iBerkshires.com - The Berkshires online guide to events, news and Berkshire County community information.

ONE WORLD – A MULTI-CULTURAL CELEBRATION OF STORY, SONG, AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Becket, 1 - 2 p.m.

John Porcino, local storyteller & musician, will share funny and moving stories from many of the world’s people and play fascinating and beautiful musical instruments from many of the places they come from.

This event replaces our morning Storytime. @BecketAthenaeum

RSVP appreciated.

STORY TIME

Clarksburg, 10:00am

Join Miss Emilee at the the Clarksburg Town Library as she leads us in stories, singing, and more! Ages 0 - 5.

711 W Cross Rd

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

WORKSHOP: HOW TO GET STARTED ON YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY

Williamstown, 10:30 AM

Calling all high school students, especially juniors - need help getting that college admission essay started? You're in luck! The library is hosting Williamstown local and experienced college essay counselor, Pat Wilk, for a workshop. No sign-up required; free snacks!

Please go to our website for more info!

OPERA COWGIRLS

Dalton, 3 and 7 p.m.

MPZ Productions presents The Opera Cowgirls at the Stationery Factory.

The alt-country band was founded by Caitlin McKechney after she was asked to open for a rock show at a local bar. The group also includes Sarah Beckham Turner, Maria Maxfield, Jessica Sandidge and Mila Henry. By blending operatic hits with some country flavor, the Cowgirls have proven that they can truly cover Puccini to Parton.

Doors open an hour before each show. Get tickets here.

COJIRO AND MAGGIE MCRAE

Lenox, 7:15 p.m.

Our next dance is scheduled for Saturday, June 15th, with music by Cojiro - Jess Newman (Fiddle), Mark Price (Guitar, mandolin, cello), Ben Graubart (fiddle, mandolin), with caller Maggie McRae. Roles will be Larks and Robins

Come join us contra dancing to live music. We have a different band and caller each month. Dances are held on Third Saturday nights in Lenox, Massachusetts in the Lenox Community Center, at 65 Walker Street. Experience the pleasure of dancing on a beautiful wood floor, in a high-ceiling second floor (handicap accessible) ballroom with a raised stage.

Admission is $12-15 for adults and $8-10 for students. New Dancers - 2nd dance free!

Dances begin with a 15 minute beginner introduction at 7:15 followed by dancing from 7:30 to 10:30. Refreshments are offered during the social break from dancing. All the dances are taught. No partner necessary. Come alone or bring friends.

Please do not come to a dance if you have any symptoms or recently tested positive for COVID-19 or were in close contact with someone who recently tested positive.

SUNDAY - JUNE 16, 2024

BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL BERKSHIRES

Dalton, 2 and 6 p.m.

Bicycle Film Festival come to the Stationery Factory and is hosted by Pittsfield Community Design Center and Berkshire NEMBA. Choose from two different curated selections of 90-minute short films celebrating the bicycle in all its forms. Attend one or both showings and make BFF a part, or all, of a beautiful summer Sunday in the Berkshires.

Plus morning bike rides and vendors. Get tickets here.

HARVEY WANG’S NEW YORK: A CONVERSATION WITH HARVEY WANG

Amherst, 2 p.m.

Join us at the Yiddish Book Center on Sunday, June 16 at 2:00 p.m. for a conversation with celebrated photographer and filmmaker, Harvey Wang. Wang will be in conversation with Lisa Newman, director of publishing and public programs, about his exhibit, Harvey Wang’s New York, opening that same day at the Yiddish Book Center.

The iconic portraits in Harvey Wang’s New York show the men and women performing New York’s vanishing jobs. A 97-year-old scrap-metal collector, a pillow maker, and a mannequin maker, are just a few of the professions featured in these beautiful and poignant portraits. His photographs entertain and inform while documenting a way of life before it disappears.

This event is free and open to the public. No advanced registration is required.

The Yiddish Book Center’s museum is open Sunday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Plan your visit to the Center here.

TUESDAY - JUNE 18, 2024

BABY & TODDLER PLAYGROUP

Becket, 10 - 11 a.m.

Circle time, stories, movement, music and play for kids birth through age 3. Siblings are always welcome. Coffee and tea for caregivers, snacks for kids!

RSVP Appreciated. Masks optional. @BecketAthenaeum

In collaboration with the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement program which is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.

MOVIE NIGHT FOR ADULTS

Becket, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

The movie with the most votes as of March 30 will be shown

Movie starts at 7pm

Popcorn, candy, & non-alcoholic beverages provided

You're welcome to bring your beverage of choice (including alcohol)

Older children, 13+, may come with an adult at the discretion of their guardian

Masks optional @BecketAthenaeum

RSVP appreciated

THURSDAY - JUNE 20, 2024

AN EVENING WITH MERCURY STARDUST

Becket, 7 - 8 p.m.

