PreviousNext

Thunderfest Draws Crowd To Downtown Adams

ADAMS, Mass. — While there was no Thunderbolt Ski Race this year, more than 1,500 people still showed up to the Adams Visitors Center on Saturday for Thunderfest.

The event was intended to build on the ski race but the Thunderbolt has been canceled the last two years. Still, hundreds flocked to the downtown to indulge in food, drinks, children's games and live music at Thunderfest.

"The crowds arrived early, which is great. It tells us that we built a following and people are looking forward to it," said David Bissaillon of Pro Adams, a volunteer group that put on the event.

Bissaillon said it is difficult to estimate crowd numbers because many had come and gone at different times but the general consensus is that somewhere around 1,500 people attended during the five-hour event.

Thunderfest was started last year.  This is the third festival over the past year that Pro Adams has done — it also put on Ramblefest to coincide with the Mount Greylock Ramble.

"Everybody is happy, having a great time and shaking off the winter blues," said event co-Chairwoman Andrea Stump while looking over the crowds of people to attend this year's event.

The second Thunderfest included switching from judges to the attendees in selecting the chowder contest winners. For $1, festivalgoers were able to sample a dozen chowders from local restaurants and cast their votes for their favorite. An estimated 400 people cast votes. Adams' own Haflinger Haus won as favorite and Cliff's Barbecue, of  Buckland, won most creative.

Cheshire Town Meeting Oks Budgets, Debates Potential Prop 2 1/2 Override

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
10:12PM / Monday, June 08, 2026

Moderator Carol Francesconi, left, and Anne Marie Furey were presented flowers in memory of the Rev. William Furey, their brother and husband, respectively. The town report was dedicated to him. 

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Town meeting on Monday approved all 35 articles on the annual meeting warrant, including a total spending for fiscal 2027 of more than $8.5 million. 

 

Some 77 of the town's more than 2,500 registered voters filled the Cheshire Community House meeting room, debating on a number of articles during the meeting that lasted nearly three hours

 

The town dedicated its annual report to the Rev. William David Furey, longtime pastor of First Baptist Church and more recently Berkshire Union Chapel in Lanesborough. Furey died last year at age 77.

 

His wife, Anne Marie Furey, and his sister, Town Moderator Carol Francesconi, were presented with a bouquet of flowers in tribute to him. 

 

He was an exemplary member of the community who left a lasting impression in each and every life that he touched, said Town Clerk Whitney Flynn. 

 

Voters approved several warrant articles that make up an operating budget of $3,840,314 for fiscal 2027. Of this amount, $1,642,481 is allocated for the general government budget, which was approved after clarification of a few questions.

 

One item was the administrative assistant's salary. Prior to the annual meeting, the town eliminated the executive assistant salary of $54,309 in favor of a part-time administrative assistant salary of $27,155, to reduce costs considering the financial constraint the town is in.