Cultural Pittsfield This Week: Oct. 11-17

12:20PM / Thursday, October 10, 2019Print Story | Email Story

The Pittsfield CityJazz Festival begins on Friday!

The 15th annual Pittsfield CityJazz Festival takes place from Friday, Oct. 11 - Sunday, Oct. 20. Festival highlights include a rare duo of vocalists Stephanie Nakasian and Veronica Swift, Cuban piano standout Dayramir Gonzalez, jazz prodigy Anton Kot, a "jazz crawl" with local musicians in downtown venues, jazz brunches and more.

The festival kicks off on Friday, Oct. 11 with the annual Jazz Crawl, featuring local artists in six different downtown Pittsfield locations.

On Wednesday, Oct. 16, Anton Kot, a 16-year-old pianist and drummer, will make his Berkshires debut in the annual Jazz Prodigy Concert at The Berkshire Athenaeum at 7 p.m.

View the BerkshiresJazz website for the full lineup.

MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE

FRI The Glenn Miller Orchestra at The Colonial

The legendary Glenn Miller was one of the most successful bandleaders of the 1930s and '40s Swing Era. Today, the 18-member Glenn Miller Orchestra continues to play many of the original Miller arrangements, both from the civilian band and the AAFB libraries. It also plays modern selections arranged and performed in the Miller style. The ensemble continues to be the most sought-after big band in the world. 7:30 p.m. $39.

Plus...

FRI Sawyer Country at Elks Lodge | FRI Lita Williams at Hotel on North | FRI Blue Light Trio at Rainbow | FRI Dan Gingras at Proprietor's Lodge | FRI Karaoke Night at Friends | FRI-SAT Wine, Cheese and Trees at Bousquet | SAT Old-time Music Jam at Hancock Shaker Village | SAT 10th Annual Zombie Pub Crawl | SAT Billy Keane at Mr. Finn's Cabaret | SAT Lady Di & The Dukes at Rainbow | SAT Dan Hamilton at Proprietor's Lodge | SAT Sky Full of Dippers at Proprietor's Lodge | SAT Jack Waldheim at Mission | SAT Desserts & Live Music w/Jeff Link & Kirk Scott at Dottie's | MON Trivia Factory Night at Methuselah | MON Jazz Night at Mission | TUE Connect/Disconnect: An Evening of Dance at The Colonial | TUE Green Drinks w/Devin Franklin at J. Allen's | WED The Matchstick Architects at Methuselah | WED Gruppo Mondo at Rainbow | THU PechaKucha Night: Fears & Phobias at Berkshire Museum | THU Haunted Hancock at Hancock Shaker Village | THU Arrowhead After Dark | THU The Picky B's at Mission

FAMILY FRIENDLY

THU Downtown Pittsfield Trick or Treat

Visit businesses in Downtown Pittsfield in your best Halloween costume to score some free treats! Just look for the orange pumpkin in the window. View the website for a list of all participating businesses. 5-7 p.m.

Plus...

FRI WeeMuse Adventures at Berkshire Museum | FRI-THU Parenting Classes & Play Groups at 18 Degrees | SAT Pop-up Play Day at Berkshire Athenaeum | SAT We Shape History at Berkshire Museum | SAT Chow Time at Berkshire Museum | SAT FREE KidsAct! Jr. Sample Class at Barrington Stage | SAT Flashlight Scavenger Hunt at Berkshire Museum | SAT Kids' Halloween Paint Party at Berkshire Paint & Sip | MON Open House at Miss Hall's School | TUE WeeMuse Littlest Learners at Berkshire Museum | TUE Read with Me: "New Kid" at Berkshire Athenaeum | THU Preschool Play & Learn at Berkshire Athenaeum | THU Farm Friends at Hancock Shaker Village | THU Teen Tech: Reboot at Berkshire Athenaeum | THU Lego Club at Berkshire Athenaeum

WELLNESS

TUE/THU Barre Body Holiday Slimdown Challenge

Join Jillian at Berkshire Yoga Dance & Fitness for a special 8-week Barre Body Holiday Slimdown Challenge, held every Tuesday and Thursday 6-6:50 a.m. from October 15 through December 10. Learn how to restructure your diet for optimal nutrition and make the most of your Barre workouts. You'll also earn points by completing mini-challenges and activities throughout the 8 weeks.

