Berkshire residents and visitors will be able to spend BerkShares – the local currency for the Berkshire Region – at two of the most anticipated events of the season, Berkshire Bike-N-Fly and Oldtone Roots Music Festival. Both events have deep roots in the Berkshire community, and have decided to dig in even deeper by accepting the local currency.
The sixth annual Berkshire Bike-N-Fly, a benefit event for the Great Barrington Rotary Club’s scholarship fund, will take place from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Great Barrington Airport. The day will feature bike rides for all ages and ability levels, scenic airplane flights, a model airplane show, a demonstration of radio remote controlled planes, food and drinks, raffles, and live music by Whiskey City, Matchstick Architects, and Sandy & Sandy.
Parking at the Bike-N-Fly will cost $15 per car and walk-in admission will be $5 per person. Rotary will be accepting BerkShares for admission and airplane rides. In the case of bad weather on August 20, the fly-in will be held on Sunday, Aug. 21. For more information, contact info@berkshirebikenfly.org.
Oldtone Roots Music Festival, set to take place on September 8, 9, 10 and 11th at Cool Whisper Farm in Hillsdale, N.Y., is a new venture founded and produced by the dynamic trio of Kip Beacco, Matt Downing, and Jim Wright — well-known artists in the American Roots music world and residents of Housatonic, Great Barrington, and Ancramdale, N.Y., respectively. This is the festival’s second year, but this fall will mark Oldtone’s debut as a full four-day festival with camping, food vendors, workshops, and band competitions, along with an extraordinary line-up of traditional Appalachian folk, bluegrass, hot swing, old-time country, brass, cajun and contra music.
“Oldtone Festival celebrates traditional acoustic music with a down-to-earth, inclusive, and welcoming vibe,” states Jim Wright, “and we are looking forward to welcoming BerkShares.” The local currency, which features local heroes, artwork, and landscapes in its design, aligns with the spirit of the festival, explains Matt Downing. He stresses the place-based, earth-friendly, farm-to-table focus of Oldtone, where the informal motto is Participation is Preservation. “Our festival will be held in the stunning rolling hills of Lisa and Matt Schober’s Cool Whisper Farm. I think that this will be the first time that a music festival gets to use a local currency that actually reflects the view from the campgrounds.”
Tickets are on sale now via www.oldtonemusicfestival.com. Weekend-long passes and day passes will also be available at the gate, where BerkShares will be accepted. BerkShares, Inc. will have a table at the festival with information and gear, and the local currency will also be accepted for Oldtone merchandise and at the beverage tent.
