Hancock Shaker Village: Thanksgiving on the Farm

• Turkey Walk & Talk - Looking for a great way to get out of the house or an activity for visiting guests and family? Gobble up nature and escape the hectic pace of the holiday with a peaceful guided walk on our one-mile Farm & Forest Trail. The walk ends in the barnyard where you can visit the iconic Round Stone Barn and say hello to the farm animals. Included in admission and FREE to members.
  • Friday, Nov. 29, 11am
  • Saturday, Nov. 30, 11am
• Shop & Sip – Avoid the crowds on Black Friday, enjoy a sip of wine or cider, and the experience the ease of shopping at the Shaker Mercantile, a unique store celebrating the region's best artisan makers and handcrafted gifts, including items made at the Village by our own blacksmiths and woodworkers. (Admission to the Village is NOT required to shop at the store.)
  • Friday, November 29, 11am – 4pm
• Member Discount Days - Members enjoy a DOUBLE discount (20 percent instead of 10 percent) in the Shaker Mercantile. It's a great time to shop for gifts! (Some exclusions may apply). Included in admission and FREE to members.
  • Friday, Nov. 29 - Sunday, Dec. 1, 11am – 4pm
• Grateful Shaker Supper – Experience a memorable communal meal in the historical 1830 Brick Dwelling and dine where the Shakers ate their daily meals for over 100 years. Savor a delicious fall harvest meal prepared by Woodlife Kitchen chef Peter Belmonte and soak up the history of the iconic building. Prior to dinner, enjoy a cocktail and a special Shaker music program performed in the Meeting Room of the Brick Dwelling. More information on the menu and tickets can be found at hancockshakervillage.org/events.
  • Saturday, Nov. 30, 6pm

Pittsfield Council Says 'Yes' to Soccer at Crane Park

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:35AM / Saturday, June 13, 2026

The pitch will have the logos of the city and the US. and Massachusetts soccer associations. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is gladly accepting a "mini-pitch" from the U.S. Soccer Foundation to bring games back to Crane Park. 

Fueling excitement around the World Cup, U.S. Soccer has been working with the Massachusetts Youth Soccer League to make these facilities available to 20 communities — one of which will be at the park at the intersection of Benedict Road and Springside Avenue. 

The City Council accepted the gift on Tuesday during its regular meeting. 

A mini pitch is a compact, modular field typically used for soccer, and it can also accommodate inline skates. It has a galvanized steel border with built-in goals and a rubber plastic surface that is clicked together; installed on the existing inline hockey court. 

Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham said he has gone door to door speaking with nearby residents, and they are "really excited" about the upgrade. He also sees it as a great addition. 

"They say that nobody really uses the court a ton now, and they are excited to see kids back on there playing," he said. 

Decades ago, the Crane Park facility was a wading pool. It closed in 1980, and before the turn of the century, it was filled in and marked for hockey. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath explained that the wooden border around the rink is showing its age, has been vandalized and tagged, and the facility is seeing a "real decline" in use. 

"This would seem to be an appropriate spot for us to remove the board system that's in place and install the mini pitch system through this grant," he said.