The Mount Announces 2025 Summer Season Programming

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LENOX, Mass. — The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home, has announced its 2025 summer season, with the theme "Where Stories Come Alive."

The season will include author talks, writing workshops, readings, performances, a sculpture exhibition, community events, and youth and family programming.

Author Series:

  • Summer Author Series: This series, running from July 7 to Aug. 26, will feature authors discussing their works related to the theme "Trailblazers." Authors scheduled include Michelle Young, Andrew Lipman, Susan Morrison, Tess Chakkalakal, Dava Sobel, Laurence Bergeen, Amy Reading, and Elyse Graham.

  • In Conversation with André Bernard: This series will feature conversations with individuals from the fields of politics, journalism, social science, and the arts. Scheduled guests include Adam Gopnik, Danzy Senna, Jayne Anne Philips, Judy Collins, Justice Stephen G. Breyer, and Susan Glasser and Peter Baker (date TBD). The series will run from June 26 to August 21.

  • Building Old New York: This new series will focus on the history of New York City institutions and landmarks. Speakers include Anthony C. Wood (July 9), Jonathan Conlin (July 16), Henry Wiencek (July 30), and Sara Cedar Miller (August 20).

Additional Talks:

  • Isaiah Stavchansky will present "What This Place Makes Me: Contemporary Plays on Immigration" on June 2, in partnership with Literacy Network and Restless Books.

  • "Nature Writing Now" with Vanessa Chakour and Jennifer Kabat will be co-sponsored with Mass Audubon and Orion Magazine on Aug.13.

Celebrating Edith Wharton:

  • "Wharton on Wednesdays" will feature readings of Edith Wharton’s short stories from June to October.

  • A staged reading of "Cultivated Friends" by John Dennis Anderson and Karen Vuranch will be presented.

  • Emily Orlando and Tripp Evans will discuss the re-release of "The Decoration of Houses" on July 23.

Writing Workshops:

  • Adult writing workshops will include a class by Isaiah Stavchansky on immigration and family ancestry stories, and "Writing for the Wild" with Vanessa Chakour.

  • Youth workshops (ages 10-14) will be offered by Carolyn Mackler, Ruth Chan, and Margaret Young.

Live Music:

  • The "Sounds of Summer Concerts," curated by Michael Junkins, will include performances by Standard Edition (June 24), Gato 6 with Suzi Stern (July 24), Natalia Bernal Community Day Concert (August 10), and George Schuller Quintet (August 28). These are free concerts.

  • The "Under the Tent for Kids" series will feature Little Roots (June 15), Wintergreen Trio (July 13), and Mister G. (August 10). These are free kids' concerts.

Other Programs:

  • Free family programming will be offered on Sundays from June to August.

  • "Sculpture at the Mount" will run from May 24 to October 19, featuring contemporary outdoor sculpture with the theme "Movement."

Passes and tickets will go on sale in April 2025.


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Josh Billings Athletes Can Support Local Non-Profits

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. - A new fundraising initiative is giving participants in  one of the Berkshires’ most recognized community traditions a simple way to support local  nonprofits.
 
Launched this year by the Josh Billings RunAground and Mill Town Foundation, the Finish Line Fund allows participating teams to select a Berkshire-based nonprofit and invite friends, family members, colleagues, and others to support the organization through a  team fundraising page.
 
With time still remaining before the Sept. 20 event, participating teams already have raised more than $16,000 for local nonprofits.
 
“The Finish Line Fund is about expanding participation in local philanthropy,” said Andy Wrba, Program Director at Mill Town Foundation. “You don’t need to make a large gift to have an impact. When hundreds of people contribute $10 or $20 to organizations they care about, those individual gifts can add up to something significant. We want to make local  giving accessible, personal, and connected to an event people are already excited to be part of.”
 
Rather than directing all fundraising to a single beneficiary, the Finish Line Fund places the  choice in the hands of participants. Teams select a Berkshire nonprofit that is meaningful to them and use their own networks and personal stories to build support for the organization.  Donations made through each team’s fundraising page go directly to its selected nonprofit.
 
The initiative reflects a peer-to-peer approach to philanthropy in which individuals become  ambassadors for the organizations and causes they value. In addition to raising funds, the  program is designed to introduce more people to Berkshire nonprofits, expand their networks of supporters, and encourage community members to see themselves as active participants in local giving.
 
To encourage broad participation, Mill Town Foundation will also contribute an additional $500 to the nonprofit represented by each of the five teams that attracts the greatest number of individual donors. The incentive is based on the number of unique supporters – not the total amount raised – reinforcing the message that gifts of every size matter.
 
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