Berkshire South 5K Fundraiser Returns

04:00PM / Tuesday, September 24, 2024Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Berkshire South Regional Community Center's 5K Fall Fun Run returns this year on Sunday, Sept. 29.

The walk/run starts and finishes on the runway of the Walter J. Koladza Airport in Great Barrington, with check-in beginning at 8:00 a.m. and a race start time of 9:00 a.m. The annual event is a critical fundraiser for Berkshire South's free Teen Outreach Nutrition and Exercise program (TONE).

New this year is a Family Scavenger Hunt, which takes place at 9:30 a.m. and is appropriate for children ages 10 and under.

"Students in the TONE program learn about what it takes to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Crucially, the program allows for all students to have access to facilities for which there's typically a fee. This is extremely helpful for students who come from low-income backgrounds and who do not have the means to pay for memberships. The program gives students the opportunity to learn about health and nutrition, how to exercise safely, and make smart choices for their overall wellbeing," said Jenise Lucey, executive director of Berkshire South.

Registration for the event will remain open at berkshiresouth.org/5K for a discounted rate of $35 through noon on Saturday, Sept. 28. Registrations on the day of the race require a $45 entry fee. The first 100 entrants receive a race t-shirt. Snacks will be available post-race and prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in various age brackets.

The 5K is a family friendly event. All fitness levels are welcome. The 2024 5K Fall Fun Run will be administered by the Berkshire Running Center. Those who are not able to participate in this year's walk/run are encouraged to make a donation at berkshiresouth.org/5K.

Berkshire South thanks this year's 5K sponsors: Ed Herrington, Inc, The Montessori School of the Berkshires, Berkshire Corporate Retreats, SS Home Improvements, Berkshire Rehabilitation & Skilled Care Center, C.W. Nelson Land Design, Sheldon Glass Service, Ormsbee Gas Co, Inc, Berkshire Orthopaedic Associates, Race Mountain Tree Service, Timpane Construction, Inc, Adelson & Company PC, Lee Audio 'N Security, Inc, and Reliable Yardworks, in addition to the Great Barrington Airport.

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Berkshire Art Center Announces Fall 2026 Classes & Workshops

07:51AM / Saturday, August 29, 2026

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Berkshire Art Center (BAC) invites artists of all ages and experience levels to participate in lineup of Fall 2026 classes and workshops.

With programs offered at Citizens' Hall in Stockbridge as well as partner locations including Berkshire Music School, WANDER Berkshires, and the Mass Audubon's Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, BAC's fall season celebrates creativity through ceramics, painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, photography, and more.

Ceramics students will find opportunities to develop their skills this fall. Faculty Artist Paula Shalan returns with Tableware: Creating with Soft Slabs, where students create functional pottery such as mugs, tumblers, and bowls, as well as Cut, Add, and Stretch: Creating with Soft Slabs, which explores more contemporary approaches to handbuilding. Jess Cropper-Alt teaches Timeless & Tactile: Handbuilding Traditions, while Donna Bernstein leads Wheel Throwing for All, an all-levels course featuring demonstrations, individualized instruction, and ample studio time.

For those looking to try clay for the first time, Lorimer Burns offers Try Your Hand at the Pottery Wheel, a welcoming two-hour introduction to wheel throwing. BAC also offers fun, social workshops including Wall Pocket Party, perfect for beginners, friends, couples, and families with children ages 10 and up, and Pottery Night: Beer Stein Social, an evening of creativity and community where participants craft their own handmade ceramic beer stein.

Mixed media and printmaking enthusiasts will find an inspiring variety of offerings throughout the season. Jody King Camarra teaches Color Theory Through Collage, Print Lab: Collagraph, Drypoint & Relief, Working in a Series: Creating Cohesive Collages, Monoprint Magic, and concludes the season with the festive workshop Handmade Holidays: Winter Layers in Gel Plate Printmaking.

Additional printmaking opportunities include Eco-Printing: Basics and Beyond with Mallorey Caron, where students create beautiful botanical prints using real flowers and leaves, Gelatin Plate Printmaking with Johanna Merfeld, an introduction to playful experimentation with layering, texture, stencils, and image transfers, and Image Transfers & Mixed Media, where Diane Firtell shares versatile techniques that can stand alone or enhance existing artwork.

Photographers can celebrate autumn alongside Thad Kubis, whose seasonal workshops include Photography of Daniel Chester French's Studio at Chesterwood in Stockbridge and Photographing Fall Colors in the Berkshires at Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Pittsfield.

Painters and drawing enthusiasts will discover classes ranging from foundational techniques to expressive exploration. Jill McLean returns with Watercolor Foundations and Watercolor Landscapes at Berkshire Music School, along with shorter, 1-day workshops including Berkshire Polaroids in Watercolor and Handmade Holidays: Watercolor Bookmarks.

Wednesday Nelena Sorokin offers Creative Writing & Abstraction, where students use stream-of-consciousness writing to inspire expressive abstract paintings, along with Painting Basics, Two-Dimensional Composition Workshop, and the popular Abstract Painting: Color, Design and Spirit. Artists looking for a relaxed, supportive studio environment can also enjoy the return of Friday Painting Studio, featuring a new and more accessible tuition rate and experienced facilitators who provide encouragement, feedback, and creative community while participants work on independent projects.

BAC's monthly workshop series at WANDER Berkshires in Pittsfield also continues this fall. Held on the second Saturday of each month, these welcoming two-hour sessions invite participants to sketch, paint, journal, and experiment in a relaxed community setting—no long-term commitment required. The series begins September 12 with Commonplace Visual Journaling led by Kaily Ritz, followed by Mini Nature Assemblage Boxes with Johanna Merfeld on October 10, Indoor Urban Sketching with Jill McLean on November 14, and concludes December 12 with Watercolor Reset for the New Year, led by BAC Executive Director Laura Thompson.

For a complete schedule of classes and workshops or to register, visit www.berkshireartcenter.org/classes.

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