North Adams Happenings: Dec. 7-13

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North Adams Happenings:
December 7 - December 13
Brought to you by: MCLA's Berkshire Cultural Resource Center and the North Adams Office of Tourism & Community Events
 

Support Student Research

 
North Adams: Public Art & Civic Engagement Survey

This survey is part of a student research study exploring the relationship between public art and civic engagement in North Adams, MA. Please take a few moments to respond to this short survey to increase understanding of public art's role in our community.

Your responses will be shared with an Arts Management research class at MCLA through a written report and public presentation on campus. Your identity will remain anonymous.

Please contact Rebecca Waterhouse at rw9184@mcla.edu if you have any questions about this survey.

 
 

Free Berkshire County

 
December 1st - 21st
MASS MoCA
1040 MASS MoCA Way
Daily 11am–5pm, closed Tuesdays
for more information
 
Free Berkshire County, a brand-new program that offers free admission to those residing within postal codes beginning with "012". Lasting through Wednesday, December 21, if you bring proof of residence (an ID or utility bill), our galleries (and Nick Cave's "Until") are yours to explore, free of charge.
 

Wednesday December 7

 
Preschool Storytime
North Adams Public Library, 74 Church St
(413) 662-3133
10:30 am
Free!
for more information

Preschool storytime and craft at the North Adams Public Library in the Youth Services Department is held for ages 3 to 6 years old, siblings welcome. Several stories will be read and there is time to share ideas and thoughts as well as complete a craft.
FIGMENT North Adams Kickoff pARTy
MCLA Campus Center, 375 Church St
5 pm - 7 pm
Free!
for more information

Participatory artist Max Rudolph will feature his FIGMENT North Adams 2017 project, Doodletown, which is an extension of his Operation Hexagon project from FIGMENT North Adams 2016. Doodletown is an interactive installation that invites participants to "doodle" on hexagon shaped pieces of cardstock that will form a collaborative community artwork. SO… Do you want to participate in Max Rudolph's Doodletown project? Are you considering submitting a participatory art project to FIGMENT North Adams 2017? Are you interested in volunteering at FIGMENT North Adams 2017? DO YOU LOVE FREE SNACKS?! Come create with FIGMENT North Adams at our Kickoff pARTy and learn how you can get involved in the process!
Film Night at North Adams Makers Mill
Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters
73 Main St.
413-749-2073
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Free and open to the public!
for more information

Join us for a screening of Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters, a documentary directed by Ben Shapiro. In this glimpse into Crewdson’s process, we’ll see the familiar scenery of our home towns, as this relentless Berkshire chronicler digs into the psyche of locale. Crewdson’s work has been included in many public collections, most notably the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. 
 
 

Thursday December 8

 
Lego Group
North Adams Public Library, 74 Church St, 3rd Floor
413-664-4821
6 - 7 pm
for more information

The Family Center and the North Adams Library invites families with children ages 4 to 12 years old, to join us for an evening of fun! Thursday, November 10th from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. on the third floor of the North Adams Library. We provide Legos for the group so your child can build and create! The group is FREE and drop in! Call the Family Center at 664-4821 or The North Adams Public Library at 662-3133 for more information.
Toy and Clothing Drive
Walmart, 1415 Curran Hwy
12:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Free!

North Adams Police, Fire and Ambulance in collaboration with the Northern Berkshire Family Y.M.C.A. and North Adams Rotary Club will be conducting a toy and clothing drive at Walmart on Curran Highway Thursday December 8, 2016 from 12:30 pm to 6:30 pm.  Hot Chocolate will be available as well as coloring books and crayons for the children (while supplies last).   All donations received will be used to aid local families this holiday season.  If you are unable to attend the main event, donations may be dropped off at any of the public safety stations.  All items are to be new and unwrapped. This event was a huge success last year.  Let’s make a child’s Christmas merry and bright.
Hungrytown Concert
North Adams Public Library, 74 Church St
(413) 662-3133
6 pm - 7 pm
Free!
for more information

Internationally-touring folk duo Hungrytown will give a free concert at the North Adams Public Library. Hungrytown's music has appeared on numerous television programs, including the IFC's Portlandia, Comedy Central's The Daily Show and Neftlix's new hit comedy, Lady Dynamite; as well as various documentaries and major sporting events ranging from NASCAR motor racing to Hockey Night in Canada.
Trivia Night at Bright Ideas
Bright Ideas Brewing, 111 Mass Moca Way
(413) 346-4460
6:45 pm - 9 pm
Free!
for more information

Our first PUB QUIZ trivia night of the winter! Hosted by infamous local trivia geeks Eric Kerns and Eric Nottke, it's an evening of fun, brainy competition lubricated by delicious local beer. Teams of 2-4 people, easy scoring, fun prizes. Come get your nerd on.
 

