Clark Art Offers Free Gallery Tours For Parents and Infants

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.— On Saturday, March 1 at 10:15 am, the Clark Art Institute hosts the next in its series of free tours of its permanent collection galleries designed specifically to meet the interests of new parents/caregivers and their infants. Participants should meet at the Clark's main admissions desk. 

The program is specially designed to provide new parents and caregivers with a stress-free experience that offers chances to socialize with others who are caring for young infants.

The guided gallery tour offers an informal visit to the Clark's permanent collection free from any concerns about short attention spans or fussy babies. Works by a variety of artists are featured during the casual tour of the collection. This program is best suited for adults with pre-toddlers. Strollers and front-carrying baby carriers are welcome.

Free. For more information, visit clarkart.edu/events. For accessibility questions, call 413 458 0524.

Q&A Williamstown Fire Chief Looks Back on 37 Years of Service

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
08:03AM / Sunday, March 23, 2025

Williamstown Fire Chief Craig Pedercini waves to the crowd during an Independence Day parade.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Craig Pedercini can only hope that his retirement party will not be as memorable as that of his predecessor.

 

"The day of Chief [Ed] McGowan's retirement party, which was the 17th of January, we had a structure fire kind of early afternoon if I remember right," Pedercini recalls. "I was here, and I remember running out the door, and Chief McGowan happened to be popping in to say hi or whatever.

 

"I said, 'If you want to talk to me, you're going to need to get in the car because I'm going to a fire.' He jumped in, and we had a fire at what at the time was called the Chimney Mirror motel, which is now the Williamstown Motel. They had a laundry room fire. It wasn't terrible. We went in and put it out pretty quickly.

 

"But it was freezing out. We had water coming out of the truck because the hydrant was pushing so much to us, and the water was skating down the driveway out onto Route 2, and it created this big thing of ice. Having to deal with all that and getting a sander out there to make the road safe again and things like that.

 

"As you can see, I can remember the day and date. That was kind of memorable because it was my first one as a fire chief."

 

But certainly not his last.

 

Of course, he hopes he has had his last fire as the days count down to his retirement after 37 years with the Williamstown Fire Department — the last 22 as its chief.