Apr 18 Thursday
The Guthrie Center holds the Grand Opening of the “Check it Out” musical instrument loan library on Wednesday, January 10 from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at 2 Van Deusenville Road, Great Barrington. Designed to serve people of all ages and all instrument experience levels in Berkshire County, MA, the collection offers a variety of instruments from strings to drums to electric keyboards. People can borrow for up to 30 days free of charge. The backup snow date will be January 17.
“Musical instruments should be played, not displayed,” said George Laye, Guthrie Center Director of Development and Founder/Director of the instrument loan program. “We are excited to imagine that future Beethovens or Beatles might emerge from our program and not fall through the cracks. Whether a beginner or professional, in school or retired, there’s an instrument for you.”
Lending Library Hours:Every Wednesday from 3:00-6:00 p.m.First Sunday each month, from 2:00-5:00 p.m.Second Tuesday each month, from 3:00-6:00 p.m.
The musical instrument loan program reflects Guthrie Center founder Arlo Guthrie’s commitment to meeting the needs of the community and supporting cultural preservation and educational achievement.
Through the generosity of donors, the Center has built a wonderful collection over the years. “Not everyone or every family can afford to rent or buy an instrument or is sure if they’ll stick with it,” said Laye. The lending program encourages fun and learning without any financial burden to borrowers.
Art After Hours mixes art and entertainment every third Thursday of the month. Visit exhibitions, listen to live music, and socialize with friends! Check the calendar of events for more information and ticketing.
Tour the Venetian Vistas exhibition with a trained tour guide to explore the iconic city landscapes represented by artists from the 18th century to modern day. Tour begins at 5:00pm.
At 6pm, visiting assistant professor of art history at Skidmore College, Erin Giffin, delivers a lecture that explores two Venetian churches, the 17th century construction of a chapel in the Church of San Clemente, and the 18th century construction at San Pantalon, both are modeled after the Holy House or Santa Casa of Loreto.
As a specialist of Global Early Modern art history, Erin Giffin’s research explores cross-cultural relations through artwork production, particularly focusing on the sculpture, architecture, and ephemera that respond to religious practices and express popular devotion. Her classes explore questions of information dissemination and copying across early modern Catholic communities, as well as confrontations of faith and commerce in missionary contexts (specifically in East Asia, and North and South America). Erin’s classes investigate expressions of identity politics through personal and family monuments; prints and other circulating media like ambassadorial gifts; and immersive religious spaces such as the Sacri Monti. Her first monograph, currently entitled Translating Space: Replicas of the Holy House of Loreto, investigates replicas of the purported Holy House of the Virgin Mary at Loreto, Italy, which was recreated extensively across the Catholic world.
Join artist Patrice Jarvis-Weber to explore acrylic painting. In this class participants will receive step-by-step instruction in this medium. All participants will walk-away with an individual painting and a desire to continue to explore painting with acrylics! This class is designed for all ages. All materials will be provided.
About the artist: Patrice Jarvis-Weber has been a part of the Adirondack region’s art community for over 25 years and teaches painting regionally at World Awareness Children’s Museum, Wiawaka and the Adirondack Experience. Her passion is to educate through art and instill an appreciation of the arts.
Bevival in partnership with Tilda's presents a special dinner event with facilitated discussion. Attendees will dine on a culturally diverse menu while Liza Schoenfein, food editor/writer/author of the blog Life, Death, Dinner unpacks the flavors and food traditions of memorial gatherings. Reservations required. Limited seating.
