Clark Art Offers School Vacation Week Activities

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Clark Art Institute offers children and families fun activities celebrating its permanent collection and the special exhibition Shadow Visionaries: French Artists Against the Current, 1840–70 from Tuesday, Feb. 17 through Thursday, Feb. 19 (part of the Massachusetts public school system's February vacation week).

The Clark's vacation week programming explores themes of imagination, fantasy, and ghostly realities.

From 10 am–noon, drop in to sculpt gargoyles or otherworldly creatures out of mixed media materials. At 1 pm, join a Clark educator for an all-ages interactive tour of Shadow Visionaries that includes writing and storytelling activities. 

Throughout the week, use the "monster mash-up" activity card to explore Shadow Visionaries, and draw your a fantastic being inspired by the skeletons, ghouls, and creepy creatures in the exhibition.

On Friday, activities conclude with an otherworldly marathon of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone. From 1–4 pm, drop in to catch any or all of the seven episodes. Screening in the Manton Research Center auditorium (recommended for ages 10+).

Free. Tour capacity is limited. Pick up a ticket at the Clark Center admissions desk, available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, visit events.clarkart.edu. For accessibility questions, call 413 458 0524.

Family programs are supported by Allen & Company.

Williamstown Fire District Dedicates New Station

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
06:37AM / Sunday, May 31, 2026

Chief Jeffrey Dias recognizes firefighter Alexandra Riggs, who will graduate from Williams College next week. See more photos here.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Massachusetts fire marshal came to town Saturday to congratulate the local Fire District and the taxpayers of Williamstown for the "amazing" station they have built on Main Street.

 

"I travel around the state, and I've seen hundreds of firehouses around the state — some great, some not so great," Fire Marshal Jon Davine told a crowd gathered outside the station for its dedication. "And I think we saw what the previous station here was in Williamstown. I'll tell you, especially in Western Massachusetts, we have a really big problem with deteriorating firehouses throughout Western Mass. These buildings are collapsing around our firefighters.

 

"And, as the marshal, it's my job to advocate for the departments for more funding. We've been working with our state reps and local reps and the fire chiefs association, trying to come up with different funding streams, so that we can help these departments build new stations, do better, safer stations, so that they have the equipment and the building they deserve to do their job safely."

 

The chair of the Prudential Committee, which governs the Fire District, and the chief of the department both thanked Williamstown residents for the 2023 special district meeting vote that paved the way for the station that went into operation earlier this year.

 

"It's an honor and a privilege to join you today as we celebrate this grand opening of the new firehouse," Chief Jeffrey Dias said. "This facility is so much more than a building that houses fire trucks. It stands as a symbol of our community's commitment to safety, preparedness and public service. It's a place where our members will maintain our equipment. They will learn about our craft. They'll share meals and, yes, from time to time, they're going to share sorrow.

 

"This isn't a fire station. This is a firehouse. And people have heard me say this a million times already. And it houses the very best second family that one could imagine."

 

Dias was joined at the podium set up in the parking lot for the noon ceremony by Prudential Committee Chair David Moresi, state Rep. John Barrett III and the the Rev. William F. Cyr, who gave an invocation.