Westside Legends is hosting ‘Sweet G Super Soap Box Derby’, their 2nd Annual Westside Super Soap Box Derby, in loving memory of Brian Goines
Pittsfield— On Saturday, August 19th from noon to 4 p.m., Westside Legends is hosting “Sweet G Super Soap Box Derby” in loving memory of Brian Goines.
Please join the Westside Legends for an exciting day of activities for the whole family. Please come have fun and meet the neighborhood! There will be three divisions: young kids, teens, and adults (ages 18+). Trophies will be presented for first place and Best in Show for each division. The racers will “zoom” down Robbins Ave and the finish line will be at Southern Ave. This will be a fun day for all.
Check in starts at 11 a.m. and the first race, which features the city’s mayoral candidates, starts at noon. Hot dogs and ice cream will be free for the first 100 kids age 18 and under! Grampie’s Hot Dogs, Smokey Divas, and Cravins Ice Cream will also be available.
This event is sponsored by Westside Legends, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Mill Town Foundation, Interprint, Crane Foundation, Premium Waters, and Blue Q.
The event is on Saturday, August 19th from noon to 4 p.m. at the corner of Columbus Avenue and Robbins Avenue in Pittsfield. More information can be found online.
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Ruth Messinger to serve as scholar-in-residence for a weekend in the Berkshires
Berkshire— On the weekend of August 18th-20th, through a collaboration of congregations and institutions throughout Berkshire County, Ruth Messinger will serve as scholar-in-residence speaking in Great Barrington on Friday evening, in Pittsfield on Saturday morning, and in North Adams on Sunday morning.
A trained social worker, Messinger began her social justice career as a community organizer in rural Western Oklahoma and then in New York City on Manhattan’s West Side. She ran and won a seat on her local school board and then served in NYC government for two decades, first as a Council Member and later as Manhattan Borough President. She was the first woman nominated by the Democratic Party in NY to run for Mayor, losing to Rudy Giuliani in 1997. Messinger became the CEO of American Jewish World Service, a faith-rooted organization that supports local efforts to end poverty and expand human rights, funding more than 400 grassroots projects in 18 countries in the Global South and advocating on their behalf in the US. She stepped down from that position in 2016 but remains AJWS’s Global Ambassador, in addition to consulting, teaching and facilitating on social justice matters for several different faith-based and secular organizations.
On Friday evening, Messinger will speak at Hevreh of Southern Berkshire in Great Barrington on “The Role of Social and Racial Justice in Contemporary Judaism”. The Shabbat evening service will begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner. More information can be found online.
On Shabbat morning, Messinger will be a guest at Shabbat morning services at Knesset Israel in Pittsfield beginning at 9:30 a.m., during which she will offer the d’var Torah for Parashat Shoftim, the Torah portion which includes the well-known passage, “Justice, justice shall you pursue.” Following the service and lunch, Messinger will speak on the topic of “Immigrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers Then and Now”. Both the morning service and the talk following lunch (at approximately 12:45 p.m.) will be live-streamed online.
On Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m., Messinger will conclude her weekend residency at Congregation Beth Israel (CBI) in North Adams, speaking on the topic of “Our Democracy: If We Can Keep It”. Light refreshments will be served. Pre-registration is requested online.
The beautiful outdoor labyrinth at CBI will be available for private walking meditation prior to Ruth Messinger’s talk. Immediately following Sunday’s program, a guided walking meditation through the labyrinth will be facilitated by Rabbi Rachel Barenblat and/or Rabbi Pam Wax. This will be an ideal opportunity to integrate Messinger’s message of “walking the walk.”
For further information about each individual program, contact the host congregation. For general information about the weekend, you may contact Rabbi Pamela Wax at pwax@bcn.net.
This scholar-in-residence program has been generously co-sponsored by Congregation Knesset Israel, Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, The Berkshire Minyan, Congregation Ahavath Sholom, Temple Anshe Amunim, Congregation Beth Israel, First Congregational Church of Williamstown, Williams College Jewish Association, and the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires.
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Clark Art Institute hosts opportunity to meet and make art with ‘CATA: I Am a Part of Art’ exhibition
Williamstown— On Tuesday, August 22nd at 1 p.m., the Clark Art Institute invites visitors to meet the CATA artists featured in “I Am a Part of Art” and participate in community art-making activities. The annual exhibition presented by Community Access to the Arts (CATA) and the Clark, “I Am a Part of Art” celebrates the work of artists with disabilities. Spend the afternoon with the artists featured in the exhibit, learning and creating together as they share their approaches to making art.
The event is on Tuesday, August 22nd at 1 p.m. in the Hunter Studio located in the Lunder Center at Stone Hill at the Clark Art Institute on South Street in Williamstown. The event is free and open to the public. Materials will be available for visitors to experiment with the same media used by the artists. More information can be found online.
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Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum presents “Ogden Codman, Jr., Transatlantic Tastemaker”, a “Tea & Talk” with Historian Camille Arbogast
Lenox— On Tuesday, August 22nd at 4 p.m., Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum presents “Ogden Codman, Jr., Transatlantic Tastemaker”, a “Tea & Talk” with Historian Camille Arbogast, sponsored by the Dobbins Foundation.
