Cultural Pittsfield This Week: Dec. 9-15

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  December 9 - December 15, 2016
SAT & SUN 10th Annual Shire City Shindy
 
Shire City Sanctuary, at 40 Melville St., will again host the Holiday Shindy craft fair. Local favorites like Aubry, Liz Olney and Dan Bellow will be featured, as well as first time sellers like Tiny Anvil.

The Shindy runs Saturday, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. & Sunday, Dec. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Taconic High School Chorus will be performing classic holiday music on Saturday at 1 p.m. Gift wrapping will be provided by 4H with all proceeds going to the Elizabeth Freeman Center. An Angel Tree will be on site for the duration of the Shindy. Admission is $3 for the general public. Children under the age of 12 are free of charge.


 
  TONS TO DO IN PITTSFIELD THIS WEEKEND 
 
There are more than a dozen holiday-themed events happening THIS WEEKEND in the City of Pittsfield.  

Buy art this holiday season at one of the three Pop-Up Art Galleries downtown.  Artists Sean McCusker, Morris Bennett and Anne Roland are at 139 North Street with painting demos with Sean Fris & Sats 4-6pm and 5 minute portraits with Morris Thurs 12-6pm & Fri 12-3pm; Diane Firtell and several artisans are offering a Holiday Marketplace at 431 North Street and Marguerite Bride and Scott Taylor are at 437 North Street.  Many of the artists will be on hand during the open gallery hours Thurs-Sat 12-6pm through December 23.  Click here for more information.

NuArts is hosting a Holiday Open House on Saturday from 11am-3pm with open studios and live entertainment.    

Other events throughout the weekend include:  Christmastime in the City at the Whitney Center for the Arts; the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market Winter MarketSanta visits the Berkshire Carousel; an adult Gingerbread Decorating Party at Dottie's; the Eagles Band Holiday Concert at First United Methodist Church; A Christmas Carol at the Colonial; The Festival of Trees at the Berkshire Museum and more!  Click here for a complete list of Holiday Happenings in Pittsfield. 

And please remember to buy local this Holiday Season. Visit  downtownpittsfield.com for a directory of shops and more.
 
  MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE
 
 
Artist and singer-songwriter Dan Blakeslee will kick-off Methuselah's Winter-Warmer Music Series, from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Blakeslee has recorded six albums and has performed with The Low Anthem, David Wax Museum, Lydia Loveless, The Lumineers, Deer Tick, Liam Finn, Kimya Dawson and many others.
Plus...  
FRI The Matchstick Architects & Jeb Barry at The BOOM Rooom | FRI Blue Light Trio at Rainbow | FRI The Fly at Casey's Billiards | SAT Riverside Brothers at Mission | SAT Comedy on the Edge at J. Allen's | SAT Code Blue Duo at J. Allen's | SAT Jingle Ballz Rock Holiday Show at the A | MON Cabaret Workshop Performance at Berkshire Music School | MON Jazz Night at Mission | TUE Craft on North at Hotel on North | WED Gruppo Mondo at Rainbow | THU Potluck & Dance Party at The Whit
  FAMILY FRIENDLY
SAT Paint "Snowman" at Berkshire Paint & Sip
 
Children ages 6-12 (adults are invited, too) can paint "Snowman" from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The $25 fee includes professional instruction and all supplies. No reservations needed. Berkshire Paint & Sip, located at 305 North Street.
Plus...  
FRI WeeMuse: Adventures at Berkshire Museum | SAT Imagination Playground at Berkshire Museum | SAT Nutshell Playhouse at the Whit | SAT Holiday Fun Festival at Berkshire Carousel | SUN Awesome Robot Book Signing at Barnes & Noble | MON Tiny Tots Story Time at Berkshire Athenaeum | TUE WeeMuse: Littlest Learners at Berkshire Museum | WED WeeMuse: Parent/Child STEM at Berkshire Museum | THU Preschool Play & Learn at Berkshire Athenaeum
  WELLNESS
TUE Yoga En Espanol at Berkshire Yoga Dance Fitness
Berkshire Yoga, Dance & Fitness Ven a una, dos o todas las 4 clases de introducción a Yoga en Español con Luzita Lopez, los Martes 13 y 20 de Diciembre de 8 p.m. a 9 p.m.; Sábado 17 y Domingo 18 de 1 p.m. a 2:30 p.m. Ven y descubre los beneficios del Yoga! Estas clases son para todos los niveles; no importa si eres nuevo o si tienes experiencia.
 
