Berkshire Community College Welcomes Community to 65th Anniversary Fest

02:04PM / Tuesday, August 05, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College is turning 65, and the entire Berkshires community is invited to join the festivities at Community Fest, happening Saturday, Aug. 16, from 10 to 4 on the main campus.

Admission is free, but registration is recommended. More than 60 activities are planned, ranging from live music and food trucks to workshops, exhibits, athletic tournaments and family-friendly events.

Community Fest offers a wide range of interactive experiences and exhibits:

Food trucks all day, featuring food for purchase from local favorites like BB's Hot Spot, Copsicle, KJ Nosh, Krispy Kone and La Chalupa y La Enchilada
Beer & wine garden opens at noon, showcasing products for sale from Balderdash Wine Cellars, Big Elm Brewing and Hot Plate Brewery
Free live performances at the amphitheater: Brian Hailes (10–11 a.m.), Ron Ramsay (11 a.m.–noon) and Laura Cabrera with Gael Berthelly and Liberty Ortiz (noon–1 p.m.), followed by DJ Seth P. from 1–3 p.m.

"Gene Expression: Choose Your Own Adventure," a scavenger hunt at the library
Archive open house, a tour of BCC's history through years of memorabilia
Robotics demos in the Berkshire Science Commons
Fire safety showcase and tours aboard fire trucks with the Fire Science program
Drone flights
Tarot readings

For younger visitors:

Build-a-Bird workshops, where the first 200 children make a stuffed Burke the Falcon mascot
SGA lawn games
"Meet the Critters" at Hoffmann Environmental Center
Hands-on crafts, art mural project, face painting and more

Athletics and Wellness

Soccer tournament culminating in a championship at 2:20?p.m.
Pickleball competitions
Volleyball jamboree in the gymnasium

Free access to the Paterson pool and fitness center, a Pilates class, and chair massages offered by BCC massage therapy students
"Free Community College" info sessions, FAFSA support and admissions guidance
One-stop tours, highlighting student success at BCC

Discover new horizons with Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at BCC, a member-led organization providing exciting educational, social and volunteer opportunities for people over 50 years old:

Mini-classes starting at 10:30 a.m. on subjects like "The Language of Film," "Thomas Paine's Writing," "Milestones in Medicine" and "African Rooted Dance."
Social meet-up with light refreshments at noon for an opportunity to mingle and learn more about OLLI's programs

BCC has served as the pioneering public community college in Massachusetts since 1960. Over the decades, it has expanded educational access, built state-of-the-art facilities, and innovated in areas like modern labs, science commons and the One Stop Enrollment Center. Community Fest honors these milestones and welcomes everyone to see how far the institution and its vision have come, including the introduction of free college for eligible students.

For accessibility arrangements or disability accommodations, contact foundation@berkshirecc.edu or call 413-236-3071.

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Wahconah Park Grandstand Leveled, Close to Shovel-Ready

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:01PM / Friday, October 23, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Wahconah Park is expected to be shovel-ready next month, with just a couple of outstanding permits remaining.

The 75-plus-year-old grandstand was deemed unsafe in 2022 and demolished at the end of the summer. Now, the space where the large structure stood has been leveled, though some accessory buildings, such as the dugouts, remain.

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath reported that the site, which "looks a lot different," will be shovel-ready in mid-November. From there, the city needs to do financial planning and sourcing.

"Again, I sound like a broken record, but it becomes a matter of identifying the funding strategy that will advance the project," McGrath told the Parks Commission on Tuesday.

In the meantime, the city hopes to return baseball to the site in 2027.

Planners determined that starting from square one is the best option with the grandstand; a $15 million design was last on the table.

McGrath reported that all but two permits approved through the Community Development Board and Zoning Board of Appeals remain. One relates to the use because stadiums are not zoned by-right in that area; Wahconah Park is considered "non-conforming" or "pre-existing," and a parking spot waiver.

He does not foresee the boards denying these permits.

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