Wednesday, November 13, 2024

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Bits & Bytes: BBG Harvest Festival; Stockbridge Art Walk; pop-up art show; Peter Hand Trio; Glenn Miller Orchestra

The Art Walk is a self-guided tour of locations within the downtown area of Stockbridge.

Berkshire Botanical Garden to host 85th annual Harvest Festival

Stockbridge — Berkshire Botanical Garden will host its 85th annual Harvest Festival Saturday, Oct. 12, and Sunday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Continuous family entertainment; a giant tag sale; an expanded plant sale; a farmers’ market’ and free workshops on cheese-making, cider-making, beekeeping and traditions of the harvest are scheduled. Children’s activities will include hay rides, pony rides, a haunted house, pumpkin painting and a hay maze. New this year is archery in the Procter Garden sponsored by Canyon Ranch. A silent auction preview party will take place Friday, Oct.11, from 5 to 7 p.m. in BBG’s Center House, with the auction running through 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12. Live entertainment will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday with Andy Kelly’s Jazz Ambassadors and continue with the Berkshire Waldorf School’s puppet wagon show, the Church Ladies, Tom Ricardi’s birds of prey, Bryson Lang, the Puppet Brigade, Jack Waldheim, and the Picky Bastards. On Sunday, entertainment will begin at 11:45 a.m. with the Berkshire Waldorf School Puppet Wagon, Moonshine Holler, David Grover, the Lucky Five, James Rissacher, and the Sunday Strummers ukulele band. In addition, attendees will find more than 100 regional artisan food and craft vendors; tag sales featuring jewelry and accessories, gently used household items and clothing; and a plant and bulb sale.

Admission is $7 for adults and free for children ages 12 and under. Harvest Festival wristbands can be pre-purchased at BBG’s Visitor Center through Wednesday, Oct. 9. Dogs, with the exception of service dogs, are not permitted at the festival. For more information, contact Berkshire Botanical Garden at (413) 298-3926 or info@berkshirebotanical.org.

–E.E.

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‘Berkshire Hills’ by Guild of Berkshire Artists member Walter Pasko. Image courtesy Guild of Berkshire Artists

Stockbridge Art Walk to include studio tours

Stockbridge — The Guild of Berkshire Artists and TKG Real Estate will present the Stockbridge Second Thursday Art Walk Thursday, Oct. 10, from 4 to 7 p.m.

The Art Walk is a self-guided tour of locations within the downtown area of Stockbridge. Participants can partake of light refreshments at TKG Real Estate then stroll to Schantz Galleries across the street from 4 to 5:30 p.m., the Stockbridge Library art exhibit from 4 to 4:45 p.m., the Stockbridge Station Gallery from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and an art talk with artist Karen Dolmanisth at the Red Lion Inn from 5 to 5:30 p.m. The Guild of Berkshire Artists’ art studio tours will continue Saturday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. when more than 20 Berkshire County artists will open their studios to the public.

A map of the Art Walk locations, which are all within a half-mile walk, will be available at the TKG office. Stockbridge Art Walk will continue on the second Thursday of each month through December. For more information, call (413) 298-0610.

–E.E.

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Gedney Farm to hold pop-up art show

Photo: Susan Copich, courtesy Gedney Farm

New Marlborough — On Saturday, Oct. 12, and Sunday, Oct. 13, from 3 to 6 p.m., Gedney Farm will host a pop-up art show featuring acclaimed regional artists in the media of photography and film, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and more.

All works of art are for sale. A preview of the show will take place Friday, Oct. 11, at 5 p.m. in conjunction with Gedney Farm’s regular restaurant service. Participating artists will include Susan Copich, Ann Getsinger, Maura Galante, Cynthia Atwood, Peter Barrett, Sam Sorrentino, Karl Hester and Peter Miscikoski.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Gedney Farm at (413) 229-3131 or frontdesk@gedneyfarm.com.

–E.E.

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West Stockbridge Historical Society to present Peter Hand Trio

The Peter Hand Trio. Photo courtesy West Stockbridge Historical Society

West Stockbridge — As part of its West Stockbridge Jazz Series, the West Stockbridge Historical Society will present the Peter Hand Trio Saturday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m. at the Old Town Hall, 9 Main St. The trio features hand on guitar, Harvie S on bass and Steve Johns on drums.

Guitarist, composer, and arranger Hand leads his own combos and big band in New York and New England and has worked with many top artists and bands. His third recording, a modern big-band album titled “Hand Painted Dream,” was recently released on Savant Records. Hand has performed in the Berkshires at the former Castle Street Cafe and the Williamstown Jazz Festival. For many years he spent time visiting at a family home in Stockbridge, where he worked on many of his original compositions and arrangements. Said Hand: “I love the Berkshires, and Stockbridge and West Stockbridge are some of my favorite places. It’s such a wonderfully inspiring atmosphere to be in for the arts, nature, and a community of caring and spirited people.”

Tickets are $35. A reception with the artists featuring light refreshments will follow the concert. For tickets and mote information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar.

–E.E.

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The Glenn Miller Orchestra with band leader Nick Hilscher. Photo courtesy Glenn Miller Orchestra

Colonial Theatre to welcome Glenn Miller Orchestra

Pittsfield — Berkshire Theatre Group will welcome the Glenn Miller Orchestra to the Colonial Theatre, 111 South St., Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m.

The legendary Glenn Miller was one of the most successful and memorable dance bandleaders in the swing era of the 1930s and ’40s. Miller disbanded his musical organization in 1942 at the height of its popularity to volunteer for the Army. There, he organized and led the famous Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band, which went to Europe to entertain servicemen, performing numerous shows live and on the radio. On Dec. 15, 1944, Miller took off in a single-engine plane to precede his band to France, disappearing over the English Channel never to be seen again.

With the release of the film “The Glenn Miller Story” featuring Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson in 1954, interest and popular demand led the Miller estate to authorize the formation of the present day Glenn Miller Orchestra. On June 6, 1956, under the direction of AAFB drummer Ray McKinley, the reformed Glenn Miller Orchestra performed its first concert, and has been on the road ever since. Today, the 18-member ensemble continues to play many of the original Miller arrangements from both the civilian band and the AAFB libraries. Additionally, it also plays modern selections arranged and performed in Mr. Miller’s iconic style and sound. Vocalist Nick Hilscher has led the band since January 2012.

Tickets are $39. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact the Colonial ticket office at (413) 997-4444.

–E.E.

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