Sled library installed at Shatford Memorial Park in New Lebanon courtesy of Girl Scout Troop #1759
New Lebanon, N.Y. — Girl Scout Troop #1759, a troop of 6th and 7th grade girls in New Lebanon, built and installed a sled library near the small hill at Shatford Memorial Park on Old Post Road.
The scouts, who recently bridged from Juniors to Cadettes, regularly participate in service projects in the community. For this project, they used their own tools from a previous project in which they assembled their own personal toolboxes. They held a tool-use workshop before building the sled library with the assistance of parent volunteers. The scouts then installed the library at the park and troop families donated the sleds. Community members are invited to borrow and return the sleds at their own risk.
New Lebanon Town Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling said, “We are thrilled to have our very own sled library in our town park! A huge thank you to Girl Scout troop #1759 for their hard work building this wonderful asset for our community!”
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Shakespeare & Company introduces new winter session of its Riotous Youth theater program
Lenox — Shakespeare & Company has announced that it will hold a new winter session of its Riotous Youth theater program for students ages seven through eleven from Tuesday, February 20th through Friday, February 23rd, coinciding with Massachusetts and New York Public Schools winter breaks.
Riotous Youth introduces students to Shakespeare’s language, stories, characters, and themes using imaginative and playful methods that incorporate voice, movement, and acting. This fast-paced, four-day session will focus on Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” culminating with a performance piece shared with family, friends, and Shakespeare & Company staff on the final day of the session.
The session runs from Tuesday, February 20th through Friday, February 23rd at the Shakespeare & Company campus on Kemble Street in Lenox. Tuition is $325. Limited financial aid is available. Registration and more information can be found online, by emailing ckraft@shakespeare.org, or by calling 413-637-1199 ext. 132.
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Berkshire Theatre Group presents ‘Magic Tree House Merlin Missions: Winter of the Ice Wizard’
Pittsfield — On Saturday, February 17th at 2 p.m., Berkshire Theatre Group presents the BTG PLAYS! 2023-2024 touring show, ‘Magic Tree House Merlin Missions: Winter of the Ice Wizard,’ at The Colonial Theatre as part of the 10X10 Upstreet Arts Festival.
A magical tree house transports Jack and Annie to a frozen kingdom of ice and snow. In this fantastical adventure, Merlin the Magician and Morgan le Fay have disappeared. To find them, Jack and Annie must journey with their friends Teddy and Kathleen to the mythical Land-Behind-the-Clouds. There they must overcome their fears and solve the Ice Wizard’s riddle, because if Jack and Annie don’t complete their mission in time, Merlin and Morgan will disappear forever.
Mary Pope Osborne’s award-winning fantasy adventure books from the “Magic Tree House” book series have sold more than 100 million copies and are available in more than 100 countries around the world. Based upon “Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #4 Winter of the Ice Wizard,”, with book and lyrics by Will Osborne and Jenny Laird, and music and lyrics by Randy Courts, the production is directed by Kathy Jo Grover and the cast features youth actors from the Berkshire community.
The performance is on Saturday, February 17th at 2 p.m. at The Colonial Theatre on South Street in Pittsfield. Tickets are $12. Tickets and more information can be found online or by calling 413-997-4444.
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The Stagecoach Tavern presents ‘Campfire & Creative Kids Club’
Sheffield — On Wednesday, January 31st from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., The Stagecoach Tavern presents ‘Campfire & Creative Kids Club” for kids ages three and up. The club will run weekly on Wednesdays through March 6th.
Melanie Willins, M.Ed will lead activities for the kids, including energetic playtime, games, music, collaborative arts and crafts, and a campfire circle, plus there will be kid-friendly performances and presentations.
Parents can drop off their little ones while they enjoy time at the campfire, a late afternoon hike to the waterfall, or a relaxing dinner in the tavern. Parents are also welcome to stay and participate in the creative activities and hang out by the fire with the kids. Starting at 5 p.m., kid-friendly food options, including hot cocoa and s’mores, will be available.
The club meets on Wednesday, January 31st from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and weekly on Wednesdays through March 6th at The Stagecoach Tavern on Undermountain Road in Sheffield. The cost is $25 per child per session with a discount for multiple children or sessions. More information can be found online.
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The Clark Art Institute offers free gallery tours for parents with infants
Williamstown — On Friday, February 2nd at 10:15 a.m., the Clark Art Institute hosts a free tour of its permanent collection galleries for new parents or caregivers with infants.
In this special program, new parents and caregivers bring their infants into the galleries for a guided visit and the opportunity to socialize with other community members in a casual environment. The informal tour includes a unique look at the Clark’s permanent collection, featuring an array of works by a variety of artists. This event is offered monthly and each month offers a different selection of artworks.
