Ventfort Hall Celebrating Halloween Oct. 28 to 31

LENOX, Mass. — Ventfort Hall will be decorated for Halloween weekend, Friday, Oct. 28 through Monday, Oct. 31, 2021.

Guests are invited to wear their Halloween costumes or Halloween themed outfits at any event or visit over the course of the weekend. 

The mansion will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday for regular self-guided tour admission, as well as special extended hours for regular self-guided tours from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday evening. At 11 p.m. Friday night, join Robert Oakes, author of "Ghosts of the Berkshires," for a late-night edition of his Ghost Tour of the mansion.

On Saturday, the mansion will be open for regular self-guided tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free family admission from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. geared specifically for kids of all ages. Later that evening, paranormal investigator David Raby will lead a paranormal investigation of the mansion from 7 p.m.-midnight. Advanced reservations are highly recommended for investigation as tickets are limited.

On Sunday, the house will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for regular self-guided tour admission with free family admission from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. geared specifically for kids of all ages. The weekend will conclude with a ghost tour with Robert Oakes at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Ventfort Hall will welcome families to visit the house at no charge on Saturday and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The first floor of the house will be open, with a Halloween themed scavenger hunt for kids with a prize at the end.

Light refreshments will be provided on the back veranda, weather permitting.

Three special ticketed events are planned for the weekend. Each requires reservations. Masks that cover both the mouth and nose are required.

David Raby returns Saturday night, Oct. 29, for a ghost hunt from 7 p.m. to midnight. Non-refundable, non-exchangeable tickets are $38 per person with a reduced rate of $20 for ages 12 to 18 and 19 to 23 with student ID. Space is limited.

On Friday, Oct. 28 and Sunday, Oct. 30, Robert Oakes will conduct ghost tours. Friday’s ghost tour is at 11 p.m. and the Sunday tour starts at 7 p.m. Non-refundable, non-exchangeable tickets are $27 per person.

All tickets for the Saturday, Oct. 29 ghost hunt and the Friday and Sunday ghost tours are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Payment is required to make a reservation for these events and space is limited. Masks are required at the events. For reservations call Ventfort Hall at (413) 637-3206. The historical mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.

ServiceNet Cuts Ribbon on Vocational Farm to 'Sow Seeds of Hope'

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:30AM / Saturday, May 18, 2024

Lori Carnute plants flowers at the farm and enjoys seeing her friends. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Smiles were all around as farmers, human service workers, and officials cut the ribbon Friday on ServiceNet's new vocational farm on Crane Avenue.

Whether it is planting flowers or growing fresh produce, the program is for "sowing seeds of hope" for those with developmental disabilities.

"What Prospect Meadow Farm is about is changing lives," Vice President of Vocational Services Shawn Robinson said.

"Giving people something meaningful to do, a community to belong to, a place to go every day and to make a paycheck, and again, I am seeing that every day from our first 17 farmhands the smiles on their faces. They're glad to be here. They're glad to be making money."

Prospect Meadow Farm Berkshires held a launch event on Friday with tours, music, snacks, and a ribbon cutting in front of its tomato greenhouse. The nonprofit human service agency closed on the former Jodi's Seasonal on Crane Avenue earlier this year.  

It is an expansion of ServiceNet's first farm in Hatfield that has provided meaningful agricultural work, fair wages, and personal and professional growth to hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since opening in 2011.

Eventually, the farm will employ 50 individuals with developmental disabilities year-round and another 20 to 25 local folks supporting their work.

The pay is a great aspect for Billy Baker, who is learning valuable skills for future employment doing various tasks around the farm. He has known some of the ServiceNet community for over a decade.

"I just go wherever they need me to help," he said. "I'm more of a hands-on person."