Berkshire Museum Presents Winter Festival: Solstice Celebration

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After two years without an in-house holiday season celebration, Berkshire Museum brings to life its second-floor gallery spaces with a celebration of winter that is unique to the area.  
 
Opening Saturday, Nov. 12 with a celebration featuring a performance by award-winning musical artist Paul Winter, in Berkshire Museum's Little Cinema. Doors open at 5 pm, with the concert beginning at 5:30 pm, exhibition opening celebration immediately follows. Tickets to the celebration are $75 for Premium Concert Seating and $50 for General Admission Concert Seating. All tickets include holiday cheer, drinks, and hors d'oeuvres! Tickets can be purchased at berkshiremuseum.org/event/winterfestival.  
 
Winter Festival exhibitions include "Santa Classics," by Philadelphia-based artist Ed Wheeler, where visitors get to see Kris Kringle in classical works of art. As well as "Hoot's Holiday: A Solstice Tale," written by Berkshire Museum's Exhibitions Research and Content Editor Charlie Catacalos. Hoot's Holiday follows a journey through time with an Owl living atop the roof of Berkshire Museum as they find objects historic to the Berkshires. 
 
"Hoot's Holiday is a reimagined celebration of winter in the Berkshires. I look forward to visitors getting to experience the history of the Berkshires through this tale of wonder and exploration," said Catacalos.  
 
Winter Festival is sponsored by The Feigenbaum Foundation, with additional support from Mill Town Capital, and Pittsfield Cooperative Bank. 
 
Additional Winter Festival events include:  
 
Book Talk: Twas the Night – The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem 
Nov. 27, 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm – Meet Pamela McColl, the writer of new book "Twas the Night: The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem." Included with Museum admission.  
 
Wingmasters' World of Owls 
Dec. 3, 11:30 am to 12:15 pm and 1:30 pm to 2:15 pm.
Meet live owls in the Berkshire Museum's Little Cinema. $17 adult, $10 child (includes Museum admission); Museum members $7 adult, $5 child 
     
Carols of the Bell
Dec. 4, 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm
Celebrate the holiday season with the First Congregational Church of Lee Handbell Choir. Included with Museum admission. 
        
Magic By George 
Dec. 31, 11 am and 1 pm – Join award-winning, Boston-based magician George Saterial as he performs amazing magic and astonishing illusions. $17 adult, $10 child (includes Museum admission); Museum members $7 adult, $5 child 
 
All information about upcoming events can be found at berkshiremuseum.org.  

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Pittsfield's Christian Center Announces Community Day, 'Big News'

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— After collecting community input about a potential new name and programming opportunities, the Christian Center says it will make a big announcement this summer. 

The nonprofit plans to unveil "big news" during its annual Community Day on Aug. 22, Executive Director Jessica Jones told the Homelessness Advisory Committee on Wednesday. 

To accommodate different work schedules, Monday through Friday pantry hours were extended to include the second and fourth Saturday of every month; the pantry and lunch open from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

"Having some Saturday availability, we're hoping, is going to be helpful for those whose work schedules don't allow for weekday visits to the pantry," Jones said. 

"And we also know that more and more working people are having to make tough decisions about whether or not they spend their money on food or gas or rent or any of the other things that they have to make decisions about." 

HAC Chair Kim Borden said the Saturday hours are very exciting. 

"And I love your thinking on that, because you're right, limited hours when folks are working and picking up kiddos from daycare, there isn't always enough time," she added. 

The Christian Center was incorporated in 1974, but it dates back to the early 1890s, when it was the Epworth Mission, founded by the Methodist Church. 

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