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Start your weekend early with snakes brought by circus and sideshow performer Opal Raven Cirque from 5 to 7 p.m. at Witch Slapped.

Weekend Outlook: Snakes, Festivals, and More

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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Berkshire County is having a variety of events this weekend including festivals, concerts, and more. 

Thursday

Hissing Booth Bash
Witch Slapped, Pittsfield 
 
Start your weekend early with snakes brought by circus and sideshow performer Opal Raven Cirque from 5 to 7 p.m. at Witch Slapped at 78 North St.
 
Participants between the age of 10 and 18 can learn about snakes and spells using snakeskin with this hands-on educational experience. 
 
Registration is required. Tickets are $15 and can be found here.  

Friday

Kids Terrariums Workshop
North Adams Public Library 
 
Join local plant experts from the Plant Connector starting at 2 p.m. to make a library-themed terrarium. 
 
This free event is for kids ages 8 and up but supplies are limited so registration is required. 
 
Sign up here or by calling 413-662-3133, Ext. 14. More information here
 
Art of Adventure
Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge
 
Conclude school vacation with a family event starting at 11 a.m. featuring self-guided exhibition tours of "Eloise and More: The Life and Art of Hilary Knight," artmaking inspired by the adventures of Eloise, and storytimes. 
 
The free festivities are included in museum admission. More information here
 
Plein Air Impressionism
Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield
 
There will be a plein air impressionism exhibition artist Gary Lecuyer in the Koussevitzky Gallery from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
 
Admission is free. More information here
 
An Evening with Ben Cosgrove
Dewey Hall, Sheffield
 
Traveling composer-performer Ben Cosgrove will be performing starting at 7 p.m. His instrumental music explores themes of landscape, place, and environment.
 
Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door the day of, additional donations welcomed. 
 
More information or purchase tickets here
 
'80s Rock & Roll Experience
The Stationery Factory, Dalton
 
Mullett tribute band will perform at 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30. Tickets cost $27. 
 
More information here

Saturday 

Third Annual Stockbridge Ice Festival
Stockbridge Library
 
There will be an ice festival from 10 until 2 on the front lawn of the Stockbridge Library, Museum & Archives. 
 
This free event features ice sculptures, crafts, an exhibition on historical ice harvesting tools, and a lecture on the history and process of ice harvesting for commercial trade by ice harvesting expert, Dennis Picard. 
 
More information here
 
Young at Heart: Music with Mr. Willy
Dewey Hall, Sheffield
 
Family friendly writer and performer Willy Welch will be sharing his songs and stories from 11 to noon
 
Tickets are free. More information here.
 
Family Friendly Outdoor Adventure 
Mount Greylock Visitor Center, Lanesborough 
 
There will be a Family Friendly Outdoor Adventures event from 1 until 2:30 p.m. 
 
Join the center for an afternoon of winter activities including snow tubing a snowshoe demonstration, and a guided hike along the Bradley Farm Trail from 
 
This program is free and open to all ages. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Meet at the Visitor Center.
 
For more information or for weather related updates call the Visitor Center at (413) 499-4262. More information here.
 
10X10: Ten Minutes of Fireworks
The Common, Pittsfield 
 
The annual 10X10 Festival starts its wrap up of events with fireworks starting at 6 p.m. on First Street. 
 
They will be launched at The Common so the park will be closed during this time. Viewing areas will be available in the First Street Municipal Lot.
 
In the case of inclement weather, the fireworks will be postponed to Sunday, Feb. 26. More information here.
 
Contra Dance
Dewey Hall, Sheffield
 
There will be a dance from 6 until 9 p.m. featuring music by Aldo Lavaggi and Max Carmichael. 
 
The evening will be guided by local caller Ted Randolph. Tickets range from $8 to $35. More information here

Sunday

Family Forest Walk
Mount Greylock Visitor Center, Lanesborough
 
Certified Kripalu mindfulness outdoor guide, life coach and therapeutic touch practitioner Sandy Wilson will lead a forest walk at 1 p.m. 
 
Wilson will attempt to guide participants on a free slow intentional journey to de-stress and connect with nature. 
 
Dress in accordance to weather by dressing warmly for outdoor hiking in early Spring trail conditions. 
 
This two-hour hike is open to all ages but children younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The trail may be icy or muddy so sturdy boots with traction devices are recommended. 
 
More information here
 
Pancake Breakfast
St. Mary's Church, Cheshire
 
Support the Cheshire Fire Department by enjoying a pancake breakfast. Runs from 8 until 11:30 p.m. 
 
More information here
 
Domingo Brunch 
Dottie's Coffee Lounge, Pittsfield
 
Enjoy bunch while listening to music by performing and teaching musician Robin O'Herin will be performing from 10 until noon.
 
O'Herin specializes in traditional Delta bottleneck blues and fingerstyle guitar, ukulele, singing, and songwriting. 
 
More information here
 
The Harlem Chamber Players Concert 
Simon’s Rock at Bard College, Great Barrington
 
New York based ensemble The Harlem Chamber Players will perform from 3 until 4:30 p.m. 
 
