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The participants will don women's shoes, or decorate their own and will take donations before, during and after the event.

'Walk a Mile In Her Shoes' Main 3rd Thursday Attraction

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Upstreet Pittsfield's award-winning street festival, 3rd Thursdays, returns for the final event of the season on Thursday, Sept. 21, with the seventh annual Elizabeth Freeman Center Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event.

The largest free outdoor event series in the Berkshires, 3rd Thursdays are family friendly and open to all.  North Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from West Street to Linden Street and will be filled with music, performance, food and community activities.
 
Walkers will once again sport women's footwear on Thursday in an effort to stamp out violence against women. The annual "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" will be the main attraction at September's 3rd Thursday festivities. The event steps off at the main stage at Persip Park at the corner of Columbus Avenue and North Street. Registration begins at 5 p.m. and following opening remarks, the walk starts at 6 p.m. The participants will don women's shoes, or decorate their own and will take donations before, during and after the event.

Proceeds benefit the Elizabeth Freeman Center in Pittsfield, Berkshire County's domestic violence/rape crisis center. Advance registration is encouraged online.


The entire half mile of 3rd Thursday will once again be smoke-free.
 
Sister City Jazz Ambassadors featuring Andy Kelly and company will be rocking the main stage at Persip Park from 5 to 6 p.m.  Matchstick Architects will play from 6 to 7 p.m and Rock On! will take the main stage at 7 p.m. The stage at Palace Park will feature the Akwaaba Ensemble, traditional African drum and dance presented by Jacob's Pillow Dance. There will be live music from Critical Mass and drumming with Aimee Gelinas at St Joseph's Church.  Berkshire Yoga Dance and Fitness takes over Park Square to offer free Zumba at 6:30 p.m.
 
Nearly 100 vendors will be lining the half-mile stretch. Jim Horsford will be back with demos on the pottery wheel. The miniature train rides from Roaming Railroad are back, as is the Community Art Tent and Outdoor Chalk Art Gallery.  The Pittsfield Boys and Girls Club will host its Fun Zone.
 
Once again, in place of a 3rd Thursday in October, the Harvest Festival, sponsored by Greylock Federal Credit Union, will take place on Saturday, Oct. 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a collaborative event between the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market and the Office of Cultural Development.

 


Tags: 3rd Thursdays,   domestic violence,   

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Central Berkshire School Officials OK $35M Budget

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School Committee approved a $35 million budget for fiscal 2025 during its meeting on Thursday.
 
Much of the proposed spending plan is similar to what was predicted in the initial and tentative budget presentations, however, the district did work with the Finance subcommittee to further offset the assessments to the towns, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said. 
 
"What you're going see in this budget is a lower average assessment to the towns than what you saw in the other in the tentative budget that was approved," she said. 
 
The fiscal 2025 budget is $35,428,892, a 5.56 percent or $1,867,649, over this year's $33,561,243.
 
"This is using our operating funds, revolving revenue or grant revenue. So what made up the budget for the tentative budget is pretty much the same," Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Boino said.
 
"We're just moving around funds … so, we're using more of the FY25 rural aid funds instead of operating funds next year."
 
Increases the district has in the FY25 operating budget are from active employee health insurance, retiree health insurance, special education out-of-district tuition, temporary bond principal and interest payment, pupil transportation, Berkshire County Retirement contributions, and the federal payroll tax. 
 
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