Plus...

FRI-THU Various Classes at Berkshire Running Center | FRI-THU Various Classes at Berkshire Family YMCA | FRI-THU Various Classes at Berkshire Yoga Dance & Fitness | FRI-THU Various Classes at Radiance Yoga | FRI-THU Various Classes at Berkshire Salsa | FRI-THU Various Classes at Pilates Fit | FRI FREE Yoga Class at Berkshire Athenaeum | MON Journey to Health Workshop Series at Zion Lutheran Church | MON Common Yoga at Zion Lutheran Church

PERFORMANCE

FRI-SUN Mamma Mia! with the Town Players at BCC

The Town Players of Pittsfield presents an enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship. ABBA's hit songs tell the hilarious story of a young woman's search for her birth father. On the eve of her wedding on a Greek island, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. BCC's Boland Theatre.

Plus...

ONGOING American Underground at Barrington Stage | SAT My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm in Therapy at The Colonial

COMMUNITY

FRI Here and Now Fashion Show at Tyler St. Lab

The Here and Now Fashion Show at Tyler Street Lab is a night full of fashion, fun and elegance! Hosted by model Shonda Evette, the night will feature styles by local designers, authentic fashion surrounded by a fun, upbeat crowd, celebrity guests, finger foods and refreshments, a best-dressed contest, performances, sneak peeks and the opportunity to SLAY. 6:30 p.m.

Plus...

ONGOING Pittsfield Photo Challenge | FRI-MON October Tent Sale at The Outlet at Pine Cone Hill | SAT Pittsfield Farmers Market on The Common | SAT Dave Zerbato Scholarship Fund Tournament at Deming Park | SUN Brunch w/Born IV Blues at Dottie's | SUN Jazz Brunch at Hotel on North | THU Haunted Hancock at Hancock Shaker Village | THU Arrowhead After Dark | THU Pumpkin Painting at AdLib

LEARNING

SAT-SUN Makers, Shakers and More at HSV

Hancock Shaker Village will host three musical lectures and performances over two days. On Saturday at 3:30 p.m., The Luthier's Craft draws together a new generation of luthiers: guitar maker Trevor Healy, violin maker Nathaniel Rowan and banjo maker William Seeders Mosheim - for presentations and conversation. Following the talk, players and music lovers are invited to join an Old-time Music Jam, open to all skill levels. On Sunday at 4 p.m., Old Folks' Singing & Utopia will feature musician and ethnomusicologist Tim Eriksen in a lecture on how antiquarian singing by senior citizens of color helped give birth to science fiction on the banks of the Connecticut River," followed by an acoustic performance.

Plus...

ONGOING What's in the Attic? at Hancock Shaker Village | SAT An Afternoon with Eleanor Roosevelt at Berkshire Athenaeum | SAT-SUN Make Oval Boxes at Hancock Shaker Village | MON West African & Caribbean Drumming Classes at The Lichtenstein | TUE Green Drinks w/Devin Franklin at J. Allen's | TUE Hands-on Genealogy at Berkshire Athenaeum | THU Berkshires Update w/Smitty Pignatelli at Knesset Israel | THU Disability Information Expo at Berkshire Athenaeum | THU Introduction to Light Painting Photography at Hancock Shaker Village

FILM

FRI-MON Wax Print at The Little Cinema

Wax Print takes us from the villages of Indonesia to the cotton fields of America, from European industrial mills to the bustling markets and sewing schools of West Africa, to tell the story of one fabric and how it came to symbolize a continent, its people and their struggle for freedom.

See website for dates and times.

Plus...

ONGOING See What's New at The Beacon | SAT Grenadian Film Festival at The Little Cinema

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Toy Library Installed at Onota Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:33PM / Friday, April 19, 2024

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.

Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.

The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local lumber company.

Friends and family members provided toys to fill the library such as pails, shovels, Frisbees, and trucks.

"I wanted to create a toy library like the other examples in Berkshire County from the sled library to the book libraries," she told the commission in February.

"But I wanted to make it toys for Onota Lake because a lot of kids forget their toys or some kids can't afford toys."

Bills lives nearby and will check on the library weekly — if not daily — to ensure the operation is running smoothly. A sign reading "Borrow-Play-Return" asks community members to clean up after themselves after using the toys.

It was built to accommodate children's heights and will be stored during the winter season.

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