Poultry exhibit at the Columbia County Fair
Chatham, New York — The poultry competition and exhibit will return to the Columbia County Fair this year after a one-year hiatus following an avian flu outbreak that caused the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets to cancel all live fowl exhibits. Owners planning to enter birds in the competition are required to first have them tested for pullorum disease and can do so on Saturday, August 13, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the pavilion area of the fairgrounds. There will be no testing at the fair itself. Those planning to enter more than 25 birds should contact Kim Volpe at (845) 325-3076 or kim.volpe@agriculture.ny.gov to arrange for a flock test.
The fee is $2.50 per class or $5 for a trio. The poultry superintendent is Lee DeLong, Jr. Entry forms and payment are due by Saturday, August 20, and may be mailed to the Columbia County Fair, P.O. Box 257, Chatham, NY 12037. Judging will occur on Tuesday, August 30, at the fairgrounds. Call the fair office at (518) 392-2121 with questions or for more information.
–E.E.
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‘Message to Billy’ staged reading
West Stockbridge — On Tuesday, August 9, at 7 p.m., Multicultural BRIDGE’s Social Justice in Action campaign will present a staged reading of the one-act play “Message To Billy” at the Diana Felber Gallery. Written by Steven Somkin and directed by Andrew Joffe, “Message To Billy” describes how adult prejudices are communicated to children.
There is a suggested donation of $25 and all proceeds will benefit Multicultural BRIDGE. Refreshments and a discussion led by Multicultural BRIDGE CEO and founding director Gwendolyn VanSant will follow the performance. Please RSVP to (413) 394-4029 or adminsupport@multiculturalbridge.org.
–E.E.
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WordxWord Festival to present writing workshops
Pittsfield — The WordXWord Festival will offer a series of free workshops next week at the Whitney Center for the Arts with poets-in-residence Eve Ewing, Safia Elhillo and Jayson P. Smith. All those interested, regardless of experience, are encouraged to attend. The workshops will include “The Art of the Un-Love Poem,” “The Presence of Absence,” and “I Didn’t Come Here to Make Friends.” For more information or to register for the workshops, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact web@wxw365.org.
–E.E.
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Lee Library presents author/photographer Christy Butler
Lee – On Tuesday, August 9, the Lee Library will present Christy Butler, Cheshire-based photographer and co-author of “Rockachusetts: An Explorer’s Guide to Amazing Boulders of Massachusetts,” in a multimedia presentation that will focus on glacial boulders, balanced rocks, and other Berkshire landmarks. A question-and-answer session and book signing will follow the presentation
Besides photographs, “Rockachusetts” includes the lore and history of Massachusetts boulders as well as descriptions, directions, and GPS coordinates. Butler; his wife, Jan; and co-author Russell Dunn spent two years photographing and researching notable Massachusetts boulders and rocks for the book.
For more information, call the Lee Library at (413) 243-0385.
–E.E.
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‘When Incandescence Met Iridescence’ at Ventfort Hall
Lenox — Architectural historian and writer Francis Morrone will bring two distinguished lives to light with his talk “When Incandescence Met Iridescence: Edison and Tiffany” at Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum on Tuesday, August 9, at 4 p.m. A Victorian tea will follow.
Thomas Edison and Louis Comfort Tiffany worked together on the design of the old Lyceum Theatre on Fourth Avenue in New York City, the first theater in the world to be fully electrically lit. Their meeting also gave the world the Tiffany lamp.
Francis Morrone’s writings have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New Criterion, City Journal, and the New York Sun. He is the author of 11 books including “Guide to New York City Urban Landscapes” and “The New York Public Library: The Architecture and Decoration of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building” with co-author with Henry Hope Reed. He teaches architectural and urban history at the New York University School of Professional Studies, and is the recipient of the university’s Excellence in Teaching Award. He has also received an Arthur Ross Award from the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art.
Tickets for the Tea & Talk are $24 in advance and $29 on the day of the event. Reservations are recommended as seating is limited. For information or reservations, contact Ventfort Hall at (413) 637-3206 or info@gildedage.org.
–E.E.
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Trinity Church Harry Potter-themed Bible camp
Lenox — Trinity Episcopal Church will hold a Harry Potter-themed vacation Bible school Monday, August 15, – Thursday, August 18, from 9 – 11:30 a.m. each day, ending with a family potluck dinner. All children in grades 2 through 5 are invited to explore their own journeys with God by becoming part of an imaginative, spirit-filled adventure that will include a quidditch match and treasure hunt. Older children and adults are welcome to participate in the production/performance team, help with activities, and fill roles of characters from the Harry Potter story.
The cost of the program is $20 per child, and scholarships are available. Participants need not be members of the parish. For more information or to register, contact Reverend Michael Tuck at (413) 637-0073 or trinitylenox@gmail.com.
–E.E.
