Mahaiwe to welcome Steep Canyon Rangers
Great Barrington — The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center will present the Steep Canyon Rangers with special guest Noam Pikelny on Sunday, March 26, at 7 p.m.
A bluegrass band at their core, the Steep Canyon Rangers walk the line between festival favorite and sophisticated string orchestra, a mix of serious chops and good-natured fun that earned the band the Grammy Award for best bluegrass album in 2013 and drew comedian/banjoist Steve Martin to them when he needed a backing band.
Banjo player Pikelny is a founding member of Punch Brothers and a three-time Grammy nominee. In September 2010, he was awarded the first annual Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. His record “Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe” was named the album of the year at the 2014 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards. His solo endeavor, “Universal Favorite,” was released earlier this month.
Tickets range from $25–$60. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call the Mahaiwe box office at (413) 528-0100.
–E.E.
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Flying Deer Nature Center dance party with Berkshire Bateria
Lenox — Flying Deer Nature Center will hold a “Shake Your Tail” dance party on Saturday, March 25, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Lenox Community Center.
The evening will feature live music from the Berkshire Bateria. Directed by Jim Weber, the Berkshire Bateria performs a wide variety of music from Brazil, including hot samba rhythms and cool bossa nova jazz. Refreshments and signature Flying Deer cocktails invented especially for the event will be served along with nonalcoholic drinks.
Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for students. Proceeds will benefit Flying Deer’s financial assistance fund to make nature experiences more accessible for all ages. For more information, call (518) 794-6687.
–E.E.
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BHS to host presentation on chicken keeping
Pittsfield — On Sunday, March 26, at 2 p.m., the Berkshire Humane Society will host the third event in its 2017 Coffee Hour Speaking Series: “Say ‘No’ to Mail Order Chicks: The Challenges of Urban Chicken Keeping” with Rachael Gordon, director of Morning’s Song Rooster Rescue and co-founder of Ox N’ Yoke Farm Animal Sanctuary.
As backyard poultry-keeping has seen a rise in popularity in recent years, the challenges of proper chicken husbandry have led to an exponential rise in unwanted and abandoned birds. Gordon will discuss proper methods of raising chickens on a small scale and explain the connection between backyard birds purchased via mail order or from “Chick Days” and industrialized chicken farm abuse.
The talk is free and open to the public and will be followed by discussion and refreshments. Reservations are not required, but those who wish to reserve a seat may contact Mary at (413) 447-7878 x128 or mkoncel@berkshirehumane.org.
–E.E.
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Mural planned for Tyler Street
Pittsfield — The City of Pittsfield’s Office of Cultural Development, in collaboration with the Transformative Development Initiative, has announced a call for artist submissions for public art on Tyler Street. Tyler Street has been undergoing a yearlong planning process in which community input from investors, residents, property owners and businesses has resulted in a plan to make incremental street improvements, and at the heart of the plan is a revival of public art on the street.
Cultural Development and TDI are looking for ideas for murals that are original and innovative while reflecting the diversity found in Pittsfield’s Morningside neighborhood. Designs should fit on a surface of concrete or brick that is 12 feet by 15 feet. Several buildings are under consideration including the two abutters to the Tyler Street Hess station.
The call for submissions is open to all artists. Those interested are asked to register by emailing their names, email addresses and phone numbers along with detailed color sketches, artist statements and examples of prior work to cultural@pittsfieldch.com by 3 p.m. on Friday, April 21. A stipend of up to $850 including supplies will be available to the winning artist.
For more information, contact Cultural Development director Jen Glockner at jglockner@pittsfieldch.com or TDI fellow Sika Sedzro at asedzro@massdevelopment.com.
–E.E.
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Coleman to offer workshop on dealing with conflict
Great Barrington — Psychologist, workshop leader and coach Sharon Coleman will offer a free introduction to her workshop series “Conflict as a Doorway to Radical Connection” on Monday, March 27, at 5:30 p.m. at the Mason Library. The workshop series is based on the nonviolent communication and living compassion work of Coleman’s teachers Marshall Rosenberg and Robert Gonzales and is also inspired by the mindfulness practices of Thich Nhat Hanh as well as Coleman’s years of counseling and training in the corporate sector and in private practice. For more information or to register, contact Sharon Coleman at sharoncolemanphd@gmail.com.
–E.E.