The tour is on Friday, February 2nd at 10:15 a.m. at the Clark Art Institute on South Street in Williamstown. This program is best suited for adults with pre-toddlers. Strollers and front-carrying baby carriers are welcome. More information can be found online.
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‘Free First Wednesdays’ at Springfield Museums
Springfield — The Springfield Museums presents “Free First Wednesday,” underwritten by an extraordinary three-year, $800,000 grant from the Art Bridges Foundation as part of its nationwide “Access for All” program.
On the first Wednesday of each month through the end of 2026, admission to all five of the museums in the Springfield Museums collective is completely free. Located in the heart of downtown Springfield, the Springfield Museums include the Springfield Science Museum, the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, and the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History.
Admission includes “Animationland” running through May 5th at the Springfield Science Museum. “Animationland” empowers visitors of all ages to experiment, learn, and tell their own stories through animation. Dive into the world of storytelling and channel your creativity to develop your own animated production using storyboarding, sketching, stop-motion movie making, and more!
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Local cultural grants awarded for Alford and Egremont
Alford/Egremont — James Warwick, chair of the Alford-Egremont Cultural Council, has announced the award of 33 grants totaling $13,170 for cultural programs that directly benefit the residents of Alford and Egremont.
The Alford-Egremont Cultural Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. The LCC (Local Cultural Council) Program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences, and humanities every year. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates funds to each community.
Decisions about which activities to support are made at the community level by a board of municipally appointed volunteers. The members of the Alford-Egremont Cultural Council are: James Warwick, co-chair; Phyllis Slocum, Secretary; Jon Caplan, Treasurer; Leslie Alfin, Communications; Sandra Josel; Oskar Hallig; Conor Canning; and Sharon Schafler.
This year’s remarkable recipients include:
- Center for Peace Through Culture
- Pop-up Choir Berkshires
- Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood
- Flying Cloud Institute, Inc.
- Berkshire Bach Society, Inc.
- West Stockbridge Historical Society, Inc.
- Shakespeare & Company, Inc.
- Dewey Memorial Hall, Inc.
- Costello Astronomy Lectures
- Edith Wharton Restoration, Inc.
- Dewey Memorial Hall, Inc.
- Berkshire Pulse, Inc.
- Berkshire Children’s Chorus, Inc.
- Henden-Wilson, Peggy
- Triplex Cinema, Inc.
- Aston Magna Foundation for Music and the Humanities, Inc.
- New Marlborough Village Association, Inc.
- WAM Theatre, Inc.
- Blue Rider Stables, Inc.
- Festival Latino of the Berkshires, Inc.
- IS183, Inc.
- Great Barrington Public Theater, Inc.
- Triplex Cinema, Inc.
- Vocalis Youth Choir, Inc.
- West Stockbridge Historical Society, Inc.
- Greenagers, Inc.
- Berkshire South Regional Community Center
- Greenagers Education Stewardship
- Berkshire Ukulele Band (BUB) and Berkshire Sings! (Sings!)
- Alford Artists Open StudiosTour
- Jazz & Pie
- The Stockbridge Sinfonia, Inc.
The Alford-Egremont Cultural Council will seek applications again in the fall. Applications and more information can be found online.
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Registration now open for the 19th Annual Energize Connecticut℠ eesmarts™ student contest
New Britain, Conn. — Energize Connecticut℠ Sponsors, Eversource and Avangrid, Inc. subsidiaries United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, announced today that registration is open for the 19th annual eesmarts™ Student Contest.
For nearly two decades, the contest has invited Connecticut students in grades K-12 to answer grade-level-specific prompts on how they would promote energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable solutions.
This year, students in Grades K-8 are asked to submit their entries in the form of a poster (Grades K-2), limericks (Grade 3), outdoor billboard (Grade 4), fictional story with an energy-saving character (Grade 5), persuasive letter (Grade 6), comic strip (Grade 7), or social media post (Grade 8). Students in Grades nine through 12 will produce a persuasive image in words or pictures, such as a short poem (125 words or less) or cartoon strip (12 cells or less) that advocates for an energy topic.
“To see the creativity and critical thinking displayed by Connecticut students who participate in this annual contest is always inspiring to me,” said Frank Reynolds, President & CEO of United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas. “I look forward to reviewing this year’s submissions and seeing these students’ commitment to helping us reduce our emissions and further the clean energy transition. Our students are our future, and the products of contests like this one make me confident we’re in good hands.”
Registration is open until March 22. Submissions are due on March 29th. No group projects are being accepted this year. Entries will be evaluated based on scientific validity as well as concise and convincing imagery. Finalists in all categories and grade levels will be honored at a special awards ceremony to be held in May. Winners will receive a certificate and an Amazon gift card. More information can be found online.
