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More than 150,000 LED lights transform Mabel Choate's gardens at Naumkeag into a holiday wonderland.
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Winterlights Makes Top 10 Holiday Light Show List

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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Visitors can add their wishes to the wishing tree at Naumkeag.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Naumkeag made national rankings when its annual Winterlights landed No. 6 on a list for top holiday light shows across America.

The Trustees of Reservations announced Friday that popular, immersive, holiday light display has been named a top 10 Public Holiday Light Displays in the country by USA TODAY's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards.

Because of the overall success and demand for tickets, The Trustees will be extending Winterlights until mid-January with 3,000 additional tickets per location now on sale.

"That Winterlights is now recognized on a national level in addition to being so beloved locally is incredibly heartening for us as an organization," Trustees Chief of Places & Engagement Christine Morin wrote in a press release. "With high demand and limited capacity, we are thrilled to offer two additional weeks so more folks can safely experience the wonder of Winterlights."

Nominees for all categories are chosen by a panel of relevant experts including a combination of editors from USA TODAY, editors from 10Best.com, relevant expert contributors, and voters from across the county who ultimately choose the winners.


This win honors both Naumkeag in Stockbridge and the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate in Canton, which are The Trustee's two locations where Winterlights is held.

The 90-acre Bradley Estate features an illuminated woodland trail as well as light displays and illuminations throughout the elegant, lattice-walled gardens.

The Gilded Age mansion and estate at Naumkeag features designed light displays such as Rainbow Road, Laser Light Forest, and Blue Steps. More than 150,000 energy-efficient LED showcases the 48-acre grounds of Naumkeag. Both locations also offer sweet and savory holiday-themed treats such as hot cocoa, hot cider, and cider doughnuts.

The win also takes into account the extra safety procedures such as timed ticketing, limited capacity, one-way pathways, mandatory masks, and social distancing guidelines The Trustees implemented because of the novel COVID-19 pandemic.

Tickets range from $5 to $25 per person depending on age and membership and can be purchased by visiting thetrustees.org/winterlights. Become a member at thetrustees.org/membership. Any questions about the event can be emailed to winterlights@thetrustees.org.

All events are subject to cancelation depending on state recommendations as well as changes in the number or severity of COVID cases in these communities.


Tags: holiday story,   

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Hannah Wicklund and Turning Jane Perform at Barrington Hall

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Hannah Wicklund and Turning Jane will take the stage at Barrington Hall on Saturday, bringing a night of rock 'n' roll, self-expression and empowerment as part of their independently produced tour, "Cowards, Kings & Queens of Hearts."
 
The duo is challenging traditional music industry practices by taking control of their careers, bringing live performances to smaller communities, and fostering human connection with the goal of inspiring creativity and individuality, Wicklund said.
 
Having toured since she was 16, the South Carolina native said most of her previous performances were concentrated in major markets.
 
Great Barrington was intentionally selected as a stop on the tour because it "fit perfectly" with the artists' efforts to bring their music to smaller communities, raise awareness of independent artists, and demonstrate alternatives to the traditional, corporate-driven music industry, she said.
 
The tour's name, "Cowards, Kings & Queens of Hearts," combines the titles of songs and albums from its two co-headlining acts: Wicklund's song "Cowards and Kings," from her album "War on Women, Calling All Good Men," and four-piece rock band Turning Jane's album "Queen of Hearts." 
 
The two performers bring contrasting styles to the stage, with Turning Jane delivering a more traditional rock sound and Wicklund adding a psychedelic edge. These different rock styles add variety to the show while sharing a similar passion for music and a strong sense of artistic identity, Wicklund said.
 
"I'm wishing to create [an atmosphere that] is constantly inspirational, and hoping to have people walk away feeling like they want to go home and paint or write or learn guitar, any of the self-expression tools that I know and love," Wicklund said. 
 
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