Common Ground Festival in Pittsfield

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mill Town Foundation announces the inaugural Common Ground Festival that will take place on Saturday, July 6 between 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. at the Pittsfield Common at 100 First Street. 
 
Sponsored and programmed by Mill Town Foundation, this free event welcomes all ages and includes live performances, family-friendly activities, and food vendors from Berkshire County. 
 
Live performances will be presented by Kripalu, Barrington Stage Company, Tanglewood, Clara Guatta, Quarteto de Samba, The Funky Dawgz Brass Band, along with a dance circle led by Andres Ramirez and the Funk Box Dance Studio. Over 40 vendors and presenting organizations will be on site leading free interactive activities including bounce houses, artmaking, photo booths, and more. Food trucks will be provided by BB's Hot Spot, Charlie's Bistro Bus, Cravin's Ice Cream, along with a Hot Plate Brewing Co. beer garden.
 
A rain date for Common Ground Festival is scheduled for the same timeframe on Sunday, July 7. Follow @milltownfoundation on social media and visit www.milltownfoundation.org for more information and updates.
 
Additional support for Common Ground Festival is generously provided by the Feigenbaum Foundation, Unistress, and the City of Pittsfield.
 
Schedule:
Saturday, July 6
3pm – Yoga presented by Kripalu
4pm – Barrington Stage Company presents KidsAct!, Celebration of Black Voices, and Musical Theatre Conservatory
4:45pm – Clara Guatta, live concert
5:15pm – Quarteto de Samba, live concert
6pm – Tanglewood in the City, screened Boston Symphony Orchestra concert
7pm – Community Dance Circle with the Funk Box Dance Studio
7:45pm – Headline concert by The Funky Dawgz Brass Band
 
Featured Free Activities:
Artmaking
Face Painting
Balloon Twisters
Bicycle Village with mini-bike races and demos
Photo Booth
Bounce Houses
Mini Soccer Games
 
Vendors:
413 Cycling
Andrew the Balloonatic
Asia Luna
BB's Hot Spot
BeatNest
Berkshire Art Center
Berkshire Bike & Board
Berkshire Bike Path
Berkshire Community Diaper Project
Berkshire County Youth Soccer League
Berkshire Humane Society
Berkshire Mountain Bike Training Series
Berkshire Museum
Berkshire Pulse
Berkshire Theatre Group
Bomb Shack Vintage
Charlie's Bistro Bus
Choices Mentoring Initiative
Clementine's Vintage
Cravin's Ice Cream
Downtown Pittsfield Inc.
EforAll Berkshires
Elizabeth Freeman Center
Facepainting with Barbara Arpante
Happy Trails Guiding
Heart & Soil Collective
Jacob's Pillow
Katunemo Art & Healing
Kripalu
Latinas413
MASS MoCA
Mill Town Foundation
Norman Rockwell Museum
Pittsfield Community Design Center
Roots Rising
Shaker Ridge Trails
Shire Shredders
United Soccer Group
Valerie Fanarjian, Handmade Jewelry
Volunteers in Medicine
Wander Berkshires
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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