Common Ground Festival in Pittsfield

07:55AM / Wednesday, July 03, 2024Print Story | Email Story

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

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New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction.

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.

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