Editor’s Note: We had so much news this week that we decided to break Bits & Bytes into two parts. This is the second part.
Berkshire Theatre Group presents Harvest & Rust: A Neil Young Experience at the Colonial Theatre
Pittsfield— On Friday, September 29th at 7:30 p.m., Berkshire Theatre Group presents Harvest & Rust: A Neil Young Experience at the Colonial Theatre.
Representing the wide-array of Neil Young’s influential material in one show, Western Massachusetts-based band Harvest & Rust covers everything Neil Young, from the chart-topping Harvest material including “Old Man” and “Heart of Gold” to the more electric explorations of Rust Never Sleeps like “Hey Hey, My My”. They also perform songs from Young’s time in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Buffalo Springfield.
Harvest & Rust is comprised of beloved Western Massachusetts-based musicians: Matt Cahill (Static), Andy Gordon (Spurs USA), John Kiernan (Who Are You: A Tribute to The Who), Garrett Lechowski (Who Are You: A Tribute to The Who and American Zeppelin), and Jim Reynolds (Wild Card and Wishful Thinking).
The concert is on Friday, September 29th at 7:30 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre on South Street in Pittsfield. Tickets are $30. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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The Bennington Museum presents “Legends & Lore” roadside marker public dedication ceremony in Pownal recognizing the only known Vermont witch trial
Pownal— On Saturday, September 16th at 1 p.m., the Bennington Museum presents “Legends & Lore” roadside marker public dedication ceremony in Pownal recognizing the only known Vermont witch trial.
Bennington Museum has received a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation for the full cost of fabricating a “Legends & Lore” roadside marker to recognize the only known Vermont witch trial. Pownal Historical Society member, Joyce Held, and Jamie Franklin, curator at Bennington Museum, worked in tandem with the Vermont Folklife Center to secure this funding and bring an obscure and dark part of Southern Vermont history to light.
The marker will be placed at Strobridge Park along the Hoosick River in North Pownal, overlooked by Kreiger Rocks near the site where Widow Kreiger was thought to have been “tried.” The marker will read as follows:
WITCH TRIAL
WIDOW KRIEGER SAID TO ESCAPE
DROWNING IN THIS RIVER WHEN
TRIED AS A WITCH CA. 1785.
ACCUSERS BELIEVED WITCHES
FLOATED. SHE SANK & WAS SAVED
The ceremony will be on Saturday, September 16th at 1 p.m. on Zero Dean Road just before the bridge off of Route 346 in North Pownal. The event will feature tasty treats, music, a “witches walk” parade across the bridge, and kids activities before and after the dedication. More information can be found online.
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The Clark Art Institute presents the first and second installments of their film series examining the the L.A. Rebellion
Williamstown— On Thursdays, September 21st and September 28th at 6 p.m., the Clark Art Institute presents the first and second installments of their film series examining the the L.A. Rebellion, presented in celebration and anticipation of the Clark’s 2023 Conference, “The Fetish A(r)t Work: African Objects in the Making of European Art History, 1500–1900.”
Starting in the late 1960s in Los Angeles, especially in and around the University of California (UCLA) Film School, a group of Black filmmakers began exploring alternatives to the film industry, eschewing Hollywood patterns and embracing international influences, ethnographic study, and African history and mythology. This series of films from the Los Angeles School of Black Filmmakers is better known as the L.A. Rebellion film movement.
On Thursday, September 21st at 6 p.m., the Clark kicks off the four-part film series with “Killer of Sheep”. Directed by Charles Burnett, “Killer of Sheep” (1977; 1 hour, 21 minutes) became one of the L.A. Rebellion’s most widely celebrated films for years. The focus is slaughterhouse worker Stan (novelist, playwright, and actor Henry Gayle Sanders) whose dispiriting job wears him down, alienates him from his family, and becomes an unspoken metaphor for the ongoing pressures of economic malaise.
