Toasting and Tasting Fundraiser

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Berkshire South Community Center's beer, wine, and spirit tasting event raises funds for the Center's operations.
 
On Saturday Oct. 19, a Specialty Pairing event begins at 4pm and features fine wines and spirits paired with bites prepared by chef Kevin Kelly of After Hours Catering and presented by sommelier Dan Thomas of the Egremont Spirit Shoppe. 
 
A second event begins at 6pm at which ticket buyers will sip a selection of local libations including beer from Progression Brewing Company, cocktails from Higher Bar, spirits from Cooper's Daughter, and a variety of wines from Dare Bottleshop & Provisions and Domaney's Liquors & Fine Wines, to name a few. 
 
There will be a mocktail station featuring seasonal spirit-free beverages and a special wine-infused sorbet for dessert from SoCo Creamery in Great Barrington. Drinks will be served alongside hors d'oeuvres by Jae's.  The evening's entertainment will be provided by The Michael Junkins Group and there will be a robust silent auction filled with gift certificates, home goods, and services from your favorite Berkshire businesses.
 
"Funds raised at this year's event will directly support initiatives such as the Center's aquatics programs for all ages and abilities, our free teen wellness programming, free Community Suppers, early childhood and after-school care and our financial aid program, which creates greater access to our services," said Executive Director Jenise Lucey. "Our goal is to raise $200,000 in support of these essential services that are the lifeblood of our community center, touching the lives of thousands each year."
 
Tickets for the Specialty Pairing portion of the evening are $250. Main event tickets purchased in advance are $50, or $60 at the door. Mocktail tickets cost $35. Tickets are for sale online at berkshiresouth.org/toasting-and-tasting. Call for more info: 413.528.2810.
 
Sponsors of Toasting & Tasting include Jane Iredale and Bob Montgomery, Buzz and Robin McGraw, Fairview Hospital, Susan and Hank Ferlauto, Barbara and Roger Manring, Ethel Patterson and Michael Bandzierz, Robert Yaffe, Adams Community Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Mark and Hannah Gross, Jae's, Erica Jaffe, Suzanne and David Klausmeyer, NBT Bank, Acrisure, Allegrone Companies, Autobahn Service, Maggie Buchwald, Carlson Heating & Air Conditioning, Carlson Propane, Brian Cruey and Matt King, Dare Bottleshop & Provisions, Margaret Deutsch, Bobbie Hallig, Mary and Charles Hamilton, Jill and Robert Jaffe, Lance Vermeulen Real Estate, Estelle Miller, Mirabito, Molari, Jane Miller Shea and Terry Shea, Jerry and John Soechting, Theory Wellness, and Malvina Wasserman.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Berkshire Art Center Announces Fall 2026 Classes & Workshops

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Berkshire Art Center (BAC) invites artists of all ages and experience levels to participate in  lineup of Fall 2026 classes and workshops.

With programs offered at Citizens' Hall in Stockbridge as well as partner locations including Berkshire Music School, WANDER Berkshires, and the Mass Audubon's Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, BAC's fall season celebrates creativity through ceramics, painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, photography, and more.

Ceramics students will find opportunities to develop their skills this fall. Faculty Artist Paula Shalan returns with Tableware: Creating with Soft Slabs, where students create functional pottery such as mugs, tumblers, and bowls, as well as Cut, Add, and Stretch: Creating with Soft Slabs, which explores more contemporary approaches to handbuilding. Jess Cropper-Alt teaches Timeless & Tactile: Handbuilding Traditions, while Donna Bernstein leads Wheel Throwing for All, an all-levels course featuring demonstrations, individualized instruction, and ample studio time.

For those looking to try clay for the first time, Lorimer Burns offers Try Your Hand at the Pottery Wheel, a welcoming two-hour introduction to wheel throwing. BAC also offers fun, social workshops including Wall Pocket Party, perfect for beginners, friends, couples, and families with children ages 10 and up, and Pottery Night: Beer Stein Social, an evening of creativity and community where participants craft their own handmade ceramic beer stein.

Mixed media and printmaking enthusiasts will find an inspiring variety of offerings throughout the season. Jody King Camarra teaches Color Theory Through Collage, Print Lab: Collagraph, Drypoint & Relief, Working in a Series: Creating Cohesive Collages, Monoprint Magic, and concludes the season with the festive workshop Handmade Holidays: Winter Layers in Gel Plate Printmaking.

Additional printmaking opportunities include Eco-Printing: Basics and Beyond with Mallorey Caron, where students create beautiful botanical prints using real flowers and leaves, Gelatin Plate Printmaking with Johanna Merfeld, an introduction to playful experimentation with layering, texture, stencils, and image transfers, and Image Transfers & Mixed Media, where Diane Firtell shares versatile techniques that can stand alone or enhance existing artwork.

Photographers can celebrate autumn alongside Thad Kubis, whose seasonal workshops include Photography of Daniel Chester French's Studio at Chesterwood in Stockbridge and Photographing Fall Colors in the Berkshires at Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Pittsfield.

Painters and drawing enthusiasts will discover classes ranging from foundational techniques to expressive exploration. Jill McLean returns with Watercolor Foundations and Watercolor Landscapes at Berkshire Music School, along with shorter, 1-day workshops including Berkshire Polaroids in Watercolor and Handmade Holidays: Watercolor Bookmarks.

Wednesday Nelena Sorokin offers Creative Writing & Abstraction, where students use stream-of-consciousness writing to inspire expressive abstract paintings, along with Painting Basics, Two-Dimensional Composition Workshop, and the popular Abstract Painting: Color, Design and Spirit. Artists looking for a relaxed, supportive studio environment can also enjoy the return of Friday Painting Studio, featuring a new and more accessible tuition rate and experienced facilitators who provide encouragement, feedback, and creative community while participants work on independent projects.

BAC's monthly workshop series at WANDER Berkshires in Pittsfield also continues this fall. Held on the second Saturday of each month, these welcoming two-hour sessions invite participants to sketch, paint, journal, and experiment in a relaxed community setting—no long-term commitment required. The series begins September 12 with Commonplace Visual Journaling led by Kaily Ritz, followed by Mini Nature Assemblage Boxes with Johanna Merfeld on October 10, Indoor Urban Sketching with Jill McLean on November 14, and concludes December 12 with Watercolor Reset for the New Year, led by BAC Executive Director Laura Thompson.

For a complete schedule of classes and workshops or to register, visit www.berkshireartcenter.org/classes.

 

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