There are several events this weekend to help you recharge from your week, including festivals, live music, and more.
Editor's Pick
The Big Chill
Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield
Time: 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The village will have a range of activities, including walking tours, ice harvesting talks, maple tree tapping demonstrations, crafts, farm animals, and more.
The event is part of the Pittsfield's Office of Cultural Development 10×10 Upstreet Arts Festival, during which several organizations and businesses will hold events from Feb. 13 through 23.
All activities are included with the $15 admission ticket, free for members and children 12 and under. More information here.
Multiple Days
The 14th Annual 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival
Throughout Pittsfield
February 13 through 23
The 10x10 Festival returns with theater, music, visual arts, dance, outdoor activities, and more.
Highlights include the 10x10 New Play Festival at Barrington Stage Company, A Taste of Downtown by Downtown Pittsfield, Inc., a mural exhibition, a winter festival, and more.
This event is not this weekend but we thought it was worth the mention given next week is school break.
The museum is traveling to BCC for this offsite event which will give your kids the opportunity to learn about a range of topics from nature, animals, dinosaurs, and more.
Berkshire Pride is celebrating love, passion, and community this Valentine's Day with a party. The event features tunes by DJ BFG, drag performances, and a costume contest.
Tickets range from $20 to $50. More information here.
Children's Valentine's Day Dance
Berkshire Dream Center, Pittsfield
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Dress in your best party clothes and bring your family for an evening of dancing, karaoke, games, and sweet treats.
This free event is open to all children up to age 12; children under five must have an adult present.
Future Labs Gallery is partnering with Plant Connector to help visitors create glow-in-the-dark terrariums.
The event focuses on building community and strengthening bonds rather than romance. There is a suggested donation of $10 to $20 to help cover supplies. More information here.
Goodnight Moonshine
Studio 9, Porches, North Adams
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Railway Concerts hosts Goodnight Moonshine, the husband and wife duo of Eben Pariser and Molly Venter, with their signature and jazz and folk rhythms.
The city will close roads on Main Street until American Legion Drive, Holden, and Eagle from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to make room for its annual Winterfest.
The event will feature horse and carriage rides, an artisan craft fair, children's games, a chowder cook-off, and more.
There will be a waffle truck parked at Tube Town to help visitors fueling up for a day on the slopes or taking a break between adventures. More information here.
Apres-Ski
Ski Butternut, Great Barrington
Time: 2 p.m.
Spend some time skiing and then take a break to warm up by listening to cover songs by popular artists spun by DJ Pup Daddy via 45 RPM records. The event will take place at Channing's Upstairs Bar at the resort's Upper Lodge.
Aging in Community: Dancing our Joys and Challenges
Zion Lutheran Church, Pittsfield
Time: 11 to 12:30 p.m.
The church's Common Room will be taken over by Jacob's Pillow for a free dance and movement workshop about aging and community, led by artists Michael Richter and Liv Schaffer. More information here.
Paint Your Partner
Dottie's Coffee Lounge, Pittsfield
Time: 6 to 8 p.m.
Grab your partner and bring them to Dottie's for this super fun night where you paint a portrait of your partner with the help and guidance of local artist, Mike Carty. Tickets are $55 per couple.
The recovery center will have an open mic night to give people the chance to share their music, poetry, comedy and and more. More information here.
Sunday
The Jake Hescock Win the Day Foundation Fundraiser
The Stationery Factory, Dalton
Time: 1 to 8 p.m.
Dance while supporting the Jake Hescock Win the Day Foundation. The event features five bands and light appetizers.
The foundation aims to spread awareness about the importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator training and encourages testing for cardiac anomalies in children in honor of the late Jake Adam Hescock.
Bring your gal pals and enjoy a mimosa bar, snacks, tunes, and vendor popups by some local women run businesses. More information here.
28th Annual Winter Lecture: Jacqueline van der Kloet
Lenox Middle High School
Time:
Jacqueline van der Kloet, the internationally acclaimed garden designer, author and one of Holland's best-known gardening authorities, will be the featured speaker at Berkshire Botanical Garden's 28th Annual Winter Lecture.
The lecture will include a talk on bulb basics, color combinations, seasonal care for bulbs, layering bulbs, growing bulbs on a larger scale, and integration for constant blooms in the garden. The event will include a book signing and a coffee and cookie reception.
The garden will decide by decide by Saturday morning regarding whether reschedule for the snow date, which is currently scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m.
There will be a performance by Tyler Ramsey, formerly of Band of Horses. His new album "New Lost Ages," produced by Phil Ek, features 10 songs that blend indie, rock, and folk.
The Sing for your Slumber series, which hosts free shows with artist donations encouraged, is supported by Bose.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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CBRSD Makes Cuts to Lower Town Assessments
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — School officials say reductions in the Central Berkshire Regional School District's budget will be felt, but remain optimistic that it will not prevent them from being "the best regional district in the state."
Throughout the budgeting season, officials said they strived to keep the seven member towns informed amid contractual increases outside their control and concerns with a state aid funding formula described as "remarkably wrong."
The initial budget was about a 9 percent increase, but with "strategic reductions" the district was able to cut that down to 2.99 percent, bringing the total budget to $37,740,005.
"This was no small feat," said Paul Farella, district's Finance Committee chair.
In earlier budget drafts, towns voiced concerns over significantly higher assessments, which ranged from approximately 7 to 15 percent, compared to prior years, when it was about 2 to 7 percent.
With the revised budget, projected net town assessments are:
Becket for $2,859,205, an increase of 5.49 percent
Cummington for $670,246, an increase of 5.11 percent
Dalton for $10,106,445, an increase of 5.86 percent
Hinsdale for $3,277,495, an increase of 10.54 percent
Peru for $1,083,751, an increase of 6.11 percent
Washington for $826,774, an increase of 6.64 percent
Windsor for $995,438, an increase of 9.37 percent
"[The cuts] will be felt, but we believe that it is what is necessary for the time being to not overburden our towns while still being able to provide a quality education to our community," Farella said.
Delivering high-quality education while responsibly managing public funds in a district, which like many rural areas, faces financial constraints is a duty Superintendent Michael Henault said he takes very seriously.
School officials say reductions in the Central Berkshire Regional School District's budget will be felt, but remain optimistic that it will not prevent them from being "the best regional district in the state." click for more
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Qwanell Bradley scored 33 points, and Adan Wicks added 29 as the Hoosac Valley boys basketball team won a Division 5 State Championship on Sunday. click for more
Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 140 Hancock Road.
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Pittsfield's new ice rink had a short season because of unpredictable weather, and the city is soliciting memories about the Wahconah Park grandstand before it is demolished. click for more