North Adams' Eagle Street Beach Party Set Friday

The annual Eagle Street Beach Party is set for this Friday. See photos from last year's event here.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Mark your calendars for the 16th annual Eagle Street Beach Party this Friday.

The event, founded by artist Eric Rudd, fills historic Eagle Street with sand for what he describes as an "original urban art beach" from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The family friendly event will be followed at 7 with the city of North Adams' 5th annual Mexican Fiesta, an adults only celebration featuring margaritas, Corona beer and singer Lita Williams

Eagle Street merchants and other businesses have contributed sand toys and prizes for everyone participating in the beach party, as well as prizes for the most creative sand castles or sand sculptures.

Now sponsored by the Rudd Art Museum, which will have an art exhibition opening around the corner on the same evening from 6 to 8, some half-million pounds of sand donated by Specialty Minerals and delivered by city crews will be spread — curb to curb — the entire length of the street.

Mildred Elley's Pittsfield campus has donated 300 sand pails and shovels for all participants to use and keep; Adams Community Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union and Smith Watson & Co. CPAs are contributing the entertainment and out-of-pocket expenses for both events.

Merchants are offering gifts and certificates, including Jack's Hot Dogs donation of 60 gift certificates each good for one hot dog and some 250 SteepleCats tickets that will be given to children age 12 and younger.

No artistic experience is necessary - just the willingness to get into the sand and have fun. Beach attire is recommended. Food color dye is acceptable, but no spray paint. Note that smoking is not allowed during this event.

North Adams to Begin Study of Veterans Memorial Bridge Alternatives

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:21AM / Monday, April 15, 2024

Mayor Jennifer Macksey says the requests for qualifications for the planning grant should be available this month. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Connecting the city's massive museum and its struggling downtown has been a challenge for 25 years. 

 

A major impediment, all agree, is the decades old Central Artery project that sent a four-lane highway through the heart of the city. 

 

Backed by a $750,000 federal grant for a planning study, North Adams and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art are looking to undo some of that damage.

 

"As you know, the overpass was built in 1959 during a time when highways were being built, and it was expanded to accommodate more cars, which had little regard to the impacts of the people and the neighborhoods that it surrounded," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey on Friday. "It was named again and again over the last 30 years by Mass MoCA in their master plan and in the city in their vision 2030 plan ... as a barrier to connectivity."

 

The Reconnecting Communities grant was awarded a year ago and Macksey said a request for qualifications for will be available April 24.

 

She was joined in celebrating the grant at the Berkshire Innovation Center's office at Mass MoCA by museum Director Kristy Edmunds, state Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver, District 1 Director Francesca Hemming and Joi Singh, Massachusetts administrator for the Federal Highway Administration.

 

The speakers also thanked the efforts of the state's U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey, U.S. Rep. Richie Neal, Gov. Maura Healey and state Sen Paul Mark and state Rep. John Barrett III, both of whom were in attendance.