Berkshire Busk!’s second-to-last weekend of the 2024 season will feature bluegrass music, Irish step dance, aerialists, blues band Hack Monet, and much more. Friday, August 23, and Saturday, August 24, mark week nine of the festival’s 10-weekend run.
Friday Highlights: Irish traditions, blues, and balloons
The students of Pittsfield’s Scoil Rince Bréifne Ó Ruairc range in age from preschoolers to adults. The school, led by Jennie Darby, has brought their talented Irish step dancers to Berkshire Busk! for the past four summers. Friday’s performance on Railroad Street features a new addition: a guest performance of traditional Celtic ballads courtesy of The Men O’War Balladeers. The band currently has two full-length albums out of their folk tunes, including selections from the North American traditions and sea shanties.
The dual performance will alternate with the Berkshire Busk! debut of Hack Monet, an original rock-and-blues band with local roots. While the band has never performed at the festival, they are no strangers to a Great Barrington audience; fans can find performances of theirs at the old Gypsy Joynt preserved on YouTube.
Filling out the rest of Main Street are musicians like Abby Lappen, David Reed, Daring Coyotes, and more. The rainbow-clad Balloon Ben will also be present to twist his balloons into any shape a child can dream of.
Saturday Highlights: Bluegrass and Berkshire Busk! favorites
Saturday’s programming includes a bluegrass takeover of Railroad Street. The evening will begin with Paper Anniversary, a family band led by married duo Katherine Slingluff and Andy Stuckey. Paper Anniversary is known for their wit, good humor about relationships, and guest vocals from their children.
When Paper Anniversary breaks, the band Eavesdrop will make their Busk debut in their original trio form. Though they sometimes appear with more members, Kara Wolf, Laura Buchanan, and Kerrie Wert are well known for their soulful lyrics and captivating harmonies.
Other attention-grabbing acts in downtown Great Barrington include aerialists Chalk Gremlin Circus and the drumming group Berkshire Bateria at the First Congregational Church. Other musicians in town include busking all-stars like Katherine Winston, Michael Aaron, Daryl Brooke, and more.
Extended Schedule on Saturdays
In addition to her Saturday night appearance downtown, Katherine Winston is set to perform in the morning at the Great Barrington Farmers’ Market. In the afternoon, poet Kevin Devaney and henna artist Poppy will be stationed at Robin’s Candy before returning in the evening.
Musician Eric Bascom will perform from 2 to 4 p.m. at Berkshire Mountain Distillers in Sheffield. Bascom’s music ranges from jazz to blues and more; he will be joined by Cicci Santucci, a jazz trumpeter from Rome.
Berkshire Busk! is free to attend and takes place in downtown Great Barrington every Friday and Saturday evening, from June 28 through August 31. Primary festival programming begins at 6:30 p.m. Visit the Berkshire Busk! website for the full schedule of events.
