The Mount's 2021 Season

Print Story | Email Story
LENOX, Mass. — The Mount, Edith Wharton's Home  announced its 2021 summer programs and events. 
 
Highlights include a variety of outdoor performances, lectures, and the return of the SculptureNow outdoor sculpture exhibit. Additional details on all programs, including advanced registration, can be found at EdithWharon.org.
 
"We knew we wanted to do as much outdoors as possible," said Susan Wissler, executive director at The Mount. "We envisioned different locations throughout the estate as unique performance venues and tried to match the performances to the space, making each site-specific. We will be presenting live music on a newly built stage below the stable, hosting lectures in an open-air tent in the field at the top of the property, and using the entire estate for roving readings and performances." 
 
The Mount is continuing to finalize its season and will be announcing additional programs in the coming weeks, including the return of the in-person Summer Lecture Series and a new music series on Thursday evenings in August. Bird walks and outdoor yoga started in early May and will run through the end of summer.
 
"We are excited to be presenting a full season of programming," said Patricia Pin, public programs director at The Mount. "With the regulations and mandates changing so quickly, we had to be flexible and agile in our planning. I am amazed at what we have put together in such circumstances and look forward to welcoming everyone back on property to our programs."
 
 
2021 SEASON
 
SculptureNow 2021 at The Mount
 
June 1-October 13
 
SculptureNow returns to The Mount with a brand new exhibition of 30 large-scale contemporary sculptures. On Sunday, June 20, there will be an opportunity for visitors to meet and speak with the artists. Monthly artist-led tours will be given July-October.
 
 
The Summer Lecture Series
 
Mondays, July & August at 4:00 PM
 
Tuesdays, July & August at 11:00 AM
 
Members $25, General $30
 
Line up to be announced in early June.
 
 
Concerts in the Dell
 
Thursdays, August 5:00 – 8:00 PM
 
Members $15, General $20, 18 and under free
 
Line up to be announced in early June.
 
StoryWalks at The Mount
 
Monthly
 
Free with reservation
 
 
Close Encounters with Music at The Mount
 
Sunday, June 13, 5:00 PM & 7:00 PM
 
Members $20, General $25, 18 and under free
 
West Side Five, the award-winning New York-based vocal jazz ensemble, brings their  take on jazz standards to The Mount. 
 
 
Banderole with Ian Spencer Bell
 
Wednesday, June 30, Thursday, July 1, & Friday, July 2, 6:30 PM
 
Free with reservation
 
Choreographer and poet Ian Spencer Bell returns to The Mount along with dancers Joshua Tuason and Vanessa Knouse to perform Banderole, a site-specific dance inspired by the architecture of The Mount. Audience members will follow the dance through the grounds and gardens.
 
 
Jazz and Classics for Change
 
Sunday, July 11, 4:00 PM & 6:30 PM
 
Members $20, General $25, 18 and under free
 
Armen Donelian Trio and vocalist Dominique Eade bring their lyrically charged works and distinctive interpretations of well-known Jazz standards to The Mount.
 
 
Poetry for the Birds with Peter Filkins & Sidney Wade
 
Thursday, July 15 at 4:00 PM
 
Free with reservation
 
This afternoon of bird-themed poetry will include original works by Filkins and Wade as well as classic poems by beloved poets such as Elizabeth Bishop, Derek Walcott, Emily Dickinson, and Robinson Jeffers.
 
 
WordxWord Festival at The Mount
 
Tuesday, July 20 – Thursday, July 22
 
Free with reservation
 
It's a three-day spoken word festival! Each evening is a doubleheader starting with Walkin' with WordXWord, in which poets present short pieces in response to works in the 2021 SculptureNow exhibition, followed by poetry and storytelling events. Details to be announced in June.
 
 
True Conversations with Meg Wolitzer & Heidi Pitlor
 
Wednesday, August 4 at 4:00 PM
 
General $20, Members $15
 
A conversation as Heidi Pitlor, editor of The Best American Short Stories, delves  into the writing life of best-selling author Meg Wolitzer.
 
