and costs $20 for Chamber members; $25 for nonmembers. RSVP to sbcc@rnetorx.com.

SPARK!, the networking group for Berkshire creative professionals, is holding a networking event on Wednesday, April 7 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Barrington Stage Company, 30 Union St., Pittsfield. People working in art, culture, design, innovation and technology, whether in industry or the arts, are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact info@berkshirecreative.org or call 413-822-8324.   
 

The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts continues its free "Tricks of the Trade" professional development seminar series for artists, with a focus on helping artists secure residency programs. The workshop schedule and speaker list is as follows:

Tuesday, April 13, 6:30 p.m.: MCLA Gallery 51, 51 Main St., North Adams: Heather Phillips (Director, Contemporary Artist Center at Woodside)

Wednesday, April 14, 6:30 p.m.: Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, 28 Renne Ave., Pittsfield: C. Ryder Cooley (Artist)

Thursday, April 15, 6:30 p.m.: IS183 Art School, 13 Willard Hill Rd., Stockbridge: Calliope Nicholas (Residency Director, Millay Colony for the Arts)

Advance registration is required. For more information, and/or to register, contact MCLA's Berkshire Cultural Resource Center Program Coordinator, Jessica Conzo, at 413-663-5253 or Jessica.Conzo@mcla.edu.

There will be a SPARKettes networking event for those working in the visual arts, on Tuesday, April 13, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., at Jae's Spice, North Street, Pittsfield. The free event includes hors d'ouevres and a cash bar; RSVP here.

Berkshire Community College and the Employers Association of the Northeast are offering free training sessions on a variety of topics:

Friday, April 2, 8:30 to 4:30: "Introduction to Quality Management," BCC Main Campus, Classroom H219

Wednesday, April 7, 8:30 to 4:30: "Statistical Process Control," BCC Main Campus, (classroom tbd)

Friday, April 9, 8:30 to 4:30: "Problem Solving and Decision Making," BCC Main Campus, Classroom H219

To register, contact Kathleen Dion at 413-236-5252 or kdion@berkshirecc.edu or Shannon Miller Pignatelli at 413-236-2126 or spignate@berkshirecc.edu

The Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce will host a membership event on Monday, April 26, from noon to 2 at The Shaker Mill Tavern, 5 Albany Road, West Stockbridge. The theme for the event is "Show and Tell," an informational presentation of the area's summer and fall cultural activities.

Featured speakers will be from the Berkshire Botanical Garden, Naumkeag, Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum, The Clark, The Bidwell House, Ventfort Hall, The Mount, The Mission House, Norman Rockwell Museum, Berkshire Theatre Festival, MASS MoCA, Chesterwood Museum and Jacob’s Pillow.

The event is open to the public and the cost for lunch is $15. No walk-ins will be accepted; reservations must be made by noon on Wednesday, April 21. Contact Barbara J. Zanetti at 413-298-5200.

On Thursday, April 29, from 9 a.m. to noon, the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network will hold the workshop  "Your First Business Plan." Topics will include business planning, financing and marketing. The presenter will be Keith Girouard, regional director of the Berkshire Regional Office of the MSBDA; the workshop takes place at the MSBCA Berkshire Regional Office, 75 North Street, Suite 360, Pittsfield.

The cost is $25; make checks payable to the University of Massachusetts and mail to the MSBDC, 75 North Street, Suite 360, Pittsfield MA 01201; register online at www.msbdc.org/berkshire

The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce is having its second Good News Business Salute meeting on Wednesday, March 10, from 7:45 to 9 a.m., at the Crowne Plaza, West Street, Pittsfield. The cost is $25 for Berkshire Chamber members and $35 for non-members, and includes a breakfast buffet. To register, call 413-499-4000, Ext. 26, e-mail choyt@berkshirechamber.com, or visit www.berkshirechamber.com. Individuals who registered for the canceled February event do not need to register again.

Lenox Chamber of Commerce is having its next event on Monday, March 1, at 6 p.m., at the Firefly Restaurant, 71 Church St., Lenox. Bring your business card for door prizes, which include a one-month membership to Lenox Fitness Center, golf with a cart for two at Cranwell, and a gift certificate for $35 to Furnace Brook Winery. RSVP to 413-637-2700 by Monday at 3 p.m.

The North Adams Rotary Club is actively looking for new members and is inviting those interested to join the group for a meeting to see what it's all about. The next meeting is Tuesday, March 2, at 12:15 at the Freight Yard Pub. Guest speakers also wanted; contact President Tracy McConnell at 413-663-2189 if you are interested in speaking about your business or organization.

The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce presents "The Marketing Transformation: A Road Map to ROI" on Tuesday, March 2, from 9 to 11 a.m. at The Orchards. Allen Jezouit and Jeff Stripp will discuss current marketing investments and "new media" opportunities. Free for chamber members; $25 for nonmembers. Wireless service is available so bring your laptops. Register at 413-458-9007 or info@williamstownchamber.com.

Spark!, the networking group for the Berkshires' creative economy, has rescheduled this week's postponed meeting for Thursday, March 4, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Francine and Sterling Clark Art Institute, Williamstown. For more information, contact info@berkshirecreative.org or call 413-822-8324.

The Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce's annual dinner was postponed to Tuesday, March 2, at 5:30 p.m. at the Red Lion Inn because of snow. For more information, 413-298-5200 or info@stockbridgechamber.org.

Pamela Smith of Esselte will present "Got Paper:  Organizing for Better Workflow and Efficiency" at the March meeting of the Berkshire County Chapter of International Association of Administrative Professionals on Wednesday, March 10, at Berkshire Bank on West Street in Pittsfield. Networking begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by the program at 6. Refreshments will be provided. The meeting is open to members and non-members and qualifies for 1 recertification credit for CPS and CAP. The cost is $5 per person to cover the cost of refreshments. RSVP to Melissa James at m.james@mcla.edu by March 8.

The Southern Berkshire Chamber's next Business After Hours event will be on Wednesday, March 10, from 5:30 to 7:30 at Lee Bank, Main Street, Great Barrington. RSVP at visitor@southernberkshirechamber.com, or call 413-528-1510.

The chamber's also sponsoring a ski night at Catamount Ski Area on Saturday, March 6, from 3 to 10. Lift tickets for Southern Berkshire Chamber members are $15 and must be purchased in advance at the Great Barrington office at 40 Railroad St. by Friday or the visitors' center on Main Street on Friday or Saturday.

The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce is having an after hours event at Gala Restaurant at the Orchards Hotel on Thursday, March 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. Hors d' oeuvres will be provided by Executive Chef Chris Bonnivier. Cash bar will be available.

Activities will include tours of the hotel, Wii bowling, a special announcement from David Rempell on the Williamstown Youth Center "Together We Can” fund raising campaign, and a special giveaway. After the chamber event, there will be karaoke with Brian Flagg.

There will be a fee of $10 and advance registration is required; call or e-mail the chamber at 413-458-9077 or info@williamstownchamber.com.

The Berkshire Visitors Bureau is holding a free, open forum discussion on Wednesday, March 17, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., to share ideas and strategies for soliciting group business in the Berkshires. The event takes place at the Comfort Inn and Suites, 249 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington.