Berkshire Mountain Distillers releases three new craft whiskies
SHEFFIELD — This month, as part of the Craft Brewers Whiskey Project, Berkshire Mountain Distillers (BMD) is releasing three whiskies sourced from popular brewers Samuel Adams, Jack’s Abby, and Berkshire Brewing Company.
This five-year collaboration includes the distilling of a dozen different beers from a limited collection of Northeast craft brewers. Each addition is blended to 86 proof using BMD’s spring water and packaged in custom bottles with brewer-designed labels.
Whiskies will be sold in the BMD tasting room and then released to select stores throughout 2021. The most recent whiskies highlight Boston Lager from Samuel Adams, Berkshire Brewing Company’s Imperial Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale, and Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers’ Smoke & Dagger Black Lager.
The first release of whiskies in this series were distilled from beers brewed by Massachusetts Bay Brewing Co., Spencer Brewery, and Big Elm Brewing. Later releases will highlight Brewery Ommegang, Captain Lawrence Brewing, Smuttynose Brewing, Long Trail Brewing Company, Two Roads Brewing, and Chatham Brewing.
The distillery, located at 356 South Main Street in Sheffield, is open daily from 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
—A.K.
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Dewey Hall to host Young at Heart outdoor series for all ages
SHEFFIELD — Dewey Hall will host Young at Heart, a family-friendly series for all ages, at 10 a.m. on Saturday mornings from May 15–September 11. The series will be held in the Hall’s back yard and tickets are free, although donations are greatly appreciated.
For more information, visit the Dewey Hall website, email deweymemorialhall@gmail.com, or call 919-478-4335.
Young at Heart schedule:
May 15: Roger the Jester
May 22: Aldo Lavaggi (music)
May 29: Tall Tales and Flights of Fancy (storytelling)
June 5 Family Dance Around the World
June 12: Roger the Jester
June 19: Tall Tales and Flights of Fancy (storytelling)
June 26: Erika Ludwig (music)
July 3: Family Dance Around the World
July 10: Roger the Jester
July 17: Aldo Lavaggi (music)
July 24: Tall Tales and Flights of Fancy (storytelling)
July 31: Roger the Jester
Aug. 14: Family Dance Around the World
Aug. 21: Roger the Jester
Aug. 28: Tall Tales and Flights of Fancy (storytelling)
Sept. 4: Family Dance Around the World
Sept. 11: Roger the Jester
Party size will be limited to 4 people. Each party will have a 5-foot diameter circle to sit in, and each circle’s edge will be 6 feet away from the next. Please reserve your party’s tickets together and please reserve in advance, as space is limited. Bring a blanket or chair to sit on. Masks and physical distancing will be required. The event space will open at 9:45 a.m. and entertainment will begin at 10 a.m.
—A.K.
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BCC to hold pinning ceremony for Physical Therapist Assistants
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will hold the Class of 2021 Physical Therapist Assistant Pinning Ceremony on Thursday, May 27 at 6 p.m. in the Connector (between Hawthorne and Melville Halls) at BCC. The Pinning Ceremony, which honors physical therapist assistant (PTA) students who have successfully completed all requirements of the program, marks the entrance of these students into their professional field.
While the event is open only to BCC faculty, administration, and students involved in the ceremony, it will be recorded live by local station PCTV and broadcast on Spectrum cable channel 1302. Viewers can also tune in on the PCTV Select app, which will air a video on demand after production. A livestream will be available at the PCTV Facebook page.
To graduate from the program and earn an associate’s degree in science as a PTA, students must complete 66 credits, including 640 hours of full-time clinical experiences in the field under the supervision of local physical therapists and PTAs. Established in 1990, BCC’s program is one of only 378 accredited PTA programs in the country.
—A.K.
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Dorset Theatre Festival announces deadline for Young Playwrights Competition
DORSET, Vt. — Dorset Theatre Festival has announced the submission deadline for the 8th annual Jean E. Miller Young Playwrights Competition. This year’s deadline for submissions is Friday, May 28, and the ceremony will be held virtually on Friday, June 11 at 4 p.m.
All middle and high school students in Vermont are eligible and encouraged to submit their work. A panel of professional playwrights and theater artists from across the country will read the submissions and select winning pieces. Selected playwrights will be recognized in a live presentation and professional actors will read excerpts from their work.
An annual collaboration between Dorset Theatre Festival and local schools, the Young Playwrights program provides regional middle and high school students the opportunity to learn about playwriting and create plays of their own. Since the pandemic began, the Festival has continued to offer its classes online, free for all participants. More than 200 students participated in more than 75 online workshops since November. Dorset also released the final two videos in a series of virtual classes available on-demand through the Festival’s website or its YouTube channel.
—A.K.
