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Weekend Outlook: Artwalks, Concerts, and More.

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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Berkshire County and areas surrounding are hosting a variety of events this warm Labor Day Weekend, including artwalks, concerts, ghost tours, and more
 
FIRST Friday Community Picnic on Eagle Street
Eagle Street, North Adams 
 
Historic Eagle Street will be closed to traffic from 5 to 9 on Friday for music, food and events. 
 
Beer and wine will be served by Desperado's Mexican Restaurant on the sidewalk next to the Eagle Street parklet, galleries and businesses will be open late, and DJ DUBTC will be spinning tunes all night. The evening will also launch and digital and physical scavenger hunt that will run through First Friday in October. 
 
The installation "Exponential" on Main Street will turn on at dusk and Bright Ideas Brewing will be offering beer and doughnuts.
 
 
 
Ghost Tours at Ventfort Hall 
Ventfort Hall, Lenox
 
Ventfort Hall's Ghost Tours with "Ghosts of the Berkshires" author Robert Oakes, returns this Saturday.
 
Oakes will lead guests through the rooms and halls of the estate sharing tales of its hauntings.
 
"Stand in the places where the encounters occurred, listen to the first-hand accounts of those who experienced them, and maybe even experience something unusual yourself. This is not an active investigation," according to the press release.
 
Admission is $27 and the minimum age to attend is age 12. Reservations are required. To purchase tickets call at 413-637-3206. 
 
Please note that all tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Payment is required to make a reservation for an event. Masks are required.
 
More information here
 
September First Fridays Artswalk 
Various Venues, Pittsfield 
 
It's the first Friday of the month, which means a First Friday Artswalk. The walk runs from 5 to 8 p.m. and features a dozen art shows and exhibits on view at venues around downtown Pittsfield. Most of the art being on display throughout September.
 
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. 
 
Participating venues include Hotel on North, Barrington Stage Company's Wolfson Theatre Center, Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, The Marketplace Cafe, Indoors Out! Free Kids' Paint & Sip, and more 
 
For a complete list of participating venues and artists visit the Art Walk website.
 
The Knights Orchestra
The Clark, Williamstown 
 
The Clark Art Institute will be hosting two concerts for Labor Day. 
 
The first is a large-scale outdoor concert by the Knights on the Clark's Férnandez Terrace this Sunday starting at 4 p.m. 
 
This will be followed by a free family-friendly concert by the Knights in the Manton Research Center auditorium at noon on Monday. 
 
This newly added performance is designed specifically for younger audiences and is intended to provide a fun and engaging introduction to classical music.
 
Each ticketed group must include at least one child, age 18 or younger, and at least one adult. 
 
Admission is free, but reservations are required. To reserve an accessible seat, call 413-458-0524.
 
Hancock Shaker Village Concert 
Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield 
 
Award-winning banjoist, fiddler, singer and ethnomusicologist Jake Blount will be performing on the back porch this Friday starting at 7 p.m. 
 
Participants can bring their own blankets and lawn chairs to listen to old-time bluegrass. 
 
Blount specializes in the music of Black communities in the southeastern United States, and in the regional style of the Finger Lakes.
 
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 the day of or $20 in advance; kids 12 and younger are free. Reserve tickets online or call 413-443-0188, Ext. 0.  
 
If rain is forecast, the concert will move indoors. 
 
'Imagination Creates Reality' Exhibit
38 Main St., West Stockbridge
 
The Guild of Berkshire Artists is holding its second exhibit in its new gallery this weekend.
 
"Imagination Creates Reality" shows the abstract artworks created by Michael Coyne and Bruce Shickmanter and will run through Monday. A reception with the artists will be from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
 
The gallery is open Saturday through Monday from noon until 4 p.m. and Thursday from 3 until 7 p.m.
 
For more information on the exhibit check out our article
 
The Eagles Experience
Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield
 
The Eagles tribute band will be playing songs written and recorded by the Eagles this Saturday starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre.
 
The lineup reflects the Eagles during their heyday in the late 1970s and the members of The Eagles Experience each try to emulate their respective member of the band.
 
Some of the tunes you can expect to hear are: "Hotel California," "One of These Nights," "Already Gone," "Lyin' Eyes," "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Desperado," "Take It Easy," "Tequila Sunrise," "Life in the Fast Lane" and many more.
 
Tickets are $25; more information here
 
Garlic Town USA
Bennington, Vt.
 
Bennington is hosting its annual Garlic Fest this Saturday in celebration of all things garlic and agriculture.
 
Just 20 minutes from North County, the event will feature bands, beer, food trucks, and a curated group of more than 120 vendors.
 
The festival will run in two areas, or "cloves," on Main Street at the old Greenberg's and on Depot Street near Bennington Station. Participants can walk or take a shuttle between cloves. 
 
Last year's event saw more than 8,000 visitors and residents stroll around downtown Bennington with garlic and food vendors, sidewalk sales, tractor rides and more. 
 
Tickets are $12; $5 for kids 12 and younger. For more information visit the website.
 
 

Farmers' Markets

 

Lenox Farmer's Market
80 Church St.

The market is open 80 Church St., formerly the Cafe Lucia, on Friday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Participants can peruse local vendors while enjoying food and listening to music. 

For more information visit Lenox's Chamber of Commerce page.

Sheffield Farmers' Market
125 Main St.

Open 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."

For more information visit the market's website

Pittsfield Farmers Market
The Common

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. 

For more information, visit the website

Great Barrington Farmers Market
18 Church St.

The market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. until the end of October.  

Every week there will be locally grown food, flowers, and plants along with other local vendors. 

For more information, visit the website

Lee Farmers Market
Town Park, Main and West Park Streets

This market is open every Saturday from 10 until 2 p.m. It accepts SNAP/HIP, Senior Coupons, WIC coupons, and offer market match. 

More information here.

North Adams Farmers Market
St. Anthony Municipal Parking Lot

The market is open every Saturday from 9 until 1 p.m. into October in the parking lot across from St. Elizabeth's Church.

More information here

Williamstown Farmers Market

Spring Street, Williamstown

The market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. into October in the parking lot at the bottom of Spring Street. 

This year the market will feature returning and new vendors, including a fishmonger, knife sharpener, baker, chef, and much more. 

More information here.

 


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Clarksburg Gets 3 Years of Free Cash Certified

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Town officials have heaved a sigh of relief with the state's certification of free cash for the first time in more than three years.
 
The town's parade of employees through its financial offices the past few years put it behind on closing out its fiscal years between 2021 and 2023. A new treasurer and two part-time accountants have been working the past year in closing the books and filing with the state.
 
The result is the town will have $571,000 in free cash on hand as it begins budget deliberations. However, town meeting last year voted that any free cash be used to replenish the stabilization account
 
Some $231,000 in stabilization was used last year to reduce the tax rate — draining the account. The town's had minimal reserves for the past nine months.
 
Chairman Robert Norcross said he didn't want residents to think the town was suddenly flush with cash. 
 
"We have to keep in mind that we have no money in the stabilization fund and we now have a free cash, so we have now got to replenish that account," he said. "So it's not like we have this money to spend ... most of it will go into the stabilization fund." 
 
The account's been hit several times over the past few fiscal years in place of free cash, which has normally been used for capital spending, to offset the budget and to refill stabilization. Free cash was last used in fiscal 2020.
 
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