Bicycle Project Offers Events at North Adams' Downstreet Art

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Like Riding a Bicycle includes a group ride around the downtown.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — DownStreet Art and the local bicycle culture will come together on Thursday at 5 p.m. 
 
"Like Riding a Bicycle" is a project created by Katie Hargrave and Brett Hunter that celebrates the skills North Adams residents have, how they learn those skills and how they share what they know with others. 
 
Between 5 and 7 p.m. on Thursday, community members can stop in at the Design Lab, 49 Main St., to participate in recorded interviews to share their skills, what they know, and what things they would like to learn. There will also be the opportunity to do this during the week of July 24 at the Design Lab. 
 
Also at the Design Lab, there will also be a free flat-tire clinic given by The Spoke and Berkshire Outfitters from 5 to 5:30, followed by free bike tune-ups. From 5 to 6:30, there will be bike decorating and bike giveaways, along with free raffles.
 
Community members will then come together to celebrate community and bike culture at 6:30 at St. Anthony's Municipal Parking Lot for Downtown Bike Around, a community ride to build bike culture, that takes place every Thursday throughout the summer. 
 
Participants will bicycle around the heart of the city and swing through DownStreet Art several times. Riders will have bright orange flags on their bikes. The mobile bike station from the Like Riding a Bicycle Project will be following Downtown Bike Around playing the interviews of Northern Berkshire residents and all they have to share and learn.
 
This free event has been organized by the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's North Berkshire Mass in Motion/Be Well Berkshires, Bike North Berkshire, the Like Riding a Bicycle creators: Katie Hargrave and Brett Hunter and DownStreet Art.
 

Tags: biking,   DownStreet Art,   

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Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.

Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.

We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.

In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.

Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear. 

The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.

"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."

Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.

In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.

The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.

"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.

They are hoping their display carries on the tradition of the Arnold Family Christmas Lights Display that retired in 2022.

The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.

In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.

"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said. 

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