New 'Upstreet' District Grand Marshal for Pittsfield Parade

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Parade Committee has a selected a distinctive area of the downtown rather than an individual as this year's grand marshal for the Pittsfield 4th of July Parade: Upstreet Cultural District.

"The committee felt it made sense to do a 'tip of the hat' to honor the re-birth of downtown Pittsfield," said committee President Betsy Bean of the new district. "The restoration of the downtown is a large part of the reason for increased economic activity and the growth of the city. This year’s theme fits well with the recent Upstreet Cultural District’s designation."

This year’s parade theme is "Movie Classics." The Upstreet Cultural District includes: The Colonial Theater, housing the Berkshire Theatre Group; The Little Cinema at the Berkshire Museum, The Beacon Cinema, and the Barrington Stage Company at the former Union Theater.

The parade route will pass those venues as well as the former Palace Theater. Local artist Marjorie Bride designed this year's parade poster and it depicts the former Palace Theater, surrounded by classic movie characters from the past.

The completely renovated Colonial Theatre on South Street is now linked with the Stockbridge Theatre Festival in the newly formed Berkshire Theatre Group.  The historic Berkshire Museum is home to Little Cinema, which shows independent films, documentaries and high-definition broadcasts of opera and ballet performances. The Beacon Cinema in the Kresge building opened in 2009 to return movies to downtown Pittsfield for the first time in decades. The Barrington Stage Company bought and renovated the former Union Theater on Union Street and revived the northern end of the North Street theater district.

Tags: grand marshal,   holiday,   parade,   

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Pittsfield Woman Dies After Being Rescued From Structure Fire

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The woman who was rescued when her home caught fire on Monday has died. 
 
The Berkshire District Attorney's Office confirmed on Tuesday that Susan Steenstrup, 67, died after she was pulled from the blaze at 1 Marlboro Drive. The cause of death has not been confirmed.
 
Steenstrup was found on the second-floor by firefighters who responded to the blaze at about 6:45 p.m. She was taken by County Ambulance to Berkshire Medical Center. 
 
The two-story, 1930s home is coned off and shows signs of the emergency response such as a broken front window where crews entered to rescue Steenstrup. The fire was reported to have spread from the kitchen and a cause has not yet been determined.
 
Steenstrup was the only occupant at the time. The home had been in her family since at least the 1960s. 
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