Historian Camille Arbogast will speak about Ogden Codman, Jr., a transatlantic tastemaker, during an illustrated talk drawn from material in “Historic New England’s Codman Family Papers” archival collection.
Ogden Codman, Jr., attained professional prominence in Gilded Age society as a co-author with Edith Wharton of the best-selling design manual “The Decoration of Houses”. Drawing upon classical influences from both sides of the Atlantic, he designed buildings and interiors for clients including Vanderbilts and Rockefellers. An architectural historian, he also documented historic structures in America and France, a legacy that continues to aid scholars today. Discover the life and oeuvre of this transatlantic tastemaker.
Camille Arbogast is a public historian, writer, and museum professional. For many years, she has worked at Historic New England’s Codman Estate, the family home of Ogden Codman, Jr.
The talk is on Tuesday, August 22nd at 4 p.m. at Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum on Walker Street in Lenox. A tea will follow. Tickets are $30 for members and with advance reservation, $35 on the day of the event, and $22 for students 22 and under. Seats are limited and reservations are strongly encouraged. Reservations can be made online of by calling 413-637-3206.
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Art on Main Gallery presents “Oil Water Clay” by Mike Coyne and Bruce Shickmanter
West Stockbridge— From August 24th through September 4th, Art on Main Gallery presents “Oil Water Clay” by Mike Coyne and Bruce Shickmanter.
Michael Coyne is a retired emergency physician whose artistic interests include metalwork, ceramics, photography, and painting. Michael’s art is inspired by music, travel, the outdoors, and his love of colors. His works have been displayed in a variety of galleries and shows within New England and the southwest.
Bruce Shickmanter paints pleasing shapes along with light and color to convey a sense of magic, mystery, and movement. He uses the texture and matte finish of gouache to create a contrast with the transparent and ephemeral qualities of watercolors with acrylic as an extra complement to his work. The scenes he paints are often places he has come across while hiking or biking or are inspired by a photo that stimulates his creativity.
The show runs from August 24th through September 4th at the Art on Main Gallery on Main Street in West Stockbridge. Gallery Hours are Thursday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be a reception on Saturday, August 26th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. More information can be found online.
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Berkshire County Historical Society welcomes historian Tim Abbott to present his research on Shays’ Rebellion in the Berkshires
Pittsfield— On Tuesday, August 22nd at 5:30 p.m., the Berkshire County Historical Society (BCHS) welcomes historian Tim Abbott to present his research on Shays’ Rebellion in the Berkshires, sponsored by MountainOne, MCC, and Housatonic Heritage.
Abbott, an independent researcher and 18th century living history practitioner, will discuss the final fight of that conflict that took place in Sheffield on February 27, 1787, and its impact not only on local communities but on larger issues that would play out in the Constitutional Convention later that summer in Philadelphia.
The presentation is on Tuesday, August 22nd at 5:30 p.m. at Arrowhead on Holmes Road in Pittsfield. Tickets are $15 and $10 for BCHS members. Tickets can be found online.
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Free Tree Identification Walk in Lower Bowker’s Woods with BEAT
Stockbridge— On Sunday, August 20th at 9:30 a.m., Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) will lead a free tree identification walk in Lower Bowker’s Woods.
The one-mile trail meanders along the Housatonic River and through a charming upland forest. Participants will learn key characteristics of common trees in western Massachusetts and get tips to help identify them by species.
The walk is on Sunday, August 20th at 9:30 a.m. Participants will meet at the trailhead of Lower Bowker’s Woods, a Laurel Hill Association property located near Stockbridge. The walk will last between 1.5 and 2 hours. Anybody is welcome to join, but the number of participants is limited. Registration is required to join. Register online. All questions regarding this program can be directed to chelsey@thebeatnews.org.
Be prepared. The trail is typically considered an easy route, but it has uneven terrain in some areas with many roots. It also intersects railroad tracks. Some areas of the trail can be wet and muddy. Wear sturdy shoes that can handle getting muddy and possibly a little wet. Long pants and long socks are recommended, as ticks can be abundant during this time of year. If you want to treat your clothing with repellent, please do so before getting to the trail.
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Wandering Dance Festival call for performers
Pittsfield— Presented by the Mill Town Foundation and the Wandering Dance Society, the first “Wandering Dance Festival” will be held this coming November throughout downtown Pittsfield. Free community dance classes, workshops, and events will take place between November 12th and November 17th culminating in a showcase performance at the Colonial Theatre on Saturday, November 18th. This final showcase will feature several performances from local artists and we invite dancers and choreographers from the Berkshire community to submit an application to be considered for the event.
Wandering Dance Society is accepting submissions from movement and dance artists for their work to be presented at the culminating performance of the “Wandering Dance Festival” taking place at the Colonial Theatre on Saturday, November 18th Submissions are being accepted through August 25th and will be reviewed by an advisory panel. Selected performers will be notified by September 1st. Artists will receive compensation/honorarium for their participation. More information can be found online. Please contact Wandering Dance Society coordinator, Olivia Martin, at info@milltownfoundation.org with any questions.
