1Berkshire Kicks Off 2025 with Winter Marketing

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — As the Regional Tourism Council (RTC) representing The Berkshires, and the official tourism promoter for the region, 1Berkshire is working on winter-themed marketing campaigns.

These tactics target visitors in New York, Boston, and surrounding New England areas, specifically young professionals, families, and members of the BIPOC community. Promoting the region as a preferred place to visit, play, and stay speaks directly to 1Berkshire's mission: to advance Berkshire County’s economy by advocating for the business community and attracting visitors.

"We have campaigns that run all year long, but our primary focus right now is the shoulder season when our local economy benefits from a boost. We want to share the message that this is a wonderful place to visit in any season, and winter holds its own unique, special appeal. It’s always a great time to explore outdoor recreation, culture, food, and wellness #intheberkshires," said Lindsey Schmid, Senior Vice President of Tourism & Marketing for 1Berkshire.

A ski campaign featuring the Berkshires’ ski resorts and other cold weather activities launched in mid-December; this campaign was produced in partnership with other MA RTCs and Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT), and is expected to garner 10M impressions for the Berkshires. Also produced in December was 1Berkshire’s Winter Brochure, a piece that is supported by members and highlights many of the ways to enjoy the region December through March. This year’s brochure has seen a 135 percent increase in views over last year, with 2,200 views in December alone. A great tool for all Berkshire businesses to use, it can be linked on websites or included in e-communications to customers, and will help further amplify the message: "Welcome to the Berkshires in winter - we are open for business!"

This past holiday season, 1Berkshire hosted a Storybook Holiday familiarization tour, sending four journalists to iconic Berkshire locations including the Dr. Sax House, Haven, Red Lion Inn, Winterlights at Naumkeag, and the Norman Rockwell Museum. Stories, such as this Instagram reel, continue to roll out and will ultimately garner the Berkshires thousands of PR impressions.

In its role as the destination marketing organization for the Berkshires, 1Berkshire hosts berkshires.org - the region’s #1 travel planning site, which receives 1.2M+ sessions annually and has more than 800K users. 1Berkshire also reaches an average of 3.5M visitors with its e-communications. Combined tourism promotion efforts continue to drive the visitor economy, an important cluster from the Berkshire Blueprint, and the focus on winter marketing means greater visibility for all Berkshire businesses during the shoulder season.


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Pittsfield Seeks CPA Funds for Bike Racks, AED

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city plans to apply for Community Preservation Act funds for park bike racks and an AED machine at the pickleball fields. 

On Tuesday, the Parks Commission endorsed Pittsfield’s applications for CPA funds. 

"Both of those projects are certainly, relative to CPA funds, low cost but high benefit," Commissioner Anthony DeMartino said. 

Through CPA, bike racks are proposed for a few city parks, and the Berkshire Mountain Pickleball league is looking to place an automatic external defibrillator at the Benedict Avenue pickleball fields. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath and Recreation & Special Events Coordinator Jennifer VanBramer presented the two small project applications, which will go through an eligibility period before full consideration in the spring of 2027. 

During the city’s free, six-week, summer playground program, it was observed that many kids access parks by bicycle. The plan is to buy between six and eight racks to be placed at Durant Park, the Common, and Clapp Park; other parks are being considered as well. 

McGrath explained that the three parks hosting the playground program don’t have bike racks, and they wind up on the ground and sometimes become a distraction. 

"The ancillary benefit to having bike racks is that it encourages that mode of transportation for folks that want to come to the park on their bike," he said. 

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