Barnstar! to perform at Race Brook Lodge
Sheffield — Signature Sounds will present bluegrass supergroup Barnstar! at Race Brook Lodge Saturday, Oct. 27, at 8 p.m.
Bassist Zachariah Hickman’s brainchild for a bluegrass supergroup conprised of some of Boston’s best musicians and songwriters, Barnstar! also features Mark Erelli on guitar, Jake Armerding on fiddle, Taylor Armerding on mandolin and Charlie Rose on banjo.
The band debuted in 2011 with “C’mon!”, a mix of distinctive originals and unexpected covers cut live in the studio. Their 2015 album “Sit Down! Get Up! Get Out!” explores darker themes and finds joy amid life’s trials and tribulations. When it came time to go back into the studio, the band members brought new original material written specifically with Barnstar! in mind. Each of the group’s members is a multi-instrumentalist, and they share over 80 years of professional experience. Each seasoned musician comes to the project as equals, sharing lead vocal duties and switching harmony registers to cover whatever parts are needed.
Tickets are $15 standing room only and $20 for advance seats. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact Signature Sounds at (413) 341-3317.
–E.E.
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Environmental leader Bullard to speak at Williams
Williamstown — Williams College will welcome scholar, author and advocate Robert Bullard, often referred to as “the father of environmental justice,” who will give a lecture on “The Quest for Environmental and Climate Justice: Why Race and Place Matter” Friday, Oct. 26, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in Griffin Hall, room 3. Bullard will be available for a book signing following his talk.
For decades, Bullard has been a leading voice against environmental racism—the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on people of color—including the Flint water crisis and hurricane recovery in Houston and Puerto Rico. The author of 18 books that address sustainable development, environmental racism, urban land use, industrial facility siting, community reinvestment, housing, transportation, climate justice, emergency response, smart growth and regional equity, Bullard was named one of 13 “Environmental Leaders of the Century” by Newsweek.
He is the recipient of numerous environmental awards including the Sierra Club’s John Muir Award, the National Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Achievement Award and Co-op America’s Building Economic Alternatives Award. Bullard is a distinguished professor of urban planning and environmental policy in the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University and co-founder of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Climate Change Consortium.
The event is free and open to the public. For building locations on the Williams campus, consult the online map or call the Office of Communications at (413) 597-4277.
–E.E.
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Stockbridge plans Halloween parade, pumpkin walk-about
Stockbridge — The Stockbridge Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Walk-About will take place Friday, Oct. 26, for area children. Marchers will meet at the corner of Main and Pine streets at 6 p.m. and march up Main Street to the Stockbridge Town Offices, 50 Main St., for cider and donuts. Participants will then take a walk outside the Stockbridge Library, Museum & Archives and see lighted pumpkins carved by local businesses and area children. Spooky stories and more fun will be offered inside.
Children interested in showcasing jack-o’-lanterns of their own should drop them off at the library between 5 and 6 p.m. before the event and may take them home at the end of the evening. Children who carve pumpkins for the event will be able to pick out a free book to take home.
In case of rain, the parade will be cancelled. Events will continue in the library. For more information, one may contact the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce at (413) 298-5200.
–E.E.
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Congregation Ahavath Sholom to stage ‘The Concert’
Great Barrington — Congregation Ahavath Sholom will host a staged reading of “The Concert” by Linda Josephs Sunday, Oct. 28, at 4 p.m.
Featuring Deann Halper and Gail Ryan, “The Concert” is a short by play based on two true stories. As Ann and Beth go through their recently deceased parents’ belongings, a 25-year-old secret is revealed, one that could change their lives forever. A talk-back with the actors and director playwright will follow the reading.
The event is free and open to the public. Donations are welcome. Complimentary wine and cheese will be served. For more information, contact Congregation Ahavath Sholom at (413) 528-4197 or info@ahavathsholom.com.
–E.E.
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Journalist Pfeiffer to discuss Lyme disease
Salisbury, Conn. — The Scoville Memorial Library will welcome investigative journalist Mary Beth Pfeiffer for a talk titled “The Ongoing Increase in Lyme and Related Diseases” Saturday, Oct. 27, at 4 p.m.
Pfeiffer’s book “Lyme: The First Epidemic of Climate Change,” documents the spread of Lyme disease around the globe as ticks move to places where they could not survive before. The disease infects half a million people in the U.S. and Europe each year as well as thousands in other countries. From 2006 to 2016, more than 20,000 cases were reported in Connecticut, which is believed to be one-tenth of the actual count. Pfeiffer recounts how modern medicine has underestimated its danger by mistakenly framing Lyme disease as easy to diagnose and straightforward to treat.
Pfeiffer’s reporting, which is based on scores of interviews and a review of more than 300 scientific papers, won her the Society of Professional Journalists‘ Sigma Delta Chi award. Pfeiffer reported for 30 years for the Poughkeepsie Journal, at which her Lyme articles were first published. Since 2012, Pfeiffer has emerged as the nation’s leading investigative reporter on Lyme disease, attracting national and international attention and garnering seven awards for her groundbreaking articles.
The event is free and open to the pubic. For more information, contact the Scoville Memorial Library at (860) 435-2838 or scovlibn@biblio.org.
–E.E.
