Martin Luther King Jr. psalms & spirituals open sing
Lenox — The Cantilena Chamber Choir will present a Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend psalms and spirituals open sing at Trinity Episcopal Church on Sunday, January 17, at 3 p.m. featuring special guests the Price Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church choir and community activist Shirley Edgerton. Dr. King will be remembered in poems and speeches, but the focus of the program will be a spiritual sing along with the choirs. The choirs will also independently perform works by Nathaniel Dett and Rollo Dilworth. All words and music will be provided.
Shirley Edgerton is a community activist and diversity trainer. She is the founder of the Women of Color Giving Circle and the Rites of Passage and Empowerment program for girls and a founding director of Youth Alive performing arts group. Ms. Edgerton is employed by Pittsfield Public Schools, serves on numerous boards and committees, and has received several awards in recognition of her work in the community.
The Price Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church choir is under the direction of Paul Keele and has performed in Berkshire venues such as Barrington Stage Company and the Berkshire Museum.
Admission to the concert will be free of charge but there will also be a suggested donation of $15 per ticket. For more information call (518) 791-0185 or email satbchoir@yahoo.com.
–E.E.
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BBG to present Pacific garden tour, workshops
Stockbridge – Berkshire Botanical Garden (BBG) will offer a “Great Gardens of the Pacific Northwest” tour in June, to be led by Seattle-based plantsman and former president of Pacific Horticulture and the Northwest Horticultural Society Greg Graves. Limited to 24 participants, the tour will take attendees into some rarely seen private gardens, as well as providing behind-the-scenes tours of some of the area’s most vaunted public gardens. The tour will include visits to the private garden of plant explorer Dan Hinkley, tours of gardens on Bainbridge and Vashon Islands including the Moss and Japanese Gardens at Bloedel Reserve, the Elisabeth C. Miller Garden, and an in-depth tour of Chihuly Garden and Glass with landscape designer Richard Hartlage.
An informational session will take place at BBG on Saturday, January 16 at 2 p.m. and will include a brief presentation and an opportunity to ask questions about the trip.
BBG will also offer a series of workshops over the winter including “The Art of the Seed” on Saturday, January 16, at 10 a.m.; “Invasive and Exotic Plant Control” on Saturday, January 23, at 10 a.m.; and “The Indestructible Houseplant” on Saturday, January 30 at 10 a.m.
For more information about the garden tour or the workshops, call (413) 298-3926 x15 or email ecary@berkshirebotanical.org.
–E.E.
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Berkshire Grown to present winter farmers’ markets
Great Barrington — Berkshire Grown will present winter farmers’ markets on Saturday, January 16, and Saturday, February 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Monument Valley Regional Middle School. The events are an extension of the organization’s holiday farmers’ markets, which enjoyed record attendance this past November and December with 5,700 shoppers showing appreciation for local farmers at markets in Great Barrington and Williamstown.
The January and February markets will showcase the Berkshire winter bounty of potatoes, carrots, beets, winter squash, onions, garlic, mushrooms, kale, and a variety of greens as well as eggs, chicken, goat, grass-fed pork and beef, over a dozen different kinds of locally produced cheeses, ice cream, jams, pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, honey, and baked goods. Grilled sausages, omelets, and wood-fired pizza with locally grown toppings will be on sale to eat at the events.
For more information about Berkshire Grown or its farmers’ markets, call (413) 528-0041.
–E.E.
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Bindlestiff Family Cirkus to present monthly winter cabaret
Hudson, N.Y. — Hudson’s Bindlestiff Family Cirkus will continue its wintertime tradition of hosting a monthly cabaret at Club Helsinki Hudson with its adult-oriented cabaret shows at 9 p.m. on Saturday, January 16; Saturday, February 20; and Saturday, March 19. A family-oriented matinee show will be offered at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 20.
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus will present a different lineup at each performance with acts including trapeze, contortion, acrobatic balance, sword swallowing, juggling, physical comedy, and oddball novelty turns. The January show will include appearances by musical artist Tony Kieraldo, female impersonator Bernie Brandall, and electric ecdysiast and burlesque star Pinkie Special. Also on tap are comedy favorites Fly By Night, aerial acrobat Jason Mejias, and Bindlestiff cofounders Keith Nelson and Stephanie Monseu
In keeping with Bindlestiff’s clubby New York City roots, the audience is encouraged to dress for festival and be part of the show. Those in costume or circus-like makeup may ask for a discounted ticket at the door.
See the Berkshire Edge calendar for more information or call the club at (518) 828-4800.
–E.E.
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Sienna Patti at FOG Design & Art Fair
Lenox – Sienna Patti contemporary art gallery will participate in San Francisco’s FOG Design & Art show Thursday, January 14 through Sunday, January 17. The gallery’s show offerings will include works by Helen Britton, Emily Cobb, Susie Ganch, Arthur Hash, Myra Mimlitsch-Gray, Tina Rath, Biba Schutz, and Carina Shoshtary.
The gallery will post up-to-date images from the fair to its Instagram account.
–E.E.
