Berkshire Botanical Garden’s wildflower meadow ribbon cutting
Stockbridge— On Saturday, August 12th at 2:30 p.m., Berkshire Botanical Garden will hold a ribbon cutting for their Wildflower Meadow, an ecologically and aesthetically complex and diverse showpiece and destination.
Saturday’s ribbon-cutting will include a tour led by BBG’s Director of Horticulture Eric Ruquist.
The property has been roped off and closed to the public allowing the native plants to take root. The property includes an open meadow, a ridge, and a wetland plateau with carved in walking paths for public access.
Seeded species observed include: Agastache foeniculum (anise hyssop), Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine), Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed), Aster laevis (smooth aster), Carex sp (sedge species), Castilleja coccinea (Scarlet Paintbrush), Chamaecrista fasciculata (partridge pea), Cirsium discolor (pasture thistle), Coreopsis lanceolata (tickseed), Elymus sp. (wild rye sp.), Gnaphalium obtusifolium (sweet everlasting), Monarda punctata (horsemint), Parthenium integrifolium (wild quinine), Penstemon digitalis (white beardtongue), Penstemon hirsutus (hairy beardtongue), Rudbeckia hirta (black eyed Susan), Solidago juncea (early goldenrod), and Zizia aurea (golden Alexander), among others.
The event is on Saturday, August 12th at 2:30 p.m. at Berkshire Botanical Garden on West Stockbridge Road in Stockbridge. More information can be found online.
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BAAM is holding two concerts to raise funds for their generous scholarship program
North Adams— On Monday August 14th and Wednesday, August 16th, BAAM (Berkshire Academy for Advanced Musical Studies) is holding two concerts to raise funds for their generous scholarship program.
On Monday, August 14th at 7 p.m. MAAM presents jazz duo Charles Blenzig and Richard Boulger with special guests Tony Lewis and Alex Blake at Studio9 at the Porches Inn on River Street in North Adams. Tickets are $20 at the door.
On Wednesday, August 16th at 6:30 p.m., BAAM presents its faculty performance at Mingo’s Sports Bar & Grill on Roberts Drive in North Adams. There is no price of admission. The lineup will feature Ada Rovatti who has appeared and recorded with Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Bennett; drummer Tony Lewis, who has has appeared/recorded with Sting, Benny Goodman, and Dizzy Gillespie; pianist/keyboardist Charles Blenzig, who has appeared/recorded with rMichael Brecker, Bill Evans, Marcus Miller, many more. Joining them are musical heavyweights, Alex Blake on bass (Sonny Rollins, Randy Weston, Dizzy Gillespie, Sun-Ra Arkestra, and many more) and Spaceman Patterson on guitar (James Brown, Miles Davis, Run DMC), all led by trumpeter Richard Boulger, native of North Adams, a former protegé of trumpet legends Donald Byrd and Freddie Hubbard, and who has toured, performed, recorded live with the likes of the Allman Brothers Band, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Illinois Jacquet Big Band, and more.
For more information, visit BAAM online.
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Olana State Historic Site presents ‘Photographing Architecture from the Inside Out’ with photographer Peter Aaron
Hudson— On Friday, August 11th from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Olana State Historic Site presents “Photographing Architecture from the Inside Out” with photographer Peter Aaron.
Peter Aaron has been shooting architecture and interiors for thirty-five years and started his career as a cinematographer. After working for designers Ward Bennett and Joseph d’Urso, Peter began a transformational apprenticeship with the great architectural photographer Ezra Stoller eventually developing his own strong compositional approach and individual style. Peter has been a contributing photographer for Architectural Digest with images frequently appearing in other magazines and books and has photographed structures by the most influential and groundbreaking architects of the last thirty years, including Robert A.M. Stern, Rem Koolhaas, and Peter Eisenman.
During this hands-on workshop and lecture, photographer Peter Aaron will explore how to capture the spirit of a building from the inside out. Using Olana’s architecture and artist-designed landscape as a source of inspiration, Peter will walk participants through his own approach to photographing Olana’s historic buildings, providing an inside perspective on the decisions, tools, and techniques that make for a successful architectural photo. This special program will culminate with an overview of the history of architectural photography and a Q&A so participants can learn more about Peter’s use of dramatic camera angles, theatrical lighting, and cinematic techniques in his own practice.
The worship is on Friday, August 11th from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Wagon House Education Center at the Olana State Historic Site on State Route 9G in Hudson. The cost is $15 per person or $10 for members. (To become a member, visit Olana.org/membership.) Participants are invited to bring their own cameras to engage in this workshop. Advanced registration required. Register online. Please contact education@olana.org to learn more.
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Berkshire Children’s Chorus Implements Sliding Scale Tuition
Berkshire— In the interest of increasing accessibility for all families, Berkshire Children’s Chorus announces a sliding scale tuition for the 2023-24 season, in which families will pay tuition proportionate to their annual income.
Inclusivity is one of Berkshire Children’s Chorus’ core values, and this approach to tuition and scholarships was developed to make joining the Chorus as approachable and affordable as possible for families of all different financial backgrounds.
Under this new model, families of singers will no longer need to apply for scholarships; instead, singers will automatically qualify for scholarships based on their family’s self-reported annual income.
The sliding scale tuition model has been made possible in part by a grant from the Lee Bank Foundation, which is focused on funding programs that work to bridge income and opportunity gaps in our region.
Registration for the 2023-24 season, which starts in September, is now open for children in third through eighth grades. No audition is necessary. Families interested in registering their child should fill out the simple interest form available in both English and Spanish at https://berkshirechildrenschorus.org/interest/.
Families who are curious about joining Berkshire Children’s Chorus are invited to make music, play kickball, and eat lunch with the chorus at a free event called “Kick It With The Chorus” on Saturday August 26th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sheffield Town Park on Frederic Lane in Sheffield. RSVPs are kindly requested online: https://berkshirechildrenschorus.org/kick-it/.
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Berkshire Concert Choir invites community to a ‘Summer Sing’
Stockbridge— On Monday, August 14th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Berkshire Concert Choir invites you to join them for a community “Summer Sing”. The music selection is Haydn’s Mass in Time Of War, conducted by Penna Rose with accompanist Amy Renak. Sheet music will be provided. All singers are welcome!
The sing-along is on Monday, August 14th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at First Congregational Church on Main Street in Stockbridge. There is no fee, but participants are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for the People’s Pantry in Great Barrington.
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Ventfort Hall Association two-day lawn sale
Lenox— On Saturday, August 12th and Sunday, August 13th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both days, Ventfort Hall Association hosts a two-day lawn sale.
The public is invited to a giant two-day lawn sale organized and donated solely by members of the program committee, staff, volunteers, and board of directors of Ventfort Hall. What could be more appropriate than a weekend lawn sale of cast-offs that could become valued treasures for you?
The sale is on Saturday, August 12th and Sunday, August 13th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ventfort Hall on Walker Street in Lenox. Brook Farm Bites Food Truck will be on site from noon to 3 p.m. All sales will benefit Ventfort Hall. More information can be found online.