Friday December 9

 
Coalition Meeting
First Baptist Church, 131 Main St
(413) 663-7588 ext. 28, or bbeattie@nbccoalition.org
10 am  - 12 pm
Free!
for more information

Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's (nbCC) monthly forum will focus on community pride. Guests can share why they are proud of living and working in Northern Berkshire, hear from community leaders on what’s going on in the Northern Berkshires that we can be proud of, excited about and look forward to, and learn about and take the Community Pride Challenge. The forum will be held at the First Baptist Church (please use the Eagle Street entrance). 
Live Nativity at FBCNA
First Baptist Church, 131 Main St
(413) 663-3780, or firstbaptistnorthadams@verizon.net
5 pm - 8 pm
Free!
for more information

Bring your family and friends and join us in an experience that will make your Christmas season even more special. Come celebrate the birth of our newborn King with this visibly stunning ensemble.
Sundance Theatre Lab
MASS MoCA, 1040 Mass Moca Way
(413) 662-2111, or info@massmoca.org
8 pm - 10 pm
$8 - $10
for more information

Sundance Institute’s renowned Theatre Program has developed Broadway and Off Broadway hits by the bushel, and its annual lab at MASS MoCA gathers top-tier dramatic artists for writing workshops and a work-in-progress performances. The quality of the work, combined with the feeling of ink still wet, make for a riveting night of theater-in-the-making.
 

Saturday December 10

 
MIXING MEDIA #4:
Packing tape Transfers and More
North Adams Makersmill, 73 Main St
10 am – 1pm
$30
for more information

 
Practice takes practice. Explore different ways into a establishing a daily creative practice, from visual responses to written texts to timed creative challenges using favorite materials. Collage, draw, write, mix media and experiment, all with attention to ways of developing practices and habits to integrate into daily living.   
About the Instructor:
Melanie Mowinski began her daily practice over 20 years ago as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Her daily practice varies according to the season, for example, for the past four years, she has made a collage-a-day for her Advent calendar during the holiday season. These workshops build on practices she uses during that time.
Her work is in numerous collections, including the Tate Modern, Oberlin College, and the Clark Art Institute. She’s taught workshops at Wells Book Arts Center, Williams College, and other centers around the world. She holds master degrees from Yale University and The University of the Arts. Mowinski is an Associate Professor of Art at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) in North Adams, MA and is the founder and director of PRESS: Letterpress as a Public Art Project.
SHIBORI INDIGO DYE WORKSHOP
North Adams Makers Mill, 73 Main St.
2-5 pm
$55, includes materials
for more information
 
If you love color, pattern, and instant gratification, this workshop is for you. You’ll be introduced to the 400­-year-­old Japanese art of Shibori using natural indigo dye. Make your own scarves and/or samplers using a variety of simple Shibori techniques such as folding, clamping, pleating, and binding. More complex techniques like stitching and pole-­wrapping will be demonstrated. All tools and materials will be provided, including gloves to protect your hands from the dye. Please wear clothes that you don’t mind getting stains on – just in case.
 
About the Instructor: Ann Scott has been a faculty member in the Education Department at MCLA since 2002. For decades she has pursued her passion for textiles as a weaver, rug hooker, clothing designer, historical costumer and dyer. Ann worked for several years at the Museum of American Textile History in Lowell, MA, teaching about the history of textile production in New England.
 Breakfast with Santa
The Eagles, 515 Curran Hwy
(413) 664-9043
9 am-noon
$6/person
call for more information

The Eagles will host a Christmas breakfast with Santa Claus featuring scrambled eggs and pancakes, sausage and home fries, and toast, as well as a Chinese auction. The cost is $6.
Houghton Mansion Holiday Craft Fair
172 Church Street
9am - 3pm
Free       
for more information

Please join us for our craft fair at the Houghton Mansion. Support our local businesses, talented crafters and vendors in our area. Take the time to find something unique and different for that "special" person! We have the variety of gifts that ARE perfect for this holiday season.
Harlequin Musical Theatre Club
Harlequin Musical Theatre Club, 375 Church St
harlequineboard@gmail.com
7 pm - 11 pm
Free!
for more information

Come join us for a night of miscast! Our talented singers will be performing songs from roles they wouldn't normally be cast in! Tickets are free with a suggested donation at the door! Come wearing fun formal attire or your favorite holiday sweater!
PLEASE EMAIL HARLEQUINEBOARD@GMAIL.COM TO RESERVE YOUR TICKETS!!!
Dinosaur Jr. with Luluc
MASS MoCA, 1040 Mass Moca Way
(413) 662-2111, or info@massmoca.org
8 pm - 10 pm
$28
for more information

