Dottie’s Coffee Lounge presents Latin Night with Prashad and Luana
Pittsfield— On Friday, January 10th at 6 p.m., get ready to heat up the dance floor with an evening of music, movement, and fun as Dottie’s Coffee Lounge presents Friday Night Latin Night with Prashad and Luana.
The doors open at 6 p.m. There is an intro to latin dance lesson at 6:30 p.m., a salsa class at 7 p.m., and a social dance party at 7 p.m., at which the dance floor opens for everyone to enjoy merengue, salsa, bachata, and more until 11 p.m. No experience or partner is necessary – just bring your energy and love for dancing. Invite your friends and make it a night to remember.
The event is on Friday, January 10th at 6 p.m. at Dottie’s Coffee Lounge, located at 444 North Street in Pittsfield. More information can be found online.
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Hot Plate Brewing Co. presents Lexi Weege & J.J. Slater to celebrate the release of Reciprocal Arrangement, Hot Plate’s new rye lager
Pittsfield— On Friday, January 10th at 7 p.m., in celebration of the start of the new year, Hot Plate Brewing Co. presents Lexi Weege & J.J. Slater to celebrate the release of Reciprocal Arrangement, Hot Plate’s new rye lager.
Lexi Weege and JJ Slater both sing with unique, recognizable voices — Weege marries smoky 50’s jazz with wild, arena-ready 70’s rock, while Slater overlays a smooth, melodic croon with laconic delivery and blue-collar beat poetry. Their infectious interplay harkens back to a time when live shows could be spontaneous, energy-driven affairs. Slater’s genre-hopping guitar playing draws from screaming blues originals like Buddy Guy and Albert King, but with a twist of Bert Jansch and Wes Montgomery.
The celebration is on Friday, January 10th at 7 p.m. at Hot Plate Brewing Co., located at 1 School Street in Pittsfield. Charlie’s Bistro Bus food truck will be outside the taproom. More information can be found online.
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Guild of Berkshire Artists small works show continues into new year
West Stockbridge— On Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Guild of Berkshire Artists continues to present its small works show.
Seven members of the Guild of Berkshire Artists are displaying their small works in paintings, fiber art, and pottery. Participating artists include Sue Aiken, Margie Skaggs, Carolyn Abrams, Jane Craker, Mike Coyne, Sarah Morrison, and Karen Carmean.
The exhibit is open on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Art on Main Gallery, located at 38 Main Street in West Stockbridge. More information can be found online.
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WordXWord presents Poets Creating Conversation
Pittsfield— On Tuesday, January 14th at 7 p.m., WordXWord presents Poets Creating Conversation at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pittsfield.
Poets Creating Conversation is an ongoing series of events that challenges poets (and soon-to-be-poets) to circle loosely around a theme or issue in the current social discourse to create a broad, multi-dimensional “conversation” between poems, poets, and audience by throwing out a single word/idea and asks poets to circle around. The results defy expectations. This session’s prompt work is “dream.”
The event is on Tuesday, January 14th at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pittsfield., located at 175 Wendell Avenue in Pittsfield. It is free and open to the public. Some poems may contain content or language best suited for teens and adults. Registration and more information can be found online.
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Death Café with Rebecca Churt at Wander
Pittsfield— On Tuesday, January 7th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., join Rebecca Churt, founder of Grievery.com, for a bi-weekly Death Café, a free, welcoming space to explore life, death, and everything in between.
Share stories, ask questions, and connect in a warm community setting. This is a welcoming and open-hearted space to talk about death, dying, and all that surrounds it. There’s no agenda, no right answers— just a chance to share stories, ask questions, and explore this universal topic in community over tea or coffee.
The free event is on Tuesday, January 7th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Wander, located at 34 Depot Street in Pittsfield. Bring curiosity and an open heart. More information can be found online.
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Robotics club at Bottomless Bricks
Pittsfield— On Fridays at 4:30 p.m., starting January 10th, Bottomless Bricks is hosting a robotics club.
Each week, students will build and code a different project using LEGO Spike Prime robotics kits and the accompanying programming app. This is a fun introduction to coding, motors, and sensors using engaging projects.
The club meets on Fridays at 4:30 p.m. at Bottomless Bricks, located at 163 South Street in Pittsfield. It is recommended for students in 4th through 8th grade. No experience is required, however experienced students will also enjoy this workshop. Registration and more information can be found online.
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North Berkshire Contra Dance community contra dance
Williamstown— On Saturday, January 11th from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., the North Berkshire Contra Dance will hold its monthly community contra dance with live fiddle music by George Wilson and Selma Kaplan with caller Julian Blechner.
Contra dancing is the contemporary face of a living tradition — some of the dances are hundreds of years old and some are recently composed.
Caller Julian Blechner will teach all the dances. Blechner enjoys creating fun evenings with varied and engaging dances suited to whatever the crowd is up for. He brings a cheerful, friendly attitude with clear and concise teaching and prompting. Music will be provided by George Wilson and Selma Kaplan. Wilson’s dynamic fiddling, strongly influenced by Cape Breton and French Canadian styles, has been popular with contra dancers and concert-goers since the late 1970s. Kaplan is an accomplished pianist, composer, and arranger, and one of the most requested dance musicians on the East Coast.
The dance is on Saturday, January 11th from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church, located at 906 Main Street in Williamstown. Everyone is welcome. More information can be found online.