Berkshires Wake Up With Busy Spring Weekend
 The Dancing in the Street Zumba party benefit for Relay for Life comes back to downtown North Adams this Sunday, May 3, bigger and better than before. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Berkshire residents are invited to — finally — emerge from their winter hybernation and enjoy the first busy weekend of warm temperatures and outdoor events across the region.
This Saturday, May 2, will see many annual favorites on what looks to be a perfect spring day:
* Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and the city of North Adams will hold their annual Day of Service, when students as well as community members pitch in to clean up around the city. The event starts at 9:30 a.m. at MCLA's Church Street Center.
The Hoosic River Revival will be doing cleanup from 10 to noon along the Sons of Italy parking lot south on the river's east side.
* Over in Williamstown, the boys and girls of Williamstown Cal Ripken Baseball League will be marching through town to celebrate opening day, escorted by a color guard from American Legion Post 152, the Williamstown Elementary School marching band, Village Ambulance and the Williamstown Police and Fire Departments. The parade kicks off at 9 a.m. from the school and ends at Bud Anderson field. After the opening ceremonies and the singing of the national anthem, the season begins with games all day at Bud Anderson and the school fields.
* Around the corner in downtown Williamstown, the annual Humane Race will feature a 5K Fun Run or 1 Mile Walk to benefit the work and mission of Berkshire Humane Society. Start time is 10 a.m., with check-in and race day registration beginning at 8 a.m. at 16 Water St. To register for the Humane Race, visit www.humanerace.org.
* Down the road in Williamstown, the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation will hold its annual Sheep to Shawl festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event features sheep shearing, sheep herding, weaving, spinning, artisans and farmers all in celebration of spring and our New England cultural heritage.
* Down in Great Barrington, BerkShares Inc. will host "Walk the Talk," a walking tour and discussion of downtown Great Barrington in conjunction with an international festival of "Jane's Walks," self-organized tours that explore and celebrate walk-able neighborhoods around the world. Walkers will gather at Town Hall at 10 a.m. The walking route will conclude at the Prairie Whale by noon.
The outdoor fun continues on Sunday, May 3, which might see some early or late showers but is not looking like a washout:
* In Pittsfield, the Food Truck Rodeo will take place in the Shire City Sanctuary parking lot on Melville Street from noon to 5 p.m. The event features 10 food trucks, live music, local beer vendors, children's activities and the Spring Shindy (which starts Saturday) inside the Sanctuary.
* Back up in North Adams, the fifth annual Dancing in the Street Zumba festival to benefit Relay for Life will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. on Main Street. This year the event is bigger than ever with food vendors, a beer tent, craft vendors and a hot dog eating contest.
* Over in Williamstown, the Clark Art Institute will hold one of its popular free Family Day celebrations from 1 to 4 p.m. in conjunction with "Machine Age Modernism: Prints from the Daniel Cowin Collection. There will be music, gallery talks, a printmaking workshop, 3D printing demonstration, fingerprinting with the Williamstown Police, flip book fun and more.
For all weekend events, visit the extensive iBerkshires.com calendar.
Tags: cleanup, community event, family event, food, fundraiser,
