Sixth annual Bike-N-Fly to benefit Great Barrington Rotary
Great Barrington — The sixth annual Berkshire Bike-N-Fly will take place from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Great Barrington Airport.
The day will begin with a bike ride for riders of all ages and ability levels. Participants may choose 20-, 35- and 52-mile rides that begin and end at the Airport. Kids can bring their bikes and helmets and join the free kids race. Online registration is available.
New and old airplanes will be touching down and taking off all day long and visitors can take scenic rides in biplanes, J-3 Cubs, helicopters and hot air balloons. A demonstration show of radio remote controlled planes will take place as well as a model airplane show. Country/rock band Whiskey City will perform from 1 – 4 p.m., along with the Matchstick Architects from 10 a.m. – noon and Sandy & Sandy from noon – 1 p.m. Food and drinks will be available from vendors, and visitors can enter raffles for prizes including an hour-long scenic flight, an hour of flying instruction in a J-3 Cub, and an hour-long lesson in a Cherokee 140.
Pilots who fly in will be entered in drawings for a new David Clark headset and a free oil change at the Airport. All airplanes that fly in will get a reduced fuel price at the end of the day, and the first 100 flyers will receive free gift bags.
The proceeds from the day’s events will benefit the Great Barrington Rotary Club’s scholarship fund. Parking will cost $15 per car and walk-in admission will be $5 per person. Rotary will be accepting BerkShares for admission and airplane rides. In the case of bad weather on August 20, the fly-in will be held on Sunday, Aug. 21. For more information, contact info@berkshirebikenfly.org.
–E.E.
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OLLI to present University Day at AIER
Great Barrington — The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College (OLLI) is partnering with the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) to offer OLLI University Day on Wednesday, Aug. 17, at AIER.
OLLI University Day will provide a day of thought-provoking lectures and discussions with noted experts in local, national and international issues. Featured speakers include Adam Segal, Ph.D., Senior Fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations; Polina Vlasenko, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow at AIER; and State Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, the dean of Berkshire County’s state legislative delegation.
The day will begin at 10 a.m. with coffee and refreshments, followed by a morning lecture by Vlasenko, who will be speaking on the topic of “Employment and Growth: The Emergence of a New Normal.” A luncheon will follow with Rep. Pignatelli speaking on local and state issues facing Massachusetts and the Berkshires. After lunch, an optional walking tour of the AIER grounds will be given, followed by an afternoon talk and discussion by Segal on “States, Spies and War in the Digital Age.” The day will end at 3:30 p.m.
OLLI University Day is open to the public. Tickets, which include lunch, are $35 for OLLI and AIER members and $50 for the general public. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call OLLI at (413) 236-2190.
–E.E.
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MiC to screen documentary film
Sandisfield — On Saturday, Aug. 13, at 2 p.m., the Sandisfield Arts Center will present “From Madness to Music,” a documentary short film produced by Music in Common (MiC) and Beansprout Productions in association with the Pumpkin Foundation. The screening will be followed by a discussion and reception with filmmaker Lynnette Najimy and MiC founder and director Todd Mack.
“From Madness to Music” follows the progression of Music in Common’s roots as a backyard music jam honoring the life of slain journalist Daniel Pearl to its current work as a nonprofit organization engaging youth of different faiths and cultures in music and multimedia collaborations around the world. The film illustrates the power of music to bring people, particularly young people and those living in conflict regions, together on common ground where dialogue, creative collaboration and deeper understanding can lead to a shift in perspectives, attitudes and expectations.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students. For more information and tickets, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact the Sandisfield Arts Center at (413) 258-4100 or info@sandisfieldartscenter.org.
–E.E.
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L’Atelier Berkshires to host art salon
Great Barrington — On Wednesday, Aug. 17, from 7 – 9 p.m., L’Atelier Berkshires will host an art salon featuring talks by furniture designer Nicholas Mongiardo, his son designer Taj Mongiardo, and Berkshires painter Kiki Dufault about art, design and life. The talks will be moderated by Pip Deely of CollectorIQ and will be followed by a question-and-answer session and a reception.
Space is limited. For more information or to RSVP, contact natalie.tyler@atelierberks.com.
–E.E.
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‘Alternate Gravity’ at LABspace
Hillsdale, New York — LABspace presents “Alternate Gravity,” a three-person installation of new works by Nicole Cherubini, Meg Lipke and Patrick Purcell through Saturday, Oct. 1. A reception for the artists will be held on Sunday, Aug. 14, from 5 – 7 p.m.
Dividing their time between Columbia County and New York City, all three artists conceptually challenge notions of craft and materials and function in their work.
Cherubini has exhibited extensively in the U.S. and abroad, most recently at Samson Projects in Boston and at Retrospective Gallery in Hudson, New York. Lipke has exhibited paintings and painted objects most recently at Freight and Volume in New York City and with Jeff Bailey in Hudson. Purcell was trained as a potter, makes wheel-thrown objects that conflate sculpture and functional ceramics, and has exhibited throughout the U.S. Purcell.
For more information, contact LABspace at (646) 567-9681 or labspaceart@gmail.com.
–E.E.
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‘Cupcake War’ to return to Columbia County Fair
Chatham, New York — Locally grown ingredients are the key for “Cupcake War 2016” at the Columbia County Fair on Monday, Sept. 5, at 12:30 p.m. in the Midfield Arena. Columbia County resident, cook, and host of Food Network’s “Farmhouse Rules” Nancy Fuller will officiate.
Prizes will be awarded for taste, presentation and originality in both the “Savory” and “Sweet” categories for youth ages 14 and under and adults ages 15 and older. The sources of local ingredients as well as the recipes are required with entries. Presentation must be in the form of six fully cooked cupcakes on a disposable tray.
Entry forms and contest rules for the Bounty Cooking Contest’s “Cupcake War 2016” are available online and at the Fair office in Chatham. Entry forms will be accepted through Saturday, Sept. 3, in person at the Fair office or by mail to Columbia County Fair, P.O. Box 257, Chatham NY 12037. Entries will be accepted for judging from 12:30 – 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 5, in the Midfield Arena and awards will be presented at 3:30 p.m.
For more information, call the Fair Office at (518) 392-2121.
–E.E.