If Neil Young is, as Kurt Cobain said, "the Godfather of Grunge," Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis is his consiglieri — a mastermind whose screaming, crunching guitar ushered in an era and helped define alt rock in the 1990s. Formed in Amherst, Mass., in 1984, Dinosaur Jr. has maintained its looming presence over its three-plus decades, waxing and waning as genres come and go, but re-emerging in the last few years to assume their mantle as elder statesmen of viscerally badass rock-‘n’-roll. The band’s latest record, "Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not," drops this summer; they are here, as conquering Western Mass. heroes, to support it. Sub Pop labelmates Luluc have mesmerized a new generation of folk listeners with "Passerby," the band’s critically-acclaimed debut album co-produced by Aaron Dessner of The National. NPR’s Bob Boilen called "Passerby" his favorite album of the year on All Songs Considered, and the band has toured with The National, Father John Misty, and J Mascis.
 

Sunday December 11

 
Christmas Train Rides
98 Crowley Ave
1, 3, and 5 pm
$18 for adults, $14 for children 4-12 free for children under 4
for more information

Dress up in your best 1950s travel clothes and climb aboard the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum's exclusive Tinseliner for a trip back to the era of black & white television, Lionel Trains, Bing Crosby, "glow bright" frosted color Christmas lights, silver trees and colorful tinsel. Featuring a scheduled visit from the man dressed in red himself, this approximate one-hour experience is appropriate for children of all ages and will evoke the nostalgia and romance of a typical American Christmas during the 1950s. BSRM's Tinseliner trains feature a vintage, all stainless steel Budd Rail Diesel Car just like the ones people traveled on for the holidays during the 1950s. All Tinseliner trains are one hour round trip and depart from 98 Crowley Ave. in North Adams. Tickets are available online and are $18 for adults, $14 for children 4-12 and free for children under 4, who must sit on an adult's lap.
The North County Chorale presents its annual North County Christmas concert

First Congregational Church, 134 Main St.
413-743-1677
4 pm
Free/ Donations welcome and benefit the Berkshire Food Project
call for more information

The North County Chorale presents its annual North County Christmas concert.  A Festival of Lessons and Carols.  Goodwill donations will benefit the Berkshire Food Project.
5:18 READING SERIES:
HANNAH BERNHARD
73 Main St.
5:15 – 6:30pm
Free!
for more information

Hannah Bernhard is a poet and a book artist in Northampton, MA. As a secular Jew with grandparents who survived the Holocaust, the presence or lack of G-d is never far from her mind or work. Her poems deal with questions of spirituality in the everyday; the consequences of surviving trauma; and the intersections of third-wave feminism, secularism and Judaism.

For the 5:18 series reading, she’ll read from two chapbooks: God and not-God and Ordinarily Impure. Both collections were drafted during her undergraduate career at Smith College, but have since shifted. When she’s not writing, Hannah works as a Program Advisor at an international education organization. She has a knack for sleeping late and accidentally killing plants. Her work can be found in Meat for Tea, MISTRESS, Quick Brown Fox and elsewhere.
 

Monday December 12

 
Figure Drawing Collective
Makers' Mill 73 Main Street
(413) 749-2073
7 – 9 PM
$5/members, $10/drop-in
for more information

Be part of a new figure drawing collective starting up at Makers’ Mill. Sessions will run every Monday and will focus on long poses, and include a warm up consisting of several short poses. 
 

Tuesday December 13

 
Toddler Storytime
North Adams Public Library, 74 Church St
(413) 662-3133
10:30 am
Free!
call for more information

Toddler storytime and songs at the North Adams Public Library in Youth Services Department is held for ages birth to 3 years old, siblings welcome.  One to two stories are read with lots of songs and gross motor skill activities as well.
 

From Our Neighbors

 

Wednesday 12/7

Williams Makes Jazz!
Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall Bernhard Music Center, 54 Chapin Drive, Williams College, Williamstown
7 pm
Free!
for more information

Williams Makes Jazz! With Small Jazz Ensembles A concert of Small Jazz Ensembles begins with a group led by John Wheeler which includes original works in the jazz idiom composed by members of the group. Capping the evening is the Williams Jazz Septet directed by Avery Sharpe

Thursday 12/8

Last Trivia Thursday of the Fall Semester
The Log, 78 Spring St, Williamstown
(413) 655-1300
8 pm - 10 pm
Free!
for more information

Come visit us at the Log at 78 Spring Street in Williamstown and join us for some mental escapades as we tickle your trivia knowledge with our set of quizzical questions! This will be the last one for the Fall Semester. We will be back in January with bigger prizes and new hosts!!!!
 