From TikTok stardom to full-blown author, join us as we virtually welcome famous trans handywoman, Mercury Stardust! You can either attend anywhere from your own device on Zoom OR join us at the library for a live watch party on the big screen with free popcorn! This author talk & moderated Q&A with Mercury herself is hosted by the Rowley Public Library and presented in conjunction with 50+ other MA libraries. Mercury is the acclaimed author of Safe and Sound: A Renter Friendly Guide to Home Repair and has also dedicated her time to helping people on TikTok reclaim their independence through home improvement. As an out and proud non-binary trans feminine person, Mercury has also used her platform to help raise over $2 million for trans healthcare. Ages 13+ welcome. Option 1: Attend anywhere from your own device on Zoom. Registration required. Option 2: Watch live on the big screen at the library. RSVP appreciated. @BecketAthenaeum

FRIDAY - JUNE 21, 2024

FRIDAY FILM AT THE MILNE: MR. HOLMES

Williamstown, 3:00 PM

A 93-year-old Sherlock Holmes, now battling dementia, struggles to recall a case that caused him to retire. A young boy helps him to remember what happened.

At the Milne Public Library, rated PG, and snacks provided! Please visit our website for more info.

SATURDAY - JUNE 22, 2024

"SAVING JAZZY" FAMILY PLAY

North Adams, 10:00 a.m.

Youth Services invites youth and their families for a viewing of Nutshell Playhouse’s new play “Saving Jazzy” "Can Mambo and Nemonee save the beautiful but endangered Floratius Serendipitus? Follow them on their hilarious adventures around the globe as they look for the special ingredients that will do the trick. Featuring masks, movement, live music and puppetry, this original performance provides a wonderful chance to awaken young children to Earth's mysteries and the delicate balance of nature." SUMMER READING SIGN-UP BEGINS AT THIS EVENT!

STORYTIME WITH STAY & PLAY @BECKETATHENAEUM

Becket, 10:30am-12:30pm

Join us to hear a story and make a craft*!

Storytime: 10:30 to 11:30am
Stay & Play: 11:30am to 12:30pm

Kids and caregivers are invited to stay at the library after Storytime for Stay & Play! We’ll keep the party going with toys, games, puzzles, and snacks for the kids, along with coffee, tea, snacks, and time for connection for the caregivers! Families are not required to attend Storytime to join in on Stay & Play - stop by when you can!

*Second Saturday of the month, the craft project is replaced by creative movement with Laurel Lenski and no formal Stay & Play will be held but families are always welcome (and encouraged!) to hang out in the library.

RSVP appreciated. Masks optional.

PRINTING & TYPECASTING: FROM GUTENBERG TO THE CHESAPEAKE CHAPTER

Williamstown, 1:00 PM

They say Gutenberg invented the printing press–but did he really? Master printer and type founder, Jim Walczak, and his daughter, Diana, will present a visual exploration of Gutenberg’s achievements and those of Walczak and the "Chesapeake Chapter." Please come to learn more about Gutenberg and also about Jim's unique talents and experience. Jim and Diana will also offer a HANDS-ON printing press experience!

Please learn more on our website.

BRANDON PATRICK GEORGE, FLUTE

New York, 7:30 p.m.

This Grammy-winning flutist and member of the Imani Winds was recently profiled in the NY Times under the headline, “A Flutist Steps into the Solo Spotlight.” His solo program features an hour-long meditation of flute classics and new works that draw inspiration from them.

TwoFold
Works of CPE and JS Bach, Debussy, Takemitsu, Crawford-Seeger, and others

Tickets and more information: https://capitalregionclassical.org/product/brandon-patrick-george/

Explore the full Tannery Pond series: https://capitalregionclassical.org/tannery-pond-concerts/

BEN FOLDS – PAPER AIRPLANE REQUEST TOUR

Great Barrington, 8 p.m.

Mahaiwe Member & Youth Discount Event

$65 Upper Balcony (Limited)
$80 Reserved
$95 Preferred
$120 Premium

Members receive $5 off Reserved, Preferred, and Premium tickets
$15 ages 30 and under (visit the Box Office or call 413-528-0100, Wed – Sat, 12-4pm)

Ben Folds is widely regarded as one of the major music influencers of our generation. Born and raised in North Carolina, Folds first rose to fame in the mid-’90s with Ben Folds Five, whose acerbic, genre-bending take on piano pop helped define an entire era of alternative rock. After scoring multiple hit singles and a gold record with the band, Folds launched his solo career in 2001, releasing a series of similarly acclaimed albums that would firmly establish him as one of the most ambitious and versatile songwriters of his generation. For the past three decades, he’s toured as a pop artist, while also performing with some of the world’s greatest symphony orchestras.

WILD THING 5K & 10K TRAIL RACE AND WALK

Lenox, 9 a.m.

Mass Audubon's Wild Thing 5K and 10K Trail Race and Walk is a wooded trail run starting and ending at Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, 471 West Mountain Road. The race goes through a variety of elevation in both distances. Wild Thing benefits Mass Audubon's conservation and environmental education programming in Berkshire County. More information here.

SUNDAY - JUNE 23, 2024

DANCE DISCOVERY

June 24 – 29 | Ages 8 to 13, half-day option for ages 8-9 (mornings only)

Monday to Saturday, 9am-3pm; 9am-12pm half day

An exciting journey into the engaging and rewarding world of dance, this two-week program provides an introduction to dance forms including ballet, modern, African, and more. Dancers will also have a chance to practice dance-making of their own!

