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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Lanesborough OKs Open Space Plan, Short-Term Rental Forms

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
02:43PM / Friday, June 26, 2026

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday set fees for short-term rentals and adopted an Open Space and Recreation Plan.

Town Administrator Gina Dario discussed the draft for STR registration and certificate of inspection since the new bylaws were passed at the annual town meeting.

The draft shows the process to file for inspection through Permit Eyes, the town's online permitting system that includes the state building code and safety requirements. Dario said members of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals and the building commissioner looked at other town models to come up with the best process for registration.

Inspections will be annually for non-owner occupied units and five years for owner-occupied. The inspection fee is a flat $50. The last suggestion discussed was the posting requirements for key information.

Dario said they looked at about four other communities on how they used non-sensitive information on owner contacts. Chair Deborah Maynard motioned to have the information posted both inside and out to help with law enforcement if needed.

"I'm going to make a motion that we put that relevant information not only on the inside of the short-term rental but on the outside, so if the police need to respond, ambulance needs to respond, fire especially needs to respond, all that information is there, nobody has to go searching for it," she said. "If push comes to shove, and it's a matter of minutes, that's going to make a big, a big difference in the outcome of the incident."

The board then heard a presentation from Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's community planner Andrew McKeever and Open Space and Recreation Committee Vice Chair Mark Hawthorne.

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