Cultural Pittsfield This Week: Oct. 7-13

Print Story | Email Story

 
 
 
 
October 7 - October 13, 2016
Friday, October 7 Is First Fridays Artswalk!
 
Enjoy over fifteen different art shows featuring work by more than 15 regional artists in Pittsfield's bustling Upstreet Cultural District during the First Fridays Artswalk and all month long!
 
In most venues, artists will be present from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, October 7. 
Enjoy a free guided tour beginning at 5 p.m. at the Intermodal Center at 1 Columbus Ave. 
 
There will be free, live music with John Davidson and Chad Tarves beginning at 6 p.m. at the BOOM Room at 137 North St.
 
 
The fun doesn't stop there! A free Afterwalk Party begins at 8 p.m. at the Whitney Center for the Arts at 42 Wendell Ave.

 
MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE
The 12th annual Pittsfield City Jazz Festival kicks off on Oct. 7 with Jazz About Town, comprising a jazz crawl and other events throughout Pittsfield's Upstreet Cultural District. The Festival runs Oct. 7-16, and features local and touring musicians, a jazz prodigy concert, and an exhibit by award-winning photojournalist Ken Franckling - Jazz In The Key Of Light at The Whit. The crawl continues Friday and Saturday evenings, and is capped by a jazz brunch on Sunday, Oct. 9. The full schedule for the festival, including details on the Jazz Prodigy concert (Oct. 13) and the headline weekend that features Scott Robinson (Oct. 14), Karrin Allyson, and the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors big band (Oct. 15) can be found online.
Plus... 
FRI Tango Milonga at The Funk Box Dance Studio FRI Lady Di and The Dukes at Hotel on North FRI Blue Light Trio at Rainbow FRI The Riverside Brothers at Mission | SAT Liz Longley at The Colonial | SAT Natalia Bernal & Jason Ennis play Latin jazz at Mission | SAT Warren Sieme at Rainbow | SAT Circle of Stone at The A | SUN Johannes String Quartet & Richard Stoltzman at South Mountain Concerts MON Games on North at Hotel on North TUE Craft on North at Hotel on North TUE Trivia Night at Rainbow WED Gruppo Mondo at Rainbow | THU The Everly Brothers Experience at The Colonial | THU Nathan Farrell Jazz Concert at The Berkshire Athenaeum | THU Free Monthly Comedy Show at Dottie's
 
FAMILY FRIENDLY
The Raptor Project is an outstanding array of birds of prey - eagles, hawks, falcons and owls - displayed in a natural habitat. This exciting presentation and exhibit has won the attention and hearts of millions of people throughout the U.S. Showtimes at The Berkshire Carousel are at 1 & 3 p.m. Free.
 
Plus...  
| FRI WeeMuse: Adventures at Berkshire Museum | SAT WeeMuse: Art Lab at Berkshire Museum | SUN Kids' Hip Hop 101 Class begins at Berkshire Yoga, Dance & Fitness | TUE WeeMuse: Littlest Learners at Berkshire Museum | WED WeeMuse: Parent/Child STEM at Berkshire Museum | THU Pre-school Play & Learn at Berkshire Athenaeum
 
WELLNESS
 
 
Join Shiobbean Lemme of the Berkshire Running Center at Berkshire Yoga, Dance & Fitness for an 8-class series held Monday and Friday mornings from 5-6 a.m. from Oct. 7-Oct. 31. $40 for the series or $10 to drop-in. 
Plus... 
TUE Chair Yoga at Berkshire Yoga, Dance & Fitness THU Prenatal Yoga at Berkshire Yoga, Dance & Fitness
 
GET CREATIVE
 
 
Paint Autumn Leaf Lanterns to raise funds for "Save our Shakespeare at Taconic" with Berkshire Paint & Sip at Tavern at The A from 2-4 p.m. Decorate two Mason jars for $35.

