Pittsfield Garden Tour

Print Story | Email Story
This year the Pittsfield Garden Tour celebrates 10 successful years of showing beautiful gardens throughout the city. Our mission is “To recognize and celebrate the beauty of Pittsfield by organizing garden tours of selected private gardens and public spaces; the monies raised to be used for project(s) to enhance Pittsfield.” The Garden Tour was begun by two women ten years ago during a period when Pittsfield was suffering from low morale and tremendous negativism by citizens and visitors alike. One of the reasons the garden tour was born was as a small means to help to change the paradigm and showcase the truly gorgeous neighborhoods that abound in this city. Pittsfield is now in the middle of a renaissance and we are happy to be part of it. Thanks to our two major sponsors, Legacy Banks Foundation and Teddi and Fran Laurin of Laurin Publishing, this year the Garden Tour Committee plans a spectacular gift to the city. We will construct a living 4 layer topiary birthday cake made of different annual plants. The first layer of this cake will be 10’ in diameter and the four layers will measure 9’ tall plus the topper. This cake will be planted with more than 4,500 annual plants in Pittsfield Garden Tour colors of deep pinks and burgandies along with greens and maroons. This cake will be planted during the first weekend in June so that the plants will have time to fill out prior to the BIG weekend which begins on Thursday, July 13th with a free, open to the public, family friendly birthday party on Park Square. There will be food, music, face paintings, stilt walkers, jugglers and a cake lighting ceremony. This party promises to entertain young, old, happy and grumpy alike. During the birthday celebration some 52 birdhouses, built and donated by Bill Jette, have been decorated by local artists, (we call them celebrities) will be sold at a silent auction. This will be the 5th year of the birdhouse project and they have become a much sought after collector’s item. The birdhouses will be on display at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, Rennie Ave. Pittsfield from June 9th through July 12th. Silent auction bids may be placed during the exhibit. A reception to meet the birdhouse artists will take place on June 9th from 5-7 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, July 15th and 16th the actual garden tour highlighting 8 very special gardens throughout the city of Pittsfield will take place. Some 850 to 1000 people are expected to attend the Garden Tour. Tickets will go on sale June 5th at: Dr. Lahey’s Garden, 1032 South Street, Pittsfield Joseph on the Mall, Crowne Plaza, South Street, Pittsfield Trillium Garen Co. 25 Pittsfield Road, Lenox Churchill Gardens, 1034 Churchill Rd, Lanesboro Tickets purchased through July 8th will are $12.00 and thereafter are $15.00.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories