The city's combined Third Thursdays and First Fridays Artswalks event is back this Friday. Downtown Pittsfield will be alive with activities, including live music at Persip Park, a family fun zone and makers market on North Street, a dance zone at Dunham Mall, and more.
It's the beginning of the month, and North Adams community members know that means–First Friday is here.
The event is kicking off the nine illuminated light pavilions called Hatchlings, designed by Vanessa Till Hooper, which will be on display throughout downtown North Adams from May 2 to Oct. 3.
There will also be an opening reception from 6 to 7 p.m. on Eagle Street, featuring a performance by Ciarra Fragale and Molly Hess, hosted by Assets for Artists.
Participating local businesses will also have extended hours with various events planned.
The Colonial Theater is a stop on comedian Henry Cho's The Empty Nest Tour 2025. Cho is known for his clean and clever humor. The event is recommended for ages 14 and up.
UCP of Western Massachusetts is hosting a fundraiser featuring HOWL 2GO Dueling Pianos, presented by Bishop West Real Estate.
The event aims to raise money for UCP's Assistive Technology department. The Dueling Pianos format allows audience members to request songs, creating a fun and interactive atmosphere as they bid to have their favorites played live.
General admission costs $35 and includes appetizers and a cash bar; a table of ten costs $400. More information here.
Will Evans with Layton Meacham
The Stationery Factory, Dalton
Time: 7:30 to 10 p.m.
Will Evans, a Rhode Island-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, will be performing. Evans rotates between acoustic guitar, didgeridoo, handpan, percussive beatboxing, and more.
Musician Layton Meacham will also be performing sound that shows his love for reggae, roots, R&B, soul, and much more.
Tickets range from $27.38 to $79.91. More information here.
Discover Greylock Hike
Mount Greylock Visitor Center, Lanesborough
Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Spring is here, making it a perfect opportunity to discover the amazing seasonal changes in the natural world.
During this free hike of the easy-moderate trails, participants will observe wildlife and identify ephemerals, with potential talks on trail stewardship, bear awareness, and cultural history.
The hike lasts 2 to 3 hours and is open to ages eight and older. Registration is required as space is limited to 12 participants.
For more information and to register: Call 413-499-4262. More information here.
Saturday
Work-in-Progress Showing of Daddy AF
Mass MoCA, North Adams
Time: 8 p.m.
There will be a sneak peek showing of the dance performance Daddy AF by dance-theater artist David Roussève, which is set to premiere in the fall of 2025.
The dance-theater piece reflects on life's purpose through the lens of a queer African American artist facing limited time.
Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 for preferred seating. More information here.
Heirloom by Design Spring Market
Greylock WORKS, North Adams
Time: 10 a.m.
The market celebrating handcrafted goods from the Berkshires and beyond is back. There will be a variety of vendors, including ceramics, jewelry, fine art, and food producers in the large, light-filled former mill.
The event also features fresh food, farmers, fermenters, and local artisan makers. The event is free and open to all.
ROOTS Teen Center holds its 9th annual Show Your Teen Spirit Fundraiser. This event invites adults 21-plus to wear throwback fashion from their teen years and enjoy classic music for a night of nostalgia.
Join the city's Parks Department in cleaning up the dog park. More information here.
Dorothy's Preview Party with Fanny Pack
Dorothy's Estaminet, Pittsfield
Time: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Dorothy's preview party with Fannie Pack will be held at the new Dorothy's Estaminet.
Guests can get a sneak peek at ongoing renovations, including new lounge areas and outdoor space.
Attendees can provide feedback while enjoying dinner from a new menu by Jose Hernandez for $25 per person.
A new cocktail list, beers, and wines will also be available, with discounted prices for the event. The event features live music from 6 to 9 p.m. and dinner from 5:30 to 9 p.m.
During this free festival, visitors can explore the 24-acre grounds while enjoying spring in bloom.
Family-friendly activities include horseback rides, a petting zoo, and face painting. There will be a ticketed performance of "DIRT: The Secret Life of Soil" by The Arm-of-the-Sea Theater.
Additionally, there will be a celebration of the graduation of the Horticulture Certificate Program, with a reception featuring herb-infused treats from the Herb Associates.
Time: VIP admission 8:30 a.m.; general admission 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Central Berkshire Record Show is returning for its fourth consecutive year.
This popular event has attracted music and vinyl record enthusiasts from all over the Northeast, with previous shows drawing in large crowds of music lovers looking for records, CDs, and more.
Food and drink, including craft beverages, will be available on site from Shire Tavern.
