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Weekend Outlook: Last First Fridays of Summer

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
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Check out the events happening this weekend, including the two cities' First Fridays, picnics, and more.

Editor's Picks

Ice Cream Social: Sweet Scoops and Live Tunes
320 Main St., Williamstown
Time: 1 to 4 p.m.

Celebrate the Williamstown Youth Center with live music from Vermont's TechnicalDUFFiculties and ice cream. Every scoop Saturday benefits the youth center's afterschool program for Grades 1 through 6.

More information here.

Franklin County Fair
Wisdom Way, Greenfield
Time: opens Thursday and Friday at 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m.
 
The 176th Franklin County Fair features a midway, demonstrations, truck and horse pulls, demolition derby, animals, agricultural competitions and exhibits, vendors and performers. 
 
Admission is $10 to $15; ticket purchases and more information here.

First Fridays

Downtown Pittsfield
Time: 5 p.m.

The city center will be alive with activities, including a maker's market and family fun zone on North Street, live music at Persip Park, a dance zone at Dunham Mall, an art walk, and more. 

More information here.

Downtown North Adams
Time: 5 to 9 p.m.

Music, art, and games will fill the downtown for the event themed "Play Downtown." DJ Rebelbeat Soundsystem will perform at the Eagle Street Pocket Park for a dance party with the Hatchlings. 

There will be games, art, special events, and downtown and businesses will have extended hours. More information here. 

Friday

Back to School Carnival
491 Berkshire School Road, Sheffield
Time: 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Celebrate back to school with live music, games, hayrides and more. Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate. Kick off the school year on a fun note.

More information here.

September Ghost Tours
The Mount, Lenox
Time: 8:30 p.m.
 
The spooky season begins with nighttime ghost tours at Edith Wharton's summer home each Friday. Tours last around two hours and include outside areas, uneven terrain and stairs. Not appropriate for young children. 
 
More information and tickets here. 

Saturday

Coffee Tasting Event
Adams Theater, Park Street
Time: 9 a.m.
 
Wake at the Adams Theater by going "Around the World in 80 Cups," a tasting event from 11 to noon featuring coffee and pairing from Oaxaca, Mexico. Theater opens at 9 for a la carte coffee and baked goods from Shire Cottage Bakery. 
 
Tickets are $12; more information and tickets here. 
 

Sheffield Fair
Frederic Lane, Sheffield
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m

Enjoy a day at the fair with food, hayrides, vendors, cars, music, food and livestock competition.

More information here.

Sunday 

 
Puppet Workshop
Adams Theater, Park Street
Time: 11 a.m.
 
David Lane of New England Puppet Arts and collaborators host a family-friendly puppet exploration with craft paper and masks. Intended for ages 8 and up accompanied by an adult. 
 
Free admission but capacity is limited; RSVP at info@adamstheater.org.
 
Lane also brings a puppetry adaptation of Emile Zola's novel "The Belly of Paris" on Saturday night at the theater. Tickets and more information here. 
 
Sunflower Sunday
225 Peckville Road, Shelburne
Time: 10 to 3
 
Apex Orchards hosts a sunflower fair with pick your own flowers, wagon rides, crafters and vendors, food and coffee, doughnuts and brewery. Live music by Tobey Sol La Roche at noon. 
 
Free admission; more information here. 
 
Jimmy Bernardo Memorial Ride
63 Wendell Ave., Pittsfield
Time: 10:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
 
This motorcycle ride honors the life of Jimmy Bernardo, who was murdered at the age of 12, and raises essential funds for Berkshire County Kids' Place to help children and families heal from abuse and violence. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m., the ride at 11. The 90-minute ride ends at the Tavern on the A; the after party is open to the public. 
 
More information here. 
 
Tree ID Walk
Kennedy Park, Lenox
Time: 10 to noon
 
Join Chelsey Simmons of Berkshire Environmental Action Team for an informative walk, during which participants will learn key characteristics of commonly encountered trees. Walk is 1 to 1.5 miles long, lasting around 2 hours, and will include many slow-paced stops. Meet in the parking lot of Lenox Commons off Route 7.
 
Limited to 15 participants; register at chelsey@thebeatnews.org. More information here. 
 
Farmers Markets 
 

Great Barrington Farmers Market
18 Church St.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

The market is open every Saturday. Every week, locally grown food, flowers, and plants will be available, along with other local vendors. The market accepts and offers doubling SNAP, HIP, WIC, and Senior market coupons. More information is here. 

Lee Farmers Market
The Town Park
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

The market offers locally grown produce, prepared foods, locally created arts and crafts, and herbal products. YogaLee offers free community yoga from 9:30 to 10:30 on the first Saturday of each month.

The market accepts SNAP, HIP, Senior Coupons, and WIC Coupons and also offers Market Match. More information here. 

Lenox Farmers Market
St. Ann's Church
Friday: 11 to 3. 

This market is open every Friday through Sept. 12 and features fresh produce, pastries, cheeses, and more.

More information here. 

New Marlborough Farmers Market
Village Green
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

The market has local vendors that offer a variety of goods from produce, eggs, baked goods, jams, hand-knit items, maple syrup, and more. More information here. 

North Adams Farmers Market
Main Street
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

The south side of Main Street from American Legion Drive will be closed to make room for the city's weekly farmers market, which will kick off this Saturday. Explore downtown North Adams and discover local businesses and fresh produce from local farms. More information here. 

Pittsfield Farmers Market
Pittsfield Common
Saturday, 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. 

Roots Rising, the region's first teen-run market, will hold an indoor farmers market this Saturday. The event will feature live music, chef demos, workshops, children's activities, and more. More information here. 

Sheffield Farmers Market
125 Main St.
Fridays, 3 to 6 p.m.  

The market features healthy food and products from a variety of local vendors, aiming to nourish the community by supporting "local small farms, land, bees, and economy."

More information here.

Williamstown Farmers Market
Spring Street
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

The market features a diverse range of local food and artisan vendors, along with local services and live music. More information here.


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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Rename

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday. 

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to rename the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection. 

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data.  Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost." 

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor. 

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