Plus... 
WED Run to North at Hotel on North
  GET CREATIVE
MON Paint A Winter Snowman at The A
 
 
 
The Progressive Palette will lead a painting workshop at the Tavern at The A from 6-8 p.m. Paint a snowman on a tall 8x24 canvas!
The $35 fee includes two hours of painting fun and all supplies needed to create this acrylic painting on canvas. Drink and dinner specials will be available.
Plus... 
SAT-SUN Paint Your Own Pottery at The Dirty Brush SAT Weave a Paper Heart Ornament at Hancock Shaker Village SAT Mixed Media Workshop at Lisa Merullo Studio TUE Craft on North at Hotel on North WED Paint "Giraffe Sunset" to Benefit Berkshire Nursing Families at Berkshire Paint & Sip
  COMMUNITY
SAT Indoor Farmers Market at the Boys & Girls Club
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,come shop for fresh, local and seasonal fruits and vegetables, pasture-raised meats, eggs, cheese, bread and baked goods, wine, coffee, artisan goods and more. SNAP proudly accepted. Bring the kids for a hands-on activity with IS183 Art School of the Berkshires: using tubes, paper, sparkles and more, they'll make candles and wishes to take home for the holidays! Downtown Pittsfield Indoor Farmers Market at the Boys & Girls Club, 16 Melville St.
Plus... 
FRI Holiday Craft Fair at Berkshire Medical Center SAT Holiday Art Show & Workshop at NU Arts SUN Eagles Band Concert at First United Methodist SUN Gingerbread House Decorating Party at Dottie's
  PERFORMANCE
SAT+ A Christmas Carol at The Colonial Theatre
Celebrate the holidays with the whole family and revel in the joy and redemptive power of Christmas as told in the timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, the infamous miser who is shown the error of his ways and reformed by four spirits. Journey back to Victorian England and experience the classic story filled with carols and the wonderment of the season.  Berkshire Theatre Group at the Colonial Theatre. Sensory-Friendly Performance: Dec. 18 at 7 p.m.
BTG will be holding a winter coat drive. Donations of gently worn coats, to help local families in need, may be made at the theatre.
Plus... 
FRI-SUN Absurd Theatre with the BCC Players at BCC FRI-SUN Christmastime in the City: Hollywood with The Town Players at The Whit
  LEARN
FRI "Making Sense of the Election" at the Museum
OLLI presents a conversation with award-winning national political reporter and author Alec MacGillis of ProPublica, discussing the recent presidential election. He'll be joined on stage by Kevin Moran, the editor-in-chief of The Berkshire Eagle. The event, "One Month Later: Making Sense of the 2016 Election" will be held at the Berkshire Museum beginning at 2 p.m. Free for OLLI and Berkshire Museum members, $10 for the general public.
Plus...  
ONGOING Monday Drum Class at The Lichtenstein SAT Edwardian Christmas Tea at Berkshire Athenaeum TUE Movie Makers in the Berkshires at Berkshire Athenaeum TUE Last Word Toastmasters Meeting
  FILM
Goldbricks in Bloom
at The Little Cinema

A group of young creatives in New York question the value of their work and their lives. Starring Zosia Mamet (GirlsMad Men), Jake Hoffman (The Wolf of Wall Street), Evan Jonigkeit (Whisky Tango Foxtrot), Waris Ahluwalia (The Darjeeling Limited), and more.  
 
 
Plus...  
ONGOING
 See What's New at The Beacon Cinema SAT-SUN A Christmas Story at The Little Cinema at Berkshire Museum
  INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARKING METER PLAN
 
What does the new parking meter system mean for you? Learn more about it, including a link to an interactive parking map, at the City of Pittsfield website. Monday through Friday metered parking rates are $1 per hour for on-street parking from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and 50 cents per hour for the Columbus Ave. garage and lots from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The first 30 minutes in all metered areas are free. There is no metered parking on weekends.
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. | Hours by appointment during December 
The next exhibit will be Out of the Studio,featuring the artists of the Lichtenstein Center for the ArtsThe opening reception will be Saturday, Jan. 7 from 4-6 p.m.

 

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

MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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