Pittsfield— Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. (DPI) will host the Downtown Festive Frolic on Friday and Saturday, December 2 and 3. Activities will include the Park Square Tree Lighting, Holiday First Fridays Artswalk, Elf Invasion Pub Crawl, Pictures with Santa, Free Kids’ Paint & Sip, and other free arts & craft opportunities.
The Park Square Tree Lighting Ceremony will return in-person on Friday, December 2 starting at 6 pm. Those planning to attend the ceremony are asked to bring non-perishable food items that will be donated to the Christian Center’s food pantry.
The Wreath Art Auction also makes its return to the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, 28 Renne Avenue, on Friday, December 2. Dozens of local artists and members of the Springside Greenhouse Group have donated their talent, time, and materials to create one-of-a-kind, original holiday wreaths, centerpieces, kissing balls, and more. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of these original works of art will be donated to the South Congregational Church’s food pantry. The preview party begins at 5 p.m. and the live auction will take place after the Park Square Tree Lighting at 6:30 pm. Tickets will be available at the door for a suggested donation of $10. Light food and beverages will be available.
Otto’s Kitchen & Comfort, 95 East Street, will host a free Hot Chocolate Bar with all the fixings and a Photo Booth from 5 to 7 p.m. on December 2.
Join Berkshire Art Center (BAC), 141 North Street, for a Free Family Drop-In Holiday Art Activity from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 2, and on Saturday, December 3, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Families are welcome to participate at their own pace with the guidance and support of a faculty artist. Free Family Drop-Ins are open to the public and all children must be accompanied by an adult. No registration is required.
Lee Bank, 75 North Street, will offer free hot chocolate and drop-in ornament making from 5 to 7 p.m. on December 2.
The Artists at the historic Clock Tower will host a Holiday Open Studios event on Friday, December 2, 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday & Sunday, December 4 & 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Clock Tower Studios are located on the third floor of the Clock Tower at 75 South Church Street. The Clock Tower Artists have created new original small paintings and have printed items perfect for gift giving. Visit for a festive holiday experience!
The artists hosting open studios at the Clock Tower during the Festive Frolic are Joan Palano Ciolfi, Marion Grant, Caroline Kelley, Bruce Laird, Mark Mellinger, Linda Petrocine, Shany Porras, Ilene Richard, and Sally Tiska Rice. For more information, visit https://clocktowerartists.com.
Artists of the Guild Berkshire Artists will bring reasonably priced treasures from their studios to TKG Real Estate, 137 North Street, from 5 to 8 p.m. on December 2. Find unique, original gifts at amazing prices: earrings, cards, small paintings, prints, and more.
There will be additional art openings and exhibits as part of the December 2 Holiday First Fridays Artswalk at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pittsfield, 175 Wendell Avenue; Hotel on North, 297 North Street; and Soma’s Aromas, 81 East Street, among others. Download the Downtown Pittsfield app in the App Store or on Google Play to follow a virtual walking tour of art on your cell phone.
On Friday, December 2, Witch Slapped, 78 North Street, will stay open until 8 p.m. with The Emerald Phoenix popped up and a free kids’ event from 5 to 8 p.m. where they can make their own ornament. At 6:30 p.m., there will be a Drag Storytime as Island Fawn reads a children’s holiday story. Free Blue Q gift with every in-store purchase!
Berkshire Yoga Dance and Fitness, 55 North Street, Suite 201, will host a special healing Sound Bath with Antoinette Simms on Friday, December 2 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Listen and receive resonant sounds from crystal and Tibetan bowls, a crystal harp, chimes, and your own sound to tune up the chakra system. Participants will be guided into a natural state of relaxation, harmony, and bliss where deep self-healing and transformation can occur. The Sound Bath is $22 and pre-registration is required as space is limited.
Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. will be partnering with Berkshire Mountain Distillers for an Elf Invasion Pub Crawl starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 2 in downtown Pittsfield. Crawl locations will include Patrick’s Pub, 101 Restaurant & Bar, Flat Burger Society, Thistle & Mirth, and Methuselah Bar & Lounge. Crawlers will be able to purchase a $20 “Elf ID” ticket in advance which will give them a “tasting” of a specific Berkshire Mountain Distillers’ product at each location, plus some fun elf accessories. Tickets will be limited, and an announcement will be made when they are available for purchase.
Saturday’s Downtown Festive Frolic events will be headlined by Santa at The Beacon Cinema from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All children are welcome to take a free photo with Santa which will be made available for download after the event. If you are able, Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. asks that you bring a new pair of socks to donate in exchange for the photo. Thank you to the RSVP volunteers who will be on hand to help with this wonderful event.
Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. will present a Free Holiday Kids’ Paint & Sip sponsored by Adams Community Bank on Saturday, December 3, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 67 East Street. This free event is best suited for ages 5 to 12, although older children are welcome. All materials, instruction, snacks, and juice will be provided. Children are welcome to drop in anytime over the course of the event. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
The Berkshire Family YMCA and Action Sports and Travel will host their annual “Splashmas with Santa” on Saturday, December 3, from 12 to 2 p.m., at the Pittsfield Branch of the YMCA at 292 North Street. Visit with an underwater scuba diving Santa Claus, and participate in kayaking, canoeing, and underwater Christmas Tree decorating. Out of the pool, there will also be cookie and wreath decorating and refreshments. Registration for this event is required and is free to YMCA members and $5 for non-members.
The Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Avenue, will host a free winter-themed drop-in craft for children ages 4-10 in the Children’s Library on Saturday, December 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. while supplies last. The Berkshire Art Center, 141 North Street, will host a Free Family Drop-In Holiday Art Activity from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Berkshire Art Center will also offer an Image Transfer Totes Workshop with artist Diane Firtell on Saturday, December 3 from 1 to 3 p.m. This workshop is $44 and you may register at berkshireartcenter.org/classes. Using the image transfer technique, students will learn to transform a canvas tote bag into a work of art. Students will be provided with images of florals, animals, geometric designs, etc. to use or are welcome to bring their own laser printed image for a more personalized design.
On Saturday, December 3, all classes at Berkshire Fitness and Wellness Center, 137 North Street, will be free, and anyone who stops by in a festive outfit will receive a free 1-month membership!
Soma’s Aromas, 81 East Street, will host a Shop & Sip on Saturday, December 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring a Berkshire Box Co. pop-up; and Witch Slapped, 78 North Street, will open early at 10 a.m. with Love, Auntie Liz popped up, a Witch Slapped Penny Sale, and a free Blue Q gift with every in-store purchase. Drop-in to create your own Witch Ball or Yule Ornament for $20 (a $5 savings).
The Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, will present “Wingmasters’ World of Owls” on Saturday, December 3, at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Featuring a variety of live owls, this captivating and informative program shows how owls use their specialized powers of sight, hearing, and flight to survive and thrive.
This educational program is presented by Wingmasters, a partnership of two licensed raptor rehabilitators dedicated to increasing public understanding and appreciation of North American birds of prey.
A ticket for this program also includes admission to two new exhibitions Hoot’s Holiday: A Solstice Taleand Santa Classics by Philadelphia-based artist Ed Wheeler. In Hoot’s Holiday, follow Hoot, an owl living on the roof of the Museum, and prepare for a Winter Solstice party by traveling through time and visiting historic locations around the Berkshires. Santa Classics features a selection of 31 works from Ed Wheeler’s catalog along with the Museum’s 15-foot tall, decorated tree in the center of the Ellen Crane Memorial Room.
