Berkshire County will be kicking off Pride month this warm sunny weekend with a variety of indoor and outdoor events including festivals, parades, crafts, art walks, and farmers markets.
Berkshire Pride Festival and Parade!
The Common Park, Pittsfield
Pittsfield will be celebrating Pride Month this Saturday with a Berkshire Pride Festival and Parade from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Participants are encouraged to bring their friends and family, that includes pets, to watch Pittsfield’s first ever pride parade which will start at 11:30 on Eagle Street.
This rain or shine event will be hosted by Boxxa Vine and will provide “live entertainment, vendors, resource fair, food, and more.”
To learn more about this rain or shine event visit the website.
First Fridays Artswalk
Downtown Pittsfield
The first Friday of June is here and art enthusiasts know what that means, Downtown Pittsfield’s First Fridays Artswalk is back.
Participants will get a chance to see 9 brand new art shows and exhibits at various venues in Downtown Pittsfield.
Participating venues include, Hotel on North, Berkshire Museum, Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, Brothership Building Window, and many more. For a complete list of participating venues and artist visit the Art Walk website.
During the event, participants will have the opportunity to meet the artists. Participants can download the Downtown Pittsfield Inc. app from the Google Play or App Store to get a virtual walking tour.
Mass Audubon's Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Lenox
Mass Audubon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary will be having a Family Fun Day this Saturday from 10 until 3.
During this rain or shine event, families will get a chance to explore the ponds, forest, and meadows that the sanctuary has to offer guided by naturalists.
Naturalist and field biologist, Tom Tyning will be having a live animal show about turtles from 11 until 11:45 a.m. It is requested that participants register in advance here.
Naumkeag will be hosting its first Berkshire Pride Family Picnic this Sunday in the garden thanks to sponsorships with Berkshire Stonewall and BlueQ.
There are two time slots participants can choose from: 10 a.m. until 12:30 or 12:30 until 3.
Each of these time slots will have music, games, crafts, and performances for the whole family to enjoy in celebration of pride month.
Biggin's Diggins BBQ will be available on site and will be offering a breakfast option for the earlier time slot. A food ticket is available for purchase at checkout and will include a main dish and 2 sides and will cost $15. There will be a vegetarian and gluten free options available.
Lenox will be kicking of its weekly Lenox Loves Music series at the new location, Lilac Park, this Sunday at 3:30.
Kicking off this music event will be Dave Bartley Duo who play improvisational jazz, blues, soul, and a touch of pop.
They have performed in spots all around Massachusetts including Shaker Farms Country Club, Gateways Inn in Lenox and more. They have also worked with artists such as Dan Broad, Fran Curley, and more.
Comedian Colin Mochrie from "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and hypnotist Asad Mecci will be at The Colonial Theatre this Saturday at 7:30 bringing their comedy experience to Berkshire County.
Twenty random volunteers from the audience will be selected to be put under hypnosis and Colin Mochrie will improvise with the top five volunteers.
The Sheffield Farmers' Market is open this Friday from 3 until 6 p.m. at First Congregational Church located at 125 Main St.
The market will feature healthy food and products from a variety of local vendors in an attempt to nourish the community by protecting "local small farms, land, bees, and economy."
Powered by Roots Rising, the market is open every Saturday rain or shine from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. through Oct. 8.
Each week the market will have fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, along with meat, eggs, cheese, baked goods by local vendors. Participants can shop for flowers, and artisan goods while listening to music and participate in family activities.
Market opens for the season on Saturday, June 4, and runs from 9 to 1. Saturday's market also includes a seedling exchange sponsored by Hoosac Harvest. You don't have to bring one to take one, and you don't have to take one to bring one.
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Pittsfield Reviews Financial Condition Before FY27 Budget
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The average single-family home in Pittsfield has increased by more than 40 percent since 2022.
This was reported during a joint meeting of the City Council and School Committee on March 19, when the city's financial condition was reviewed ahead of the fiscal year 2027 budget process.
Mayor Peter Marchetti said the administration is getting "granular" with line items to find cost savings in the budget. At the time, they had spoken to a handful of departments, asking tough questions and identifying vacancies and retirements.
In the last five years, the average single-family home in Pittsfield has increased 42 percent, from $222,073 in 2022 to $315,335 in 2026.
"Your tax bill is your property value times the tax rate," the mayor explained.
"When the tax rate goes up, it's usually because property values have gone down. When the property values go up, the tax rate comes down."
Tax bills have increased on average by $280 per year over the last five years; the average home costs $5,518 annually in 2026. In 2022, the residential tax rate was $18.56 per thousand dollars of valuation, and the tax rate is $17.50 in 2026.
The Bel Air Dam project team toured the site on Monday with the Conservation Commission to review conditions following a flooding incident. click for more