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Friend's Grille Wins People's Choice at 22nd Wing Fling

More than a dozen local restaurants participated in the 22nd annual Wing Fling at Wahconah Park.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Friend's Grille took home the People's Choice Award at the 22nd annual Wing Fling.

The contest was revamped this year after Downtown Pittsfield Inc. took the event over from the Pittsfield Family YMCA. Nearly a thousand people filled Wahconah Park on Saturday night to dine on chicken wings from more than a dozen local restaurants.

Friend's took home the People's Choice title won last year by wings favorite Old Forge, which did not enter this year. Friend's also finished third in the best original wing category.

Krispy Cone won the Best Original Award, with One West at the Crowne Plaza coming in second. Zucchini's Restaurant won the best traditional wings — as it did last year — while newcomer Adams Ale House came in second and Garden Grille and Tavern in the Berkshire Mall, third.

The Garden also won in the best hot wing category (last year's winner Halpin's Grub and Grog is closed), with Port Smitts and Flavours of Malasysia coming in second and third, respectively. Flavours won both ribs categories, original and barbecue.

"We had a lot of downtown restaurants participating that haven't in the past," said Pamela Tobin, executive director of Downtown Pittsfield.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.