They are an "ethnically diverse collective of professional musicians dedicated to bringing high-caliber, affordable and accessible live classical music to people in the Harlem community and beyond," their website said. 
 
Admission to this concert is free and open to the public. More information here
 
Early Bird Spotting Hike for Families
 
Join Berkshire Natural Resources Council and Berkshire Family Hikes at Thomas & Palmer Brook at 10:30 a.m. to search for signs of the coming spring.
 
Explore the area and look out for returning birds. At the end of the hike participants will receive a take-home kit to attract birds to their own backyards. 
 
This hike is free but they only have enough take home kits for 15 participants. More information here

Multiple Days

10X10 Festival 
Various Locations, Pittsfield
 
The 10 X 10 festival will be concluding Sunday, Feb. 26, with its last sprint of events happening all weekend. During the festival residents had the opportunity to choose from more than 50 events to celebrate the winter season.
 
This weekend festival is bringing back local favorites including Fireworks at The Common, live music, art parties, curling lessons, and many more events. 
 
Check out our article for details about the festival. Event line up can also be found here

Tags: weekend outlook,   

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Friday Front Porch Feature: This Luxury Home Has Plenty of Amenities

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LENOX, Mass. — Are you looking for a big house to enjoy your days with a big movie theater, a sauna, and more? Then this is the house for you.

Built in 2004, this seven-bedroom, and nine-bathroom home is 7,073 square feet on more than an acre. The home comes with an elevator to the lower level to access a theater, sauna, gym, wine cellar, massage room, and its very own soda fountain. 

The home also has a guest house with a saltwater pool. A multi-car garage greets you with heated floors.

The this home is listed for $4,950,000 and is located in the 125-acre, gated Pinecroft compound.

We spoke to Leslie Chesloff, the listing agent with William Pitt Sotheby's.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Chesloff: This gated Berkshire stone estate truly redefines luxury living in the Berkshires. What sets it apart is the rare combination of resort-style amenities and complete privacy. The property offers Canyon Ranch-level wellness living with a full spa experience at home — including a sauna, massage room, and gym — plus an eight-seat hi-def theater with wine cellar for entertaining. The heated, gunite saltwater pool and spa are complemented by a fully equipped pool house with a guest suite and complete kitchen, perfect for extended family or guests.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

The moment you step inside, you're struck by the quality and craftsmanship — those 300-year-old reclaimed timber floors set an immediate tone of authenticity and warmth. The scale is impressive but never overwhelming; this is a home designed for gracious living, not just show. The natural light, cathedral ceilings, and thoughtful flow between spaces create an inviting atmosphere that balances grandeur with genuine comfort.

How would you describe the feel or atmosphere of this home?

This home feels like a private wellness retreat meets sophisticated family estate. There's a serene, spa-like quality throughout — enhanced by features like the sauna, steam shower, and massage room — but it never feels clinical or cold. The Berkshire stone exterior and reclaimed timber floors ground the home in a sense of place and permanence. It's designed for people who appreciate the finer things but want to actually live well — whether that's screening a film in the eight-seat theater with wine from your own cellar, hosting poolside gatherings, or simply unwinding in your own spa sanctuary.

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

This is perfect for the discerning buyer who values wellness, privacy, and culture in equal measure. I envision someone who spends their days hiking or exploring the Berkshires, then comes home to unwind in the sauna or pool. They might entertain guests in the theater wine room, host multi-generational gatherings with family staying in the pool house guest suite (which has a full kitchen), and appreciate being minutes from Tanglewood, world-class dining, and Berkshire arts.

This could be an executive looking for a primary residence with work-from-home flexibility (there's an office/bedroom suite), a wellness-focused family, or empty nesters who want to host adult children and grandchildren in style and comfort.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

Picture Saturday morning: you're sipping coffee on the terrace overlooking your heated saltwater pool, planning a day at Tanglewood. Your guests are making breakfast in the pool house kitchen — they have their own private retreat but are steps away when you're ready to gather. Evening arrives, and you screen a favorite film in your eight-seat theater, selecting a perfect bottle from your wine cellar. This isn't just a home; it's a lifestyle that brings resort-level wellness, entertainment, and hospitality to your doorstep — all within a secure, maintenance-free compound where nature meets luxury.

Are there any standout design features or recent renovations?

Absolutely. The home includes an elevator for multilevel accessibility, which is both practical and forward-thinking. The lower level is exceptionally well-conceived — a true entertainment and wellness wing featuring the eight-seat hi-def theater, wine cellar, sauna, gym, massage room, and even a charming soda fountain. The gourmet kitchen has been recently updated, customized wet bar, while outdoor living is elevated with the heated gunite saltwater pool/spa, firepit, and that incredible pool house with guest suite and full kitchen. Also, new HVAC system and heated driveway.

Thoughtful details like cedar closets, steam showers, central vacuum, and backup generator show this home was built to the highest standards.

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

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