The Mount Announces Its 2026 Summer Season

07:37AM / Sunday, April 26, 2026Print Story | Email Story

LENOX, Mass. — The Mount, Edith Wharton Cultural Center, announced its 2026 Summer Season, "Let Your Mind and Spirit Soar"—acelebration of ideas, creativity, and connection.

This summer also marks the debut of The Mount's refreshed visual identity, honoring Edith Wharton's legacy while embracing the organization's evolution into a cultural center, stated a press release.

"At The Mount, history meets the present," said Executive Director Susan Wissler. "Literature, art, and nature come together in experiences that feel both timeless and alive. Our new name, Edith Wharton Cultural Center, and our redesigned logo, reflect the spirit of what it feels like to be here: unexpected, inspiring, and unforgettable."

Tickets go on sale to Members on April 28 and to the general public on May 6.

Summer Author Series: July 6 – August 25

Julia Ioffe, Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy — July 6 & 7
Mark Braude, The Typewriter and the Guillotine — July 13 & 14
Martha Ackmann with Anastasia Stanmeyer, Ain't Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton — July 20 & 21
Carla Kaplan, Troublemaker: The Fierce, Unruly Life of Jessica Mitford — July 27 & 28
Jeff Chang, Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America — August 3 & 4
Amanda Vaill, Pride & Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution — August 10 & 11
Nicholas Boggs, Baldwin: A Love Story — August 17 & 18
Peter S. Canellos, Revenge for the Sixties: Sam Alito and the Triumph of the Conservative Legal Movement — August 24 & 25

Summer Author Series Tickets: $27 Members | $32 Non-members. Rain or Shine passes available

In Conversation with André Bernard: July 16 – August 20

In this intimate series, André Bernard, former Vice President of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, brings audiences into thoughtful dialogue with some of today's most influential voices shaping culture, politics, and public life.

Jodi Kantor, Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist and Author — July 16
Max Boot, Historian, Foreign Policy Analyst, and Author — July 30
General David H. Petraeus, Retired U.S. Army General, Former CIA Director, and Author — August 6
Kiran Desai, Booker Prize-winning Novelist — August 13
Lawrence Wright, Pulitzer Prize-winning Author, Screenwriter, Playwright, and Journalist — August 20

In Conversation Tickets: $35 Members | $40 Non-members

NEW | New York Stories

A dynamic new series explores the artists, visionaries, and power brokers who shaped New York's cultural and political identity—revealing stories of ambition, reinvention, glamour, and intrigue that still resonate today.

Lenox to Harlem: The Life and Art of James Van Der Zee with Donna Van Der Zee and Jeff L. Rosenheim — July 8
Gilded Age Fashion: Iconic Looks and the Stories Behind Them with Elizabeth L. Block — July 22
The Gods of New York with Jonathan Mahler in conversation with Sarah LaDuke — July 29
Gilded Lives, Dazzling Tables: Food and Dining in Edith Wharton's New York with Carl Raymond, featuring Becky L. Diamond — August 12
The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum with Margalit Fox in conversation with Debby Applegate — August 26

New York Stories Tickets: $10 Members | $15 Non-members

Poetry, Performance & Dance

Throughout the season, The Mount's grounds become a stage for storytelling in all its forms:

Wharton on Wednesdays (June–October): Beloved weekly readings of Edith Wharton's short stories by local actors on the Terrace. Members: $10 | Non-members: $15
WordXWord Poetry Programs: Immersive experiences that invite audiences to encounter poetry in dialogue with landscape and art.
The Jazz Barn (August 16, 6 PM): A live performance and conversation exploring the legacy of jazz in the Berkshires with author John Gennari, featuring Ron Ramsay and Samantha Talora. Tickets: $30 Members | $35 Non-members
Olga Dunn Dance Company (August 30, 5 PM): A sweeping site-responsive performance blending choreography, spoken word, and live cello music across The Mount's terraced lawns, culminating in a tribute to Wharton's life in France.

New Writing Workshops

Visitors are invited not only to listen, but to create. A series of innovative workshops offers space for reflection, storytelling, and creative exploration.

Cultivating Resilience in the Face of Chaos with Rev. Eileen Mahoney — July 30
Reshaping Our Relationship with the Future with climatologist Anne Therese Gennari — August 6
Heirloom Meals Recipe Project: Preserving Family Stories through Food with Carole Murko — August 13

Live Music Across the Grounds

Music fills the gardens and grounds throughout the summer, offering moments of joy, discovery, and connection:

Sounds of Summer Concerts (Free)
- Natalia Bernal Quintet — June 11
- Gato 6 with Suzi Stern — August 27
Music in the Moment - July 23
An intimate performance and conversation with Peggy Stern and saxophonist Alex Cole, tracing the creative journey from inspiration to improvisation

Tickets: Members: $30 | Non-members: $35

Free Family & Youth Programs | Sundays, June–August

Sunday at The Mount are dedicated to creativity, curiosity, and play. Families can enjoy free weekly programming featuring arts and crafts, music, storytelling, movement, and hands-on workshops—from graphic novel creation to STEAM-based maker projects and collaborative poetry.

Community Day | August 9

A highlight of the season, Community Day offers a full day of free performances, activities, and shared celebration for visitors of all ages.

Sculpture at The Mount | May 24 – October 24

Set throughout the property's woods, gardens, and open vistas, Sculpture at The Mount transforms the landscape into an open-air gallery. The 2026 exhibition, Flourish, explores themes of growth, resilience, and connection—inviting visitors to experience art as an integral part of the natural world. Explore on your own or join a free guided tour.

Mansion and Garden Tours | May 9 – October 31

Join a tour of Edith Wharton's home and learn about the fascinating history of the house as well as Wharton's life and literature. Our expert guides share their stories and insights. Self-guided audio tours are also available. Garden tours are offered daily at 1 pm and are included with a mansion admission ticket. Tours are $22 for adults; Free for members and children 18 and under.

Tickets go on sale April 28 for Mount Members and May 5 for the public. Visit edithwharton.org for full details and updates.

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Josh Billings Athletes Can Support Local Non-Profits

Community submission10:35AM / Thursday, September 10, 2026

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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