Tuition assistance is available. Learn more and register → https://bit.ly/BP-intensives

MONDAY - JUNE 24, 2024

ED THE WIZARD'S “READING IS MAGIC" PERFORMANCE

Lee, 1 pm

This program will be held at the Lee, MA Library, 100 Main Street, on Monday 24 June starting at 1:00 p.m. Enjoy this family friendly interactive magic performance full of comedy and suspense as Ed the Wizard weaves together the importance of building and maintaining one’s reading skills.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Lee Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

TUESDAY - JUNE 25, 2024

BABY & TODDLER PLAYGROUP

Becket, 10 - 11 a.m.

Circle time, stories, movement, music and play for kids birth through age 3. Siblings are always welcome. Coffee and tea for caregivers, snacks for kids!

RSVP Appreciated. Masks optional. @BecketAthenaeum

In collaboration with the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement program which is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.

1960’S JAZZ – A TRADITION IS CHALLENGED

Becket, 6 - 7 p.m.

The Becket Athenaeum presents jazz drummer Ralph Rosen, who traces the process of change from the style of jazz created in the 1940s, so-called modern jazz or be-bop, to something seemingly unrecognizable in the 1960s yet still linked to its antecedents.

Rosen has had a lengthy jazz career with notable greats while growing and managing Berklee School of Music's Stan Getz Library Media Center for 31 years. He continues to compose, arrange, and record original music locally.

RSVP appreciated to info@BWLibrary.org or 413-623-5483.

THURSDAY - JUNE 27, 2024

NORTH ADAMS FLAG FOOTBALL REGISTRATION

North Adams, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

North Adams Flag Football REGISTRATION

Join the Excitement with North Adams Youth Football!

Come and learn the game of football for the first time, or enhance your skills before moving

up to the tackle leagues. Players will receive a team t-shirt to keep!

Open to all children ages 5 - 7 years old.

Sign-up date: June 27th 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Where: NOEL FIELD NORTH ADAMS (At the RED SHED)

Cost: $50. per player - Cash or Check

Season runs late July - early October.

CALLIOPE CAFE SEASON FINALE

Dalton, 7 p.m.

The students will be performing on the Main Stage for their season finale!

Joining them will be Wahconah Regional High School’s pep band, Blood Type: Blue. You can hear them play at all of the home football games and various assemblies and talent shows at the School. All of the members are enrolled in Wahconah’s Modern Band class. Most recently they performed for an assembly featuring the Massachusetts secretary of Education, Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. BT:B has also performed at The Shire Breu Hous and Tavern at the A!

This event is FREE, donations are greatly appreciated!

Full bar available

This program is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and local councils of Pittsfield and Hinsdale/Peru.

The Stationery Factory stationery-factory.com

FRIDAY - JUNE 28, 2024

TALK: IMPORTANT LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR ALZHEIMER'S CAREGIVERS

Williamstown, 1:00 PM

Attorney James J. Sisto, of Berkshire Elder Law, will talk about the many responsibilities and challenges faced by caregivers for people with Alzheimer's Disease, here at the Milne Public Library in Williamstown. Topics include finding professional help, caring for the caregiver, common concerns and legal steps caregivers can take. Join us!

Please visit our website for more information about this event.

SATURDAY - JUNE 29, 2024

STORYTIME WITH STAY & PLAY

Becket, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm

RSVP appreciated. Masks optional. @BecketAthenaeum

ELIZABETH UPHAM YATES' WORK AS A SUBPIONEER

Adams, 5 p.m.

Dr. Shannon M. Risk is a professor of history, director of the M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, and manager of the public history minor at Niagara University in Lewiston, New York. She will be lecturing on her recently published book, The Life and Times of Elizabeth Upham Yates: Crusader for Women's Suffrage, Temperance, and Missionary Work. Missionary to China, Temperance Lecturer, University Student, and Sour Old Maid (as described by Susan B. Anthony), Elizabeth Upham Yates used her beauty, humor, and eloquence to charm audiences. She brought her skills to Rhode Island, where the women succeeded in bringing presidential suffrage in 1917, and later ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.

UCS BENNINGTON YOUTH SUMMIT

Vermont, 9 am - 3 pm

Youth ages 13-19 can sign up for this free event that includes lunch, workshops, and activities with the theme of empowerment. Topics include empower, healthy relationships and self-defense. The UCS Bennington Youth Summit is made possible by the Phillips Family Foundation.

Get free tickets. >>

COUNTRY FAIR

Lenox, Noon - 9 p.m.

Country Fair at the United Methodist Church of Lenox (6 Holmes Rd). Free family activities include bouncy house, pony rides, balloon animals, face painting, DJ, and more! Pulled pork dinner starting at 5pm (adults $15 and children $7.50). Concert starring Bobby Sweet and Lara Tupper starting at 7pm (adults $15 and children free). Dinner and concert fee together is $25. Come and join the fun!

SUNDAY - JUNE 30, 2024

PANCAKE BREAKFAST - CLARKSBURG FIRE CO.