Apr 19 Friday
The game of baseball has a long and storied history in the Berkshires. From the broken window by-law of 1791, to the first college game ever played in Pittsfield in 1859, 60 years of minor league teams calling the Berkshires their home, to 40 major league players coming from the Berkshires (two of them are in the National Baseball HOF). Just when you think you have a grasp on those stories someone asks – how about Women’s Baseball and Black Baseball in the Berkshires? Well - going back to the late 1800’s both the history of women and people of color have some strong roots here. Baseball in the Berkshires newest exhibit “Not Your Ordinary Story of Baseball in the Berkshires” – an exhibit of the history of Black baseball and Women’s baseball in Berkshire County comes to the West Stockbridge Old Town Hall April 18-21. Sponsored by the West Stockbridge Historical Society the exhibit is open to the public. The exhibit opens on Thursday, April 18th for a sneak preview from 5-8 PM. On Friday the 19th the Opening Reception is from 5-8 PM with a presentation on the history of Black baseball and Women’s baseball at 6:30 by Larry Moore, director of Baseball in the Berkshires. Special guests on Friday are Bryan House, former Pittsfield Cub who spent seven years playing minor league baseball and Joe Bateman, Pittsfield native who had an eleven-year career playing professional baseball. The exhibit continues on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 12-4 PM. On Saturday an on-going “hands-on” presentation “Innovation in Baseball - What’s New?” will be featured and Sunday the presentation will be “Tools of the Trade – the History of Baseball Equipment”. Both presentations are appropriate for all ages and the exhibit is open to the public Thursday thru Sunday and there is no admission fee.
“The Unknown Story of Baseball in the Berkshires” – a weekend-long celebration of the history of Black baseball and Women’s baseball in Berkshire County. Sponsored by the West Stockbridge Historical Society, starting Thursday, April 18th for a sneak preview from 5-8 PM. Opening Reception Friday, April 19th from 5-8 PM with a presentation on the history of Black baseball and Women’s baseball at 6:30 by Larry Moore, director of Baseball in the Berkshires, and special guests. Exhibit continues Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 12-4 PM. Old Town Hall, 9 Main Street, West Stockbridge. www.weststockbridgehistory.org
Apr 20 Saturday
Tackle your big spring cleaning with Clean Sweep! This popular, free event for Marysville residents takes place Saturday, April 20, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Marysville Public Works, 80 Columbia Ave.
City residents* may bring these items for FREE disposal or recycling:
Electronics and e-wasteComputers and laptopsTVs and monitors (LCD, plasma, CRT)Cell phones, tablets and e-readersPrinters, fax machines, and scannersAV equipment (DVD, VCR, Blu-Ray, stereo, gaming console, camera)UPS battery backupsRemote controlsMicrowaves, small electric kitchen appliances.
To get more information visit here 3rtechnology.com/events/city-of-marysville-spring-clean-up-event
Each Berkshire Grown Winter Farmers Market features locally grown and produced foods, including fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, breads, arm products, and more. Indoor market with several vendors "on the grill" outdoors. Offering SNAP/HIP benefits. 1:1 Market Match is available up to $30 at each market. Admission is free. Live music returns this year!
Free - Thurman Maple Days will be held 10am-4pm March 9-10, 16-17 & 23-24 at several sites within a small radius in the small town of Thurman, just minutes from downtown Lake George. Maple Days showcases some of Warren County’s largest maple operations, along with a “sapling” new operation that sprouts new growth each year. These maple farms initiate visitors from near and far to the Adirondacks heritage art of turning sap into outstanding maple confections, from the traditional pancake syrup and maple sugar candies to newer delicacies like maple cotton candy, maple glazed nuts, cinnamon infused and bourbon maple syrups and much more.
Visitors can self-guide with a passport and map to all 5 maple farms as well as to open houses to 4 neighboring farms. Visit the producer of internationally-awarded goat and sheep cheese, a certified tree farm that offers an artisan market with ongoing interactive demonstration and a 3rd farm that produces organic foods. Guests may experience wagon rides to the sugar bush, see traditional sap collection contrasted with technologically advanced procedures for reducing sap into syrup in the most-efficient way. Talk to the farm hosts about the passion that drives them to pursue their age-old arts. Each farm offers shopping so guests can take home some of the products made.
More information: Contact Robin Mahler (518)683-1508 or mudstmaple269@gmail.com. This event is made possible, in part, by Warren County occupancy tax dollars grated by the Town of Thurman.
Participating Farms: Toad Hill Maple, Valley Road Maple, Hidden Hollow Maple, Mud St. Maple, Candy Mountain, Martin’s Lumber and Artisans, Nettle Meadow Farm, TEF Braids, Maple Craft Show at Thurman Town Hall.
This event is made possible, in part, by Warren County occupancy tax dollars grated by the Town of Thurman. For more information and directory visit www.VisitThurman.com