Weekend Outlook: Cabin Fever

Check out the events happening in Berkshire County this weekend, including art, fun, maple sugar and more.

Editor's picks

North Adams First Friday
Downtown North Adams
Time: 5 to 9 p.m.

Music, art, and games will fill downtown North Adams for its First Friday event, themed "Cabin Fever." 

Participating businesses will have extended hours and many galleries will host openings, closings, and other special events.

More information here. 

Multiple Days

Berkshire Botanical Bulb Show
Feb. 20 to March 20

The Fitzpatrick Greenhouse at Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to welcome the new season amongst hundreds of flowering bulbs.

The greenhouse is free and open to the public. More information here.

Lee High Drama Presents 'The Addams Family'
300 Greylock St., Lee
Friday through Sunday

Lee Memorial High stages the musical comedy of the infamous Addams family in the auditorium. 

Tickets are $10 adults and $8 for students and seniors. 

More information and tickets here.

Maple Weekend
Various Sugarhouses
Saturday and Sunday

Local sugarhouses will be open for tours and selling products during Maple Weekend. Read our story here. More information here.

Friday

Disney After Dark Karaoke
Methuselah Bar, Pittsfield
Time: 9 p.m.

Enjoy drinks and belting out your favorite Disney tunes.

More information here.

'Glow Ocean': First Friday Opening Reception
Eagle Street, North Adams
Time: 6 to 10 p.m.

Future Gallery's opening reception makes it look like you're under water. The walls will be glowing with underwater creatures, coral, and more. The work was made by 75 locals.

Stay for the after-party dancing at 8.

More information here.

Saturday

Cosmic Bowling: Strike Out Glioblastoma
K&M Bowling, Pittsfield
Time: 6 to 10 p.m.

Enjoy music, black lights, party lights, and of course bowling for a good cause. There will also be raffles and T-shirt sales to help raise money for glioblastoma research.

More information here.

Dale Derby Cardboard Box Race
Bousquet Mountain, Pittsfield
Time: 11 a.m.

Get your friends and decorate a fun cardboard box using only that and duct tape. Bring it to Bousquet and race others in the snow for the snowbox derby.

More information here.

Cabin Fever Storytime: Artists and Authors of Mount Greylock
Mount Greylock Visitor Center, Lanesborough
Time: 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Enjoy a story near the fire from park interpreter Mike as he tells you about the artists and authors who helped to shape the image of Mount Greylock through their work. Participants are encouraged to share their own works from the county as well. 

More information here.

Clarksburg Students Write in Support of Rural School Aid

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
07:25AM / Sunday, March 15, 2026

Mason Langenback calculated that Clarksburg would get almost $1 million if the $60 million was allocated equally.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Eighth-graders at Clarksburg School took a lesson in civic advocacy this week, researching school funding and writing letters to Beacon Hill that call for fulling funding rural school aid. 

 

The students focused on the hardships for small rural schools and their importance to the community — that they struggle with limited funding and teacher shortages, but offer safe and supportive spaces for learning and are a hub for community connections.

 

"They all address the main issue, the funding for rural schools, and how there's a gap, and there's the $4 million gap this year, and then it's about the $40 million next year, and that rural schools need that equitable funding," said social studies teacher Mark Karhan.

 

A rural schools report in 2022 found smaller school districts cost from nearly 17 percent to 23 percent more to operate, and recommended "at least" $60 million be appropriated annually for rural school aid. 

 

Gov. Maura Healey has filed for more Chapter 70 school aid, but that often is little help to small rural schools with declining or static enrollment. For fiscal 2027, she's budgeted $20 million for rural schools, up from around $13 million this year but still far below the hoped for $60 million. 

 

Karhan said the class was broken into four groups and the students were provided a submission letter from Rural Schools Advocacy. The students used the first paragraph, which laid out the funding facts, and then did research and wrote their own letters. 

 

They will submit those with a school picture to the governor.