Berkshire Botanical Garden's Harvest Festival Returns

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STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. —Berkshire Botanical Garden will hold its annual Harvest Festival, Oct. 11 and 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 
Every October, the Garden's 24-acre grounds undergo a transformation celebrating community, the natural world and the region's agricultural heritage. This year, the Garden will present an array of family-friendly activities, live music, a scarecrow design contest, a clothing and accessories sale, and a wide selection of regional artisan food and crafts vendors.
 
Children's activities include pony rides, a haunted house, a hay maze and hay jump, face painting, hayrides, a petting zoo, square dancing, and more. A full lineup of live entertainment for all ages will take place on the Main Stage, featuring the Wanda Houston Band, the O-Tones, the Sunday Strummers Ukulele Ensemble, and Katherine Winston.
 
The event is also a prime shopping opportunity with 50 craft vendors, a plant sale and the "Accessorize" pop-up shop, offering gently used clothing, jewelry, hats, scarves, and housewares.
 
New in 2025 is the Scarecrow Walk and Design Contest. Businesses, non-profit organizations and community groups are invited to design scarecrows for display in the Garden's Daylily Walk. Entries will be judged by Harvest Festival attendees, with fabulous prizes for the first and second place winners.
 
Buy tickets in advance and save. Advance tickets are $12 for adults; children under 12 are free. Same-day tickets will be available at the gate (Adults $15, children under 12 free). There is no charge for parking in the Garden's adjacent fields. Pets (with the exception of registered service dogs) are not permitted. ATMs will be available on-site.
 
Harvest Festival's lead sponsor is Blue Q. Other event sponsors are Berkshire Bank, Bartlett Tree Experts, and Element Lenox Berkshires. The Festival's in-kind sponsors include Berkshire Green Septic, Lime Rock Park, Meadow Farm Equipment, Naumkeag, The Red Lion Inn, Robin's Candy Shop, Sandisfield Orchard, and Six Flags New England.
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Prosperity Way Phase 1 Complete; Berkshire Gas Volunteer Day

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Some 55 Avangrid/Berkshire Gas employees spent the day sawing, hammering and painting at Prosperity Way.
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Prosperity Way was founded on the dream of creating an affordable neighborhood where local working families can own a home, build a future, and create lasting memories. Soon, that vision will become reality as homeowners begin moving in.
 
Nearly a year ago, Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity broke ground on its three-phase affordable housing project. Now, volunteers are putting the final touches on the six homes and have already begun phase two. 
 
"One of the homeowners is closing on her house tomorrow, so she's moving in this weekend, and then the other family is moving in next week," said Habitat CEO Carolyn Valli. 
 
During Phase 2, seven additional homes will be built, the first modular ranch for that phase has been set, and the stick-built ranch is currently in construction. There are two additional ranches on site, to be set once foundations are cured and two colonial homes are scheduled for delivery on Monday, she said. 
 
Phase 3 will have the construction of another seven homes. Central Berkshire Habitat hopes to finish the project before 2028, dependent on securing sufficient grant funding to bridge the gap between construction costs and affordable sale prices, Valli said. 
 
Energy ran high on Thursday, as more than than 50 employee volunteers from Berkshire Gas, a subsidiary of Avangrid Inc., spent the day helping move the project forward through painting, landscaping, and construction work.
 
"We are an energy company in all aspects. We generate wind energy, we have electric utilities and gas utilities, and this crew is demonstrating their energy for a good cause today to support home building for folks who might otherwise never be able to afford a home," said Chris Farrell, Berkshire Gas' communications and government relations manager. 
 
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