 
Much Ado About Shakespeare
 
Wednesday, August 11, 6:00 PM
 
Free with reservation
This concert will feature texts by William Shakespeare sung by members of Berkshire Opera Festival's cast of Falstaff. Artistic Director Brian Garman will explore how different composers were inspired by the words of the man largely regarded as the greatest writer of the English language.
 
 
True Conversations with Martha Hall Kelly & Heidi Pitlor
 
Tuesday, September 7 at 4:00 PM
 
General $20, Members $15
 
An conversation as Heidi Pitlor, editor of The Best American Short Stories, delves deep into the writing life of best-selling author Martha Hall Kelly.
 
 
 

Tags: The Mount,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

A Boutique Hotel is Bringing Guests a Luxury Stay in Lenox

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LENOX, Mass. — A new Inn is bringing a boutique-style stay for visitors and locals to enjoy.

Owners, Sullivan Capital LLC, purchased the property, located on 135 Main Street, in 2024. After a year or renovations, Garden Gables Inn is open for business. 

"Garden Gables started off as one of the many Berkshire cottages, 1790 was the date on that, and it's always operated as an inn," said Hospitality Manager Yvonne Walton. "It's just a great gathering place and relaxation spot for people to come and get the feel of Lenox, and just slow down and enjoy the nature and the surrounding area...get culture and art and see some great concerts. I think it'll be a wonderful place, definitely does more of the upper-scale hospitality." 

Owners Niko Giallouis and Eric Sullivan bought the property from the former owner. Sullivan had his eye on Lenox since attending a wedding almost 10 years ago.

"I came to a wedding in Lenox, probably six or seven years ago. Personally, just kind of fell in love with the area, and I guess that's kind of how it got on my radar. So you know from that perspective, as we got into the hotel business out towards an area, it was a place I was kind of monitoring and waiting for the right property to show up."

After purchasing the two underwent a full renovation, a project that cost around $1.5 million. The building, first built in 1780, required some TLC. Sullivan's wife, Jessica, who owns Jessica Sullivan Design, designed the inn.

Sullivan said they installed a new roof, repainted everything, renovated the bathrooms, installed new floors, a new HVAC system, and new plumbing.

"We really touched everything from the outside...I mean, all the aesthetics and layouts changed a bit," he said. "As I said, put about a million and a half into it. All new furniture, fixtures, everything. The design's completely different. It wasn't a full gut, but it was a heavy, heavy renovation."

The two like to collaborate with local businesses, and they make a point to direct visitors to local restaurants, businesses, and attractions.

"If guests are asking for recommendations, our customer service team, our guest services team, will relay that kind of information. Even if we can call and make a reservation for somebody, happy to do it," he said. "We aren't doing breakfast, but what we do is we have partnerships with a lot of the breakfast places downtown. We actually purchase a gift certificates for each person each day, so that they can use that to go downtown."

Sullivan hopes that guests don't see their inn as just a place to sleep and dump their bags, but make it an experience for anyone who stays.

"We really focus on kind of the experience side of things, so again, we want to give you the best experience you can have here...and we want that not just to be the place you put your bag and go do things. It's important to think of everything," he said.

Sullivan said partnerships are important to their business and are a way to connect with locals.

"The local partnerships, I can't stress that enough, because no matter how much and how great the room is, people are still going to want to go do other things," he said. "So, I think it just benefits everybody if we're all working together and so forth, and supporting the community, being neighborly too, because we are surrounded by residential homes...But we really try to put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, a lot of love into the building, all the details, really care about the senses," Sullivan said.

The Inn's check-in and reservations are completely online. When guests arrive, all they have to do is check in online and receive their code that they will use to enter their room. Sullivan hopes this helps create less stress for guests and gets them to their room as fast as possible, especially after a long trip.

View Full Story

More Lenox Stories