Pumpkin Carving Spooktacular Returns to the Berkshire Athenaeum

07:20AM / Tuesday, October 20, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The annual Pumpkin Carving Spooktacular is back.

The Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield's Public Library, will host the event on Oct. 24, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Participants will be able to select a free pumpkin from the pumpkin patch and bring it to a carving station in the Library's Auditorium. Carving stations will be set up with all the tools and supplies needed. In addition, there will be craft stations, snacks, and a scavenger hunt. Youth and families are encouraged to wear costumes.

The very last pumpkin carving session will begin at 12:30 pm.

"We look forward to the Pumpkin Carving Spooktacular every year," said Ashlyn Castonguay, a local parent. "My older children love carving, and my youngest is old enough to paint a pumpkin this year. The best part is that I don't need to set up or clean up, it's all taken care of."

The Pumpkin Carving Spooktacular is made possible thanks to the generous contributions of Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum.

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Pittsfield Schools Consider Enhanced Bus Surveillance

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:58PM / Tuesday, October 20, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Pittsfield Public Schools are considering a couple of companies for enhanced bus safety surveillance after a spring pilot.

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Bonnie Howland reported that they have met with BusPatrol and Gatekeeper Systems, which offer automated stop-arm enforcement and video surveillance.

It is illegal for drivers to pass a school bus when the red warning lights are flashing, and the stop-sign arm is extended. This protects children exiting and entering the school bus.

A stop-arm camera pilot program was conducted in May.

"We currently have a four-camera system on the interior of the bus, so Gatekeeper is sort of better as far as functionality. It's a little more of an upfront investment," Howland told the School Committee last week.

"BusPatrol works where you basically have an installation of the cameras, and then as tickets are issued to people, you sort of regain your investment, so it's two different sort of cost profiles."

Gatekeeper would cost about $100,000 to purchase, while BusPatrol has no upfront cost and a monthly charge.

PPS is interested in putting cameras in all of its buses, about 30. Howland said that Gatekeeper has a little more robust system that fits into our current system, and Mayor Peter Marchetti reported that the company with no upfront cost helps secure a grant for implementation: $1,200 per camera and $250 a month per bus.

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