If you are wondering what to do with your guests over the Fourth of July weekend, start by calling your local library. I firmly believe librarians know everything, and even if that is only true in my mind, they certainly know where to find local Fourth of July celebrations. You can also check out the very useful Berkshire Edge calendar.
If you are up early on the Fourth, you can participate in the fourth annual Run for Independence 5K in Williamstown. No registration is required and prizes will be awarded for both speed and most festive attire.
Who doesn’t love a small-town parade? The folks in Williamstown start their annual parade at 11 a.m. on Southworth Street, followed by a free barbeque on Walden Street at noon. There is a pie contest at the Williams Bookstore at 10:30 a.m. and at noon, the Capital Brass will perform.
Students of history will enjoy the presentation by the Williamstown Theatre Festival at 1:30 p.m. at the Sawyer Library. Actors plan to read the Declaration of Independence as well as the British reply to said document. You may also view the Chapin Library’s Founding Documents of the United States collection.
At 2:30 p.m. Images Cinema will be showing a free presentation of short films from the Sundance Film Festival. Sand Springs Pool will be open, for free, from noon to 7 p.m. There will be fireworks at the Taconic Golf Club at 9:30 p.m.
Pittsfield’s annual Fourth of July Parade kicks off at 10 a.m. on South Street by the Colonial Theatre and heads up North Street toward Wahconah Park. This parade dates back to 1824 and has been called one of America’s top parades and “retains the small-town, patriotic flavor of its roots” by USA Today.
There is an Independence Day 5K Run immediately after the parade and following the same course. It is sponsored by Berkshire Health Systems. There is a race fee and sign-up fee totaling $15 and packets must be picked up Wednesday, July 3, at Reid Middle School. Registration ends Wednesday, July 3.
At 6:30 p.m. the Pittsfield Suns play the North Shore Navigators, followed by a fireworks display. This is a true bargain, as general admission seats start at $5 in advance and are $7 at the gate.
If you are in Lenox you may want to check out the goings on at Shakespeare & Company, which is hosting its annual We Hold These Truths Fourth of July celebration from 1:30 to 5 p.m. The Amy Ryan Band will kick off festivities at 1:30 p.m., with kids’ crafts, face painting and a photo booth. Actors and local dignitaries will read from the Declaration of Independence at 3 p.m. The event is free, though there is a charge for the barbecue.
James Taylor will be returning to Tanglewood at 8 p.m. on both the third and Fourth of July, with fireworks following the concert on the Fourth. James and his wife, Kim, donate the proceedings from the concert back to Tanglewood, making this both a fun event and a charitable one.
There will be fireworks at Joe Wolfe Field in North Adams at approximately 9:30 p.m. following the baseball game between the Steeplecats and the Vermont Mountaineers. This apparently is quite the explosive spectacle, as folks travel from New York, southern Vermont and all over Berkshire County for the fireworks display. Tickets to the game are only $5.