VIP tickets are $10 and general admission is $4. More information here.
First Sunday Free: Art & Wellness
The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown
Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The museum is offering free admission all day and will have events at select times including forest bathing, yoga for all, sketching self-care, and yoga for balance.
Events have limited capacity. Participants can sign up on a first-come, first-served basis in the Clark Center admissions lobby on the day of the event.
The birds are chirping. The grass is getting greener, and signs of spring are showing — what better way to celebrate that than visiting the baby animals at Hancock Shaker Village.
The village's baby animal festival begins this weekend from 11 until 4. Meet the farm's newest editions including lambs, kids, piglets, calves, and chicks.
Festivalgoers can partake in daily events and activities including daily talks about the farm and the Shakers, craft demonstrations, and more.
Naumkeag is kicking off its 6th annual Daffodil and Tulip Festival this weekend.
The event will showcase more than 130,000 daffodils, tulips, and minor bulbs across their 8 acres of land.
The 48-acre estate will be decorated with "a variety of blooms, containers, displays and decorations against the backdrop of stunning views of Monument Mountain and the Berkshire Hills," according to the Trustees of Reservations.
Mixed bouquets, container plants, and a pre-sale of spring bulbs will be sold at a pop-up shop outside the greenhouse. Food and refreshments will be for sale at the outdoor snack shack.
Admittance to the inside of the house will be permitted for self-guided tours of the first floor and to provide access to the museum's gift shop.
For more information on the festival or to purchase tickets visit here.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Main & Mill: A Vibrant New Restaurant on Main Street
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — You can now enjoy another eatery on Main Street by well-known restaurant siblings Colleen and Sean Taylor.
Their restaurant Main & Mill opened for the first time Tuesday, bringing their vision of creating something vibrant and new to downtown North Adams.
"We have created Main & Mill to be part of our day. It's very seasonal ingredients, thoughtful cooking, beauty, beautiful presentation and dishes. And we really wanted to be part of the community, the downtown area, and start a vibrant area on this end, which has been shuttered for a while," said Colleen.
The building is owned by Ginko on Main Street LLC, which has granted 20 years exclusive possession of the property to Latent Builds as the developer. Jack and Suzy Wadsworth, behind Ginko, are development partners with Karla Rothstein and Salvatore Perry of Latent.
The bank closed in early 2021 and was purchased by Ginko late that year. Plans for the property unveiled three years ago envisioned a restaurant, retail, a park and rooftop bar.
Colleen saw potential and said she initially wanted the building when it first went up for sale. Being good friends with Rothstein and Perry, she helped them design the kitchen and the bar before learning in March that she could lease it as a restaurant space, something she told them would be a great idea.
She said one of the most important things about the restaurant was the collaboration between Rothstein, Perry, and the Wadsworths, who put a lot of time and energy into the building.
"If Sean and I had done it, we would not be able to do what the collaboration supported. The collaboration of the three of us being able to really have that kind of money to put in down here. The design that the architecture firm that Carla and Sal own is stunning," she said. "The time and effort, everyone came together to do this in a really trusting manner."
The two wanted the restaurant to be an all-day venture, so people could eat at any point throughout the day, all week long.
"We wanted it to be open for coffee and socialization in the morning where people can meet, have their cup of coffee, have a quiche, a vegetarian quiche, or croissant or yogurt. Something intentional with their coffee," she said. "Then move into a lunchtime for the downtown business or anybody, and then go into supper, dinner, with drinks later into the evening. So have it really be open all day long, so that there wasn't a void on any particular day."
They also wanted to do something different than the other restaurants they owned.
"We didn't want to mimic any other restaurant in town. We wanted to bring something that was inspiring, something that had some familiar things that people would see, and other things that we would bring to them for them to experience," she said.
As a woman business owner, Colleen said she wanted to bring a female chef into the kitchen.
Colleen brought on Chef Anna DeRose, who she said puts twists on a lot of her dishes.
"So we have a creme brulee, but our creme brulee is topped with marshmallow," she said. "Our creme brulee is like almost two desserts in one. It's a s'mores creme brulee. So you could have a s'mores, and you could have a creme brulee - but when you put both of them together, fireworks go off."
Jake Eberwein showed the committee sections of the nbess.org website, including the resources page, which will be key to keeping residents informed about the study’s findings and collecting information from those residents. click for more
The planes were paper, the buildings cardboard and Main Street was a hallway at Colegrove Park Elementary School, but the setup represented nearly two weeks of creative research and design by the pupils in the public schools' 21st Century Summer Program.
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