On Thursday, September 28th at 6 p.m., the series continues with “Bless Their Little Hearts”. Nate Hardman and Kaycee Moore deliver gut-wrenching performances as the couple whose family is torn apart by events beyond their control. If salvation remains, it’s in the sensitive depiction of everyday life, which persists throughout. Written and shot by Charles Burnett, the film’s ending can be seen as a spiritual goodbye not just to Burnett, who would move away from his neorealist work with his next film, the classic To Sleep with Anger (1990); but also for Woodberry, who moved into documentary; and for Hardman, who left cinema shortly after. This image, of Burnett behind the camera setting up a shot of his own daughter, serves as a testament to a critical ethos of the L.A. Rebellion: Black Artists telling Black stories for Black audiences. The film remains an unforgettable landmark in American cinema.
The free screenings are on Thursdays, September 21st and September 28th at 6 p.m. in the Manton Research Center Auditorium at the Clark Art Institute on South Street in Williamstown. More information can be found online.
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The Hoosac Berkshire Valley, Berkshire Scenic Railroad Museum’s scenic train ride based in Adams will be hosting fall foliage trips
Adams— From September 23rd to October 22nd, the Hoosac Berkshire Valley, Berkshire Scenic Railroad Museum’s (BSRM) scenic train ride based in Adams will be hosting fall foliage trips.
These one-hour rides offer a unique opportunity to see the beautiful changing scenery of the Berkshires from the Adams Branch Line. “This is one of the busiest times of the year for us. The Berkshire mountains are always beautiful, but are simply awe-inspiring when seen from our train in the autumn. We invite all families to join us on the Adams Branch to make memories that will last a lifetime.”
The rides are from September 23rd to October 22nd departing from Adams Station on Hoosac Street in Adams. Passenger parking is available next door at the Adams Visitor Center. A complete schedule and ticket information can be found online.
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The North Berkshire Contra Dance opens its fall season with a lively community contra dance with Kathy and Jeff Walker
Williamstown— On Saturday, September 16th, 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., the North Berkshire Contra Dance opens its fall season with a lively community contra dance taught by caller Jeff Walker with energetic New England-style dance music by Kathy and Jeff Walker.
Contra dancing is the contemporary face of a living tradition; some of the dances are hundreds of years old and some are recently composed. Jeff’s hallmark clear instructions and infectious enthusiasm combine with the band’s high-energy music to create an unforgettable evening of dancing just right for the level of experience of the crowd.
Kathy and Jeff Walker have been playing New England-style dance music for over 40 years. Kathy plays fiddle and Jeff accompanies her on guitar and calls. Their repertoire spans the Celtic world drawing tunes from Ireland, Scotland, Galicia, French Canada, Cape Breton, and Appalachia, and includes many kinds of dance music from fast, energetic jigs and reels to slow, beautiful waltzes.
Everyone is welcome. New dancers and families with children are encouraged to arrive at 7:30 p.m. for an introductory lesson. Come with or without a partner; most people change partners for each dance throughout the evening.
The dance is on Saturday, September 16th from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church on Main Street in Williamstown. Admission is pay-as-you-can ($12 to $20 suggested) or barter (especially help with cleanup). Masks encouraged. More information can be found online.
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LumiNAMA call for holiday window displays artists in downtown North Adams
North Adams— The LumiNAMA Light Festival is seeking artists and community groups to create holiday window displays for unoccupied storefronts in downtown North Adams this holiday season.
LumiNAMA is an annual festival of lights and events begun in 2022 to brighten and celebrate downtown North Adams during the holiday season. It kicks off with the City’s tree lighting on November 22nd and lasts through New Year’s Day. Last year, eight unoccupied storefronts were illuminated once again by the creative talents of local artists in addition to dozens of business owners who created holiday displays for their own windows, and in the first ever LumiNAMA Awards, 30 local artists and business owners vied for three awards: Brightest Lights, Best Artistic Installation, and Best Window Display.
