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Weekend Outlook: Art Festivals, Comedy Nights, and More!

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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Berkshire County is hosting a variety of events this weekend including Art Festivals, Comedy Nights, and Jazz Performances. 
 
Lenox Jazz Stroll
Lilac Park, Lenox
 
The third annual Lenox Jazz Stroll will be taking place this weekend throughout Lenox providing free jazz programming for through Sept. 17. 
 
The programming starts this Thursday, Sept. 15, at Lenox Library with the documentary "The Modern Jazz Quartet: From Residency to Legacy” by George Schuller. 
 
The rest of the week will feature a variety of jazz performances including the Ted Rosenthal Trio, Don Mikkelsen Quartet, Wanda Houston Band, and many more. 
 
A full schedule can be found here
 
Live Comedy at in Adams
Bounti-Fare Restaurant, Adams 
 
The Bounti-Fare will be hosting a standup comedy night this Friday with performances by Dan Altano and Cody Montanye at 7:30 p.m. 
 
Altano has performed in New York's Comedy Fest and "Breakout Artist" at Caroline's. Montanye has performed in clubs all over the United Sates. 
 
Drinks will be available at the restaurant bar before and during the show but a reservation is required earlier in the night for dinner.  
 
More information here
 
ArtWeek Berkshires 
Throughout the Berkshires
 
1Berkshire and the five Cultural Districts of Berkshire County are in collaboration for a 10-day art festival starting Thursday.
 
There will be more than 100 events including live performances, poetry readings, online crafting classes, and more throughout Great Barrington, Lenox, North Adams, Pittsfield and Williamstown.
 
The event calendar can be found here
 
Lee Founders Weekend 2022
Town of Lee
 
Lee will be having its 245th birthday party celebration this Founders Weekend featuring events all across the town. 
 
The event will feature fireworks, parades, vendors, dance parties, and more from Friday until Sunday. 
 
A full lineup of events can be found here
 
Curiosity Day at the Berkshire Athenaeum
Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield
 
The library is hosting a Curiosity Day this Saturday, Sept. 17, at 10:30 a.m. 
 
The event will be themed on the book "Dragons Love Tacos" by Adam Rubin. Families will get a free book, make salsa, meet a dragon and a taco, and more. 
 
More information here
 
The Literacy Network of South Berkshire (LitNet) Sip, Salsa, & Samba
Crissey Farm, Great Barrington
 
The Literacy Network of South Berkshire will be hosting a "Sip, Salsa, & Samba" event this Saturday, Sept. 17, at Crissey Farm, located at 426 Stockbridge Road. 
 
The event will feature Latin food, music, and dance in and effort to raise funds that support the organization's free tutoring programs.
 
More information here
 
Benigna Chilla: From West to East to West
Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield 
 
BCC is hosting a new gallery exhibit, "From West to East to West," featuring recent mixed media works by Benigna Chilla. 
 
The free exhibit is in the Koussevitzky Gallery on the campus and runs through Oct. 30. Gallery hours are weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 
More information here
 
Kent Mikalsen Open Studio 
North Adams, Mass. 
 
Mikalsen, a local artist, is hosting an open studio this weekend, presenting his original sculptures in an effort to start the next phase of his artistic journey. 
 
He hopes to find a new home for his artwork where they can be viewed by a majority of individuals and enhances the viability of the community or business. 
 
The works have been in storage 15 years after Mikalsen turned to painting after his studio closed.  
 
"I will be pleased to show you finished works, works in progress, or discuss potential commissions," he said.
 
Contact him at 413-652-4801 or www.kentmikalsen@gmail.com
 
Keep a look out for our upcoming article on Mikalsen and his work. 
 

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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North Adams Regional Reopens With Ribbon-Cutting Celebration

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

BHS President and CEO Darlene Rodowicz welcomes the gathering to the celebration of the hospital's reopening 10 years to the day it closed. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The joyful celebration on Thursday at North Adams Regional Hospital was a far cry from the scene 10 years ago when protests and tears marked the facility's closing
 
Hospital officials, local leaders, medical staff, residents and elected officials gathered under a tent on the campus to mark the efforts over the past decade to restore NARH and cut the ribbon officially reopening the 136-year-old medical center. 
 
"This hospital under previous ownership closed its doors. It was a day that was full of tears, anger and fear in the Northern Berkshire community about where and how residents would be able to receive what should be a fundamental right for everyone — access to health care," said Darlene Rodowicz, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. 
 
"Today the historic opportunity to enhance the health and wellness of Northern Berkshire community is here. And we've been waiting for this moment for 10 years. It is the key to keeping in line with our strategic plan which is to increase access and support coordinated county wide system of care." 
 
Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, under the BHS umbrella, purchased the campus and affiliated systems when Northern Berkshire Healthcare declared bankruptcy and closed on March 28, 2014. NBH had been beset by falling admissions, reductions in Medicare and Medicaid payments, and investments that had gone sour leaving it more than $30 million in debt. 
 
BMC was able to reopen the ER as an emergency satellite facility and slowly restored and enhanced medical services including outpatient surgery, imaging, dialysis, pharmacy and physician services. 
 
But it would take a slight tweak in the U.S. Health and Human Services' regulations — thank to U.S. Rep. Richie Neal — to bring back inpatient beds and resurrect North Adams Regional Hospital 
 
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