MASSGathering
Great Barrington – Ski Butternut will host MASSGathering on Saturday, May 28, and Sunday, May 29. Formerly SummerSound Live at Tanglewood, MASSGathering is a two-day festival that runs in conjunction with the Memorial Day races.
MASSGathering will feature musical acts Matisyahu, Gin Blossoms, Deer Tick, Wild Adriatic, Madaila, Strange Machines, Parsonsfield, West End Blend, Whiskey Treaty Roadshow, and DJ BFG. The weekend will also include race events for runners such as a marathon, half-marathon, 10K, 5K, and a kids’ fun run. Exhibits and vendors like Berkshire International Film Festival, Eagle Ray Traders, Henna by Heather, commUNITYmovement, Big Elm Brewing, Furnace Brook Winery, Fox Hill Farm’s PaPa Dogs, and Brava will round out the offering.
Festival gates will open at 10:30 a.m. on both days. Tickets are available in a variety of forms including single-day, weekend, camping, and VIP. Tickets and more information are available from the Berkshire Edge calendar and by contacting (561) 470-7966 or info@massgathering.com.
–E.E.
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Shakespeare & Co. to present ‘The Taming’
Lenox — Shakespeare & Company will open its 39th performance season on Friday, May 27, with the regional premiere of “The Taming,” written by award-winning playwright Lauren Gunderson and directed by Company veteran Nicole Ricciardi.
Super-patriot Miss Georgia has something bigger in mind for the Miss America pageant than winning a crown: she wants to jump-start a movement to rewrite the Constitution. She locks herself in a hotel room with two captive political opposites and the ensuing conflict plays out in hilarious fashion, complete with a screwball chase scene, underwear gags, and slyly developing sexual attractions.
“The Taming” will run through Saturday, July 30. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call the Shakespeare & Company box office at (413) 637-3353.
–E.E.
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Lenox Rhubarb Festival
Lenox — The third annual Lenox Rhubarb Festival will take place on Saturday, May 28, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. under the tent at the Lenox Library’s Reading Park. The event is free and open to the public.
The Festival will feature a rhubarb chili contest among Lenox restaurant chefs, an assortment of sweet and savory rhubarb creations from local bakers, and a Rhubarb Shop Walk. Horticulturalist and rhubarb expert Scott Harrington will be on hand to answer questions about rhubarb and dispense growing advice. Homemade rhubarb juice and soda will be available, as will rhubarb recipe booklets and plenty of fresh rhubarb.
–E.E.
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‘As Was and As Is’ at Lauren Clark Fine Art
Great Barrington – Currently on view at Lauren Clark Fine Art is “As Was and As Is,” works on paper by Franco Pellegrino. The Gallery will hold a reception for the artist on Saturday, May 28, from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
The paper used by Pellegrino for the works in the show is taken from reams of “reject paper” purchased by the former Miller Art Supply in Pittsfield from Mead paper in the 1960s. Pellegrino has continued to work on this special paper and, in addition to the large paintings the show will be highlighting, many small paintings on this same paper will make their gallery debut.
The show will run through Monday, June 6. For more information, contact the Gallery at (413) 528-0432.
–E.E.
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EPA awards nearly $16 million to clean up New England brownfields
Boston – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced it will award $15,994,000 in Brownfields grants to municipalities and organizations working in all six New England states to protect people’s health by assessing and cleaning up contaminated parcels in New England communities.
The grants are funded by EPA’s Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup programs and provide communities with the funding they need to assess, clean up and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment.
Since the beginning of the Brownfields program in New England, the EPA has awarded 374 assessment grants totaling $99.1 million, 73 revolving loan fund grants and supplemental funding totaling $90 million, and 261 cleanup grants totaling $66.7 million. The grant funds have paved the way for more than $1.4 billion in public and private cleanup and redevelopment investment and for nearly 8,859 jobs in assessment, cleanup, construction, and redevelopment. These investments and jobs target local, under-served and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods – places where environmental cleanups and new jobs are most needed.
In Massachusetts, a total of $4,650,000 in Brownfields grants are being awarded this year:
- Greylock Flume Inc. – $200,000 (cleanup)
- City of Adams – $400,000 (assessment)
- City of Chicopee – $600,000 (cleanup)
- Town of Lee – $300,000 (assessment)
- Town of Plymouth – $600,000 (cleanup of Revere Copper)
- Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection – $400,000 (assessment)
- City of Everett – $200,000 (assessment)
- City of Gardner – $600,000 (cleanup of Garbose Metals)
- Town of Merrimack – $530,000 (cleanup of Coastal Metals)
- Merrimack Valley Planning Commission – $820,000 (revolving loan fund)
–E.E.