Interested artists and community groups are invited to submit their holiday window display idea online by October 4th. Applicants will be chosen based on their alignment with this year’s LumiNAMA theme of “A Few of My Favorite Things”, their unique creative expression, and use of lights. Preference will be given to those living and/or working in North Adams.
There are 10 windows available and each chosen applicant will be awarded $200 for use on their display. Winners will be announced on October 11th and will be asked to complete their window display in time for the City of North Adam’s tree lighting on November 22nd. Applications will be reviewed by a committee of local leaders including Mayor Jennifer Mackse, Maureen Baran, SVP Communications at Adams Community Bank; Anna Farrington, Founder of First Fridays and Owner of the Installation Space; and Nico Dery, Business Development Director for the North Adams Chamber.
Learn more about how to get involved with LumiNAMA online.
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Berkshire Running Foundation and Spectrum Health host inaugural ‘FIR’ 5K
Pittsfield— On Sunday, September 24th at 9 a.m., the Berkshire Running Foundation, sponsored by Spectrum Health, hosts the inaugural “FIR” (Fitness in Recovery) 5K.
The 5K Walk/Run is to benefit the Berkshire Running Foundation’s Fitness In Recovery program. This 3.1 mile event encourages the community to come out and support the continuing efforts being made by the FIR program with members of our community through wellness and exercise to help them support their journey to recovery.
Berkshire Running Foundation and Spectrum Health staff and clients have worked towards helping to create a program offering a free, safe, sober, and supportive environment for anyone who would like to introduce fitness into their lives. A proven benefit to helping anyone to deal with the issues surrounding any type of recovery including substance abuse, anxiety, depression, grief, among others. It also benefits caregivers of those in recovery.
“September is National Recovery Month, a time to celebrate individuals who are in recovery, celebrate those who are trying to find recovery, and honor those who have lost their battle with addiction. Recovery is Every person, Every Family, and Every Community – Everyone is invited to join us to celebrate Recovery Month with a 5K walk or run.” -Rebecca Polastri, Regional Executive Director of Spectrum Health
To prepare for the 5K, there is a weekly training program on the bike path. The training program is free and open to the public. It is led by wellness coaches through Berkshire Running Foundation. For more information about the training program, email director@berkshirerun.org.
Other upcoming events for Berkshire Running Foundation include the Berkshire Half Marathon and Two-Person Relay on October 8th, the Roaring 5K at the Red Lion Inn and Naumkeag to benefit Community Access to the Arts,, and the 8th annual MountainOne Thankful 5K to be held at Berkshire Community College on Thanksgiving morning.
The FIR 5K will be held on Sunday, September 24th at 9 a.m. at the Crane Avenue (Pittsfield) entrance to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. Register online. Sponsorships are available for these events online or by emailing director@berkshirerun.org.
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‘Stop The Bleed’ emergency training offered in Great Barrington
Great Barrington— On Friday, September 22nd at 4 p.m. and at 6 p.m., Fairview Hospital and the Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance Squad will co-host two sessions of the “Stop the Bleed” program, offering important life-saving skills for lay persons and health and safety professionals.
The Stop the Bleed program teaches the basics of recognizing severe bleeding, getting help, and controlling bleeding immediately using simple tools and skills that can be mastered in this class. The skills are valuable for anyone who encounters a construction accident, motor vehicle crash, or any other emergency where someone may suffer a serious injury and is at risk of experiencing life threatening blood loss.
The sessions are on Friday, September 22nd at 4 p.m. and at 6 p.m. in the ground floor conference room at Fairview Hospital on Lewis Avenue in Great Barrington. They are free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. To register, please contact the Community Relations Office at 413-854-9609 or 413-854-9656
Fairview Hospital also offers monthly life safety skills and safety courses and programming for including CPR, First Aid, and AED training through its CPR Plus Program. For more information on these programs, please call 413-528-2663.