 
Plus... 
FRI Paint "Pumpkin Patch" at The Dirty Brush | FRI Paint "October Moon" at Berkshire Paint & Sip | SAT Paint "Tea for Two" at The Dirty Brush | TUE+THU Paint Your Own Pottery at The Dirty Brush TUE Craft on North at Hotel on North WED Paint "Olive Branch" at The Dirty Brush
 
PERFORMANCE
Barrington Stage Company presentsan exploration of friendship, politics and leadership - a comedic and dramatic clash of two great minds and one great heart of the 20th century inspired by an actual event. In 1921, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and President Warren G. Harding took a camping trip together into the Maryland woods to escape civilization; what they couldn't escape was each other. St. Boyd-Quinson Mainstage at 30 Union Street.
 
COMMUNITY
Berkshire Museum presents Rachel Fedderly, who will teach the tricks of applying professional-quality spooky makeup, just in time for Halloween. The class is included with regular Museum admission. 10-11 a.m.
 
Seating is limited, so reservations are requested. Please call (413) 443.7171, ext. 360. 
Plus... 
SAT
Harvest Craft Fair at South Congregational Church |
SAT
Wings, Wheels, Warbirds at Pittsfield Municipal Airport |
SAT
Harvest Supper at Hancock Shaker Village | SADowntown Pittsfield Farmers Market |
TUE
Lunch Break on North at Hotel on North
 
LEARN
The UMass Arts Extension Service (AES) presents a free Introduction to the Public Art Process workshop. Public Art projects, whether they're free-standing works or community-engagement projects, are opportunities for Western Mass. artists to expand their vision, be paid to make art, build their portfolio, and have their work seen by a diverse audience within our region and beyond. 

Open to artists of all mediums interested in creating public art projects, participants will receive an overview of the issues, skills needed, and steps required to create a competitive public art project application at the local and national level. 5:30-8 p.m. at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, 28 Renne Ave.
Plus... 
ONGOING
West African & Caribbean Drumming Classes at The Lichtenstein |
SAT
Intro to Sewing Workshop at Shire City Sanctuary |
SAT
Lyme Disease Treatment Options at Berkshire Athenaeum |
MON 
The Process of Aging at Knesset Israel |
THU
Breast Cancer & The Jewish Community at Knesset Israel 
 
FILM
The Salt of the Earth
at The Little Cinema

This film documents the life and work of photographer Sebastião Salgado, who has spent forty years documenting deprived societies in hidden corners of the world.
 
 
Plus... 
ONGOING
See What's New at The Beacon Cinema
What's Showing at The Licht
Pittsfield's city-owned community arts center, the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, features nine working artist studios, a ceramics studio, a community room and an art gallery with changing exhibitions, classes, performances + more! 

28 Renne Ave. | Wed-Sat, 11-4
 
The Visual Poetry of Suburban Pittsfield, oil on canvas paintings by artist Morris Bennett, will be on view October 7 through October 29 at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts.
 

Opening Reception during First Friday Artswalk: October 7 from 5-8 p.m.
 
 
STAY CONNECTED
 Like us on Facebook   Follow us on Twitter   Find us on Pinterest
 

 

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Firefighters Knock Down Morningside Blaze

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Fire Department knocked down a two-alarm blaze in the Morningside neighborhood in less than an hour on Friday. 

Just before 3 p.m., the department received a report of a fire at 25 Pine St. Deputy Fire Chief Daniel Garner said he arrived at the scene first and saw heavy fire showing from the rear of the more than 100-year-old home. 

"We just went to work, pretty much," he explained. 

"Because of the heavy volume of fire and the potential for a high number of occupants, I called a double alarm, which called all available Pittsfield firefighters directly to the scene. And I would say the fire was knocked down and under control within an hour." 

Eight occupants were evacuating the home when firefighters arrived, and there were no civilian or firefighter injuries. People, including the occupants, stood on the sidewalk and watched the scene unfold. 

When iBerkshires arrived, firefighters were on the ladder, extinguishing the top level of the home from the side and rear.  

There were five fire engines and one ladder truck. Hinsdale also came to assist, and Lenox and Dalton were called for standby. 

Garner believes the building is salvageable and repairable, but recognized that the family won't be able to stay there tonight. An extended family appears to live in the home. 

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined; the Fire Investigation Division was on site. The Red Cross will provide assistance to the residents of the home. 

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories