Vote! Here are three ways to do it
Every registered voter can vote in the 2022 Massachusetts Midterm Election. There are three ways to vote.
- Early Voting– Currently in progress, ends Friday, November 4. In-person voting at your local election office. Check with your Town Hall for voting days and hours.
- Vote By Mail– The application deadline for getting a vote-by-mail ballot has passed. If you have already applied and have received your ballot; Mail it back using the envelope provided OR Hand-deliver your ballot to your election office OR Use the ballot drop box provided by your town. Ballots returned in person or by drop box must be delivered by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8. Ballots sent by mail must be postmarked by Election Day, Tuesday, November 8.
- Vote In Person– at your polling place on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Questions? Visit https://www.sec.state.ma.us/WhereDoIVoteMA/WhereDoIVote for more information.
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‘Anything worth doing is worth overdoing’
Spencertown— On Saturday, November 12 at 8 p.m. Singer/Songwriters Christine Lavin and John Forster will present the musical cabaret “Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing” at Spencertown Academy.
Christine Lavin emerged from the NYC singer/songwriter folk scene in the late 80’s and went on to record 25 solo albums, 10 compilations showcasing the work of dozens of songwriters she admires. John Forster is a composer, lyricist, playwright, humorist, and music producer. He is a four-time Grammy nominee whose musicals have played on Broadway and Off.
Buy tickets at: https://spencertownacademy.org/event/roots-shoots-concerts-presents-christine-lavin-john-forster/.
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African-American family history programs
Great Barrington— The W.E.B. Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy will present a two-part virtual program on African American family history and genealogy within and beyond the Berkshires on November 9 and 16 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. hosted by Dr. Kendra T. Field.
In Field’s article “The Privilege of Family History,” published last month by the American Historical Review, explores the evolution of the discipline and practice of African-American family history across centuries. Despite the exclusion of many African American voices and stories from the formal archive of American history, especially during slavery and its aftermath, “their voices and stories survived,” Field writes.
These programs are free of charge but reservations are required. Please email admin@duboisfreedomcenter.org to reserve your space — don’t forget to mention which date(s) you plan to attend.
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Photojournalist and photography teacher David Lee to speak at Ventfort Hall
Lenox— On November 5 at 3:30 p.m. Photojournalist and Photography Teacher David Lee will talk at Ventfort Hall about the basic photo technology of the 19th century and how that affects the way the resulting pictures appear. His talk will be followed by tea.
In the Gilded Age, photograph exposures were made by both professionals and amateurs but required precise timing, light, and chemistry. There was no capability to photographically enlarge images. Today we have much faster darkroom photo paper and making photographic enlargements is relatively easy but still takes time and patience. For Lee, these exposures have a resonance and honesty that would not be characteristic of a digitally scanned and computer adjusted inkjet print.
Tickets are $30 for members and with advance reservation; $35 day of; $22 for students 22 and under. Reservations are required as seats are limited, call 413-637-3206. Masks are required.
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Close Encounters with Music: Grand opening of ‘One Earth’
Great Barrington— On Sunday, November 6 at 4 p.m. attend the premiere of Tamar Muskal’s “One Earth” as well as Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major performed by the Borromeo String Quartet.
In the words of the composer, “We live in a very challenging time—a time of war, sickness, climate disasters, and economic difficulties. One Earth, for a rapper/beatbox artist, table player, string quintet and a treble chorus, calls all people to positive action, to love, to beauty, and to anything that protects the planet and humanity. The piece is rich in sonorities, a fusion of different musical worlds, and contrasts between energetic rhythms, lyrical melodies and powerful rapping.”
Tickets range from $28 to $52.
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Why Dante still matters, according to Mark Scarbrough
Pittsfield— On Saturday, November 5 at 11 a.m. Mark Scarbrough will present a talk entitled “Why Dante Still Matters” in-person at the Berkshire Museum.
Why does Dante still matter? How can this late-medieval poet still speak to us post-modern people of a digital, fragmented age? Utterly non-religious Mark Scarbrough has read Dante’s “The Divine Comedy” starting on 1 January every year for the past twenty or so years. In the middle of the pandemic lockdown, he started a podcast called “Walking With Dante,” which is now in its third year.
Admission is $10 for OLLI at BCC and Berkshire Museum members, and $15 for the general public. Admission is free for Berkshire Community College students, youth 17 and under, and those holding WIC, EBT/SNAP, or ConnectorCare cards.
Pre-registration is required, online here or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m.-4p.m.).
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Hello, Bookstore
Lenox— Lenox Library and Church on the Hill are offering a free community screening of the documentary Hello, Bookstore on Saturday, November 5 at 7 p.m. A Q&A with Matthew Tannenbaum of The Bookstore will follow. This event will take place at the Church on the Hill meeting house. Seating is first come, first served.
Hello, Bookstore celebrates the town’s beloved bookstore and chronicles how, in the shadow of the pandemic, the community rallied to protect it in its hour of need. A landmark in Lenox, The Bookstore is a magical, beatnik gem thanks to its owner, Matthew Tannenbaum, whose passion for stories runs deep. Presiding at The Bookstore for over 40 years, Matt is a true bard of the Berkshires and his shop is the kind of place to get lost in. This intimate portrait of The Bookstore and the family at its heart offers a journey through good times, hard times, and the stories hidden on the shelves.
For more information, call Lenox Library at 413-637-0197 or Church on the Hill at 413-637-1001.