Friday 12/9

The Matchstick Architects, Jeb Barry at The BOOM Room
The Boom Room, 137 North Street, Pittsfield
(413) 243-4306
5 pm - 8 pm
Free!
for more information

Doors open at 5, Music 6 to 8pm. No Cover, No Covers!
 
 

Saturday 12/10 and Sunday 12/11

Holiday Shindy 2016
Shire City Sanctuary, 40 Melville St, Pittsfield
(413) 236-9600
10 am - 6 pm
Free!
for more information

MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the 10th annual Holiday Shindy!! This December 10th and 11th, Pittsfield’s own Shire City Sanctuary will again host one of the most spectacular craft fairs in the region. For 10 years the Holiday Shindy has featured strikingly accomplished artisans selling their wares in this majestic setting and this year is no exception. Local favorites like Aubry, Liz Olney, and Dan Bellow will be featured as well as first time sellers like Tiny Anvil. The Shindy will Saturday, December 10th from 10AM to 6PM and Sunday, December 11th from 11AM to 4PM. The Taconic High School Chorus will be performing classic Holiday music on Saturday afternoon at 1PM. 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. Admission fees will help fuel the promotions and use of the lovely Shire City Sanctuary. Check out all our 2016 vendors at www.holidayshindy.com
 

Monday 12/12

Cabaret Workshop in Performance
Berkshire Music School, 30 Wendell Ave, Pittsfield
(413) 442-1411
7 pm - 9 pm
$15 for adults; $5 for students 18 and under
for more information

Adult cabaret workshop completes its 10 week session with a performance; Wine and desserts served. $15 for adults; $5 for students 18 and under. Reservations required: 442-1411. Sherri James Buxton, instructor, Bob Shepherd, pianist.
 

Wednesday 12/7

Lessons in Dissent - Social Change Film Series
Images Cinema, 50 Spring St, Williamstown
7 pm - 9 pm
Free!
for more information

Join the Davis Center and Claiming Williams. FREE! Followed by a talkback by Professor Sam Crane, Chair of Global Studies. Filmed over 18 months, Lessons in Dissent is a kaleidoscopic, visceral portrait of a new generation of Hong Kong democracy activists. Lessons in Dissent catapults the viewer on to the streets of Hong Kong and into the heart of the action: confronting the viewer with Hong Kong’s oppressive heat, stifling humidity and air thick with dissent.
 

Friday 12/9
 
One Month Later: Making Sense of the 2016 Election
Berkshire Museum, 39 South St, Pittsfield
(413) 443-7171
2 pm - 3:30 pm
$10
for more information

Join us for a very special conversation with award-winning national political reporter and author Alec MacGillis, discussing the recent Presidential election. He will be joined on stage by Kevin Moran, the editor-in-chief of the Berkshire Eagle, which is cosponsoring this event, along with the Berkshire Museum. The talk is free for OLLI: the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College and Berkshire Museum members and Berkshire Community College students, and $10 general admission. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door.
 

Saturday 12/10
 
Indoor Farmers Market
Boys & Girls Club Of The Berkshires, 16 Melville St, Pittsfield
9 am - 1 pm
Free!
for more information

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. Find us in The Lighthouse of Boys & Girls Club Of The Berkshires each second Saturday of the month, November through April, from 9am to 1pm. For direct entry, park in the lot in between The Boys and Girls Club {16 Melville Street, Pittsfield} and the former Notre Dame church and enter all the way in the back through the big blue doors.
 

Sunday 12/11

Japanese Impressions: Opening Lecture and Conversation
The Clark, 225 South St, Williamstown
(413) 458-2303, or pr@clarkart.edu
3 pm - 4:30 pm
for more information

Exhibition curator Jay A. Clarke provides an introduction to Japanese Impressions: Color Woodblock Prints from the Rodbell Family Collection, followed by a conversation between Clarke and Adele Rodbell, the collector who made a gift of sixty-three Japanese prints to the Clark in 2014. Major underwriting for the exhibition is provided by the Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation in honor and memory of Mary Griggs Burke.
 

Tuesday 12/13
 
Williamstown Food Pantry Holiday Food Drive
54 Southworth St, Williamstown
413-458-3149
9 am - 3 pm
Free!
for more information

Let's fill the Food Pantry to the ceiling for the holidays! Stop by with your contributions on December 13 between 9am -3pm or call Carol Demayo 413-458-3149 to find out how you can help donate and help any time. The following items are high on the list: 4 packs of toilet paper, coffee, meat ie, roasts

 

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

Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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