Pittsfield — Since 1985, the Berkshire Museum’s Festival of Trees has brought Christmas cheer to the Berkshires with Christmas trees decorated by local organizations and businesses.
With the museum closed since January for renovations, this year’s festival was relocated to Hancock Shaker Village at 1843 West Housatonic Street. “It was a match made in heaven for us to partner up with Hancock Shaker Village for this year’s festival,” Museum Membership and Development Manager William Demick told The Berkshire Edge. “We have been working with Hancock Shaker Village throughout the year to hold our programs in their space, including our ‘10 Days of Play’ program in February and our summer camp programs. It has been a wonderful partnership, and our educators have really enjoyed being out there. When it came time to plan our Festival of Trees, it just seemed to be a good match to keep this tradition alive.”
This year’s trees were decorated by Berkshire Bank, BFAIR, Love Us and Leave Us Dog Day Care Center, Guardian Life Insurance, Boys and Girls Club of the Berkshires, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Berkshire County United Way, along with various schools from the area including Saint Agnes Academy, Hoosac Valley High School, and Berkshire County Head Start.
This year’s festival is on display in the Hancock Shaker Village’s 1826 Round Stone Barn, a former dairy barn.
According to Berkshire Museum Director of Marketing and Communications Shane Frasier, the theme of this year’s festival is “Barn to be Wild.” “We wanted the theme to connect with our host location of Hancock Shaker Village,” he said. “I was looking for some kind of pun with a farm or barn, and then that ‘Born to be Wild’ song popped in my head. ‘Barn to be Wild’ was a perfect fit for a theme this year.”
“Hancock Shaker Village is the oldest working farm in Berkshire County, so it all fits together,” Demick added. “It’s a great setting for the festival.”
“It really speaks to the holiday spirit when you have two organizations come together to bring to Berkshire County a really joyous holiday event,” said Frasier.
“Christmas trees have always been interesting canvases to work with when you are trying to be creative,” Demick said. “It’s a simple shape with plenty of different ways to hang things on it. But you can do a lot with Christmas trees and have each one sparkle and shine.”
“We have many businesses and organizations who cannot wait to take part in this every single year,” Frasier said. “Christmas trees fuel people’s creativity, and each one of our trees is unique.”
The Berkshire Museum’s Festival of Trees will be open at Hancock Shaker Village on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, until Sunday, December 28. The festival will be closed on Friday, December 26. Tickets are $20 for admission to Hancock Shaker Village, with admission for children 12 years and younger free.
To purchase tickets, visit Hancock Shaker Village’s website.
