2012 Fall Foliage Festival Continues this weekend and more!

Photo courtesy of PatriciaEGreen

Less then 15 minutes from the 1896 Inn, The North Adams Fall Foliage Festival is a fun time for the whole family.

SATURDAY, September 29

Farmer's Market - 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM - in the St. Elizabeth's of Hungary Municipal Parking Lot across from MASS MoCA, the market is in operation with harvest season fruit, vegetables and other produce and home-made goods for sale.

3rd Annual Dog Day of Fall Parade - 8:30 - 10:00 AM - Downtown North Adams.  All dogs are encouraged to participate.  Owners are encouraged to make costumes and enter their dogs into this parade.  This year's parade theme is "Toys on Parade."  Categories are: Funniest, Best Duo (owner and dog), Best Group (dogs), Best Small Dog, Best Medium-sized Dog, and Best Large Dog.  Prizes will be awarded following the parade and ribbons will be given to all participants.  Dog parade winners will be invited to participate in the Fall Foliage Parade on Sunday, September 30.

Dog Day of Fall Pet Psychic - 10:00 - 11:30 AM - North Adams Commons Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.  Following the dog parade, bring your pets to the North Adams Commons Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for a free pet psychic reading.  Regionally-known pet psychic Bonnie Strange, will provide the free readings.  Dogs, cats, and any other pets are welcome.  Parking will be reserved in the Wells Ave. parking lot.  Enter through the Wells Ave. entrance.  Light refreshments, including pet treats, will be provided.

FREE Family Concert at The Range - 11:00 AM - The Range, Curran Highway, North Adams.  Bring the family to The Range for a concert with Terry a la Berry.  This is a free concert, sponsored by the Adams Community Bank, and fun for the whole family.  The Bounti Fare will be on site selling lunch items.  Call 413-663-3030 for more information.

Benefit for the Mohawk Theater: Spirit of Johnny Cash - 8:00 PM - Mohawk Theater.  Supported by MCLA and presented by the city of North Adams with help from MASS MoCA, the celebrated Mohawk Theater opens for one night only with Harold Ford as Johnny Cash and Laura Lucy as June Carter Cash plus a full compliment of musicians forming the Cash Band.  In what is sure to become a historic Berkshire event, Johnny and June's greatest hits illuminate the downtown scene that will benefit the Mohawk Theater Restoration Fund and the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation.  The music and spirit of Johnny Cash will return to Main Street after almost 25 years in a concert to raise funds for the reopening of the theater.  For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.massmoca.org or click here.

Fall Foliage Dance - 9:00 PM - 1:00 AM - Fraternal Order of the Eagles, 515 Curran Highway.  Enjoy 2 live bands: Phil 'n Blanks reunion and Static performing.  $5 cover at the door.  Call 413-664-9043 for more information.

SUNDAY, September 30

Barbecue Grilling - 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM - BBQ offerings at the entrance of the Walmart parking lot (parade staging area).  Hot dogs, hamburgers, and cold drinks.  Proceeds benefit the Rotary children's Christmas party.

Parade-side BBQ - 12:00 PM - Fraternal Order of the Eagles, 515 Curran Highway.  Call 413-664-9043 for more information.

Annual 5k Road Race - 12:30 PM.

57th Annual Fall Foliage Parade – 1:00 PM – Celebrate the advent of the fall foliage season with a parade highlighting the beautiful foliage.

Information courtesy of http://fallfoliageparade.com, please check out the link for more information.

Also happening this coming weekend is the Berkshires Arts Festival Lenox

September 28, 29, & 30, 2012

The Inaugural Berkshires Art Festival Lenox to benefit Shakespeare & Company programs and services will be held September 28-30. More than 6,000 art lovers from the U.S., Canada and Europe are expected to descend on the Berkshires community for the event. Seventy-two artists from across the U.S. will be displaying works in categories including ceramics, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, sculpture, wood, decorative and wearable fiber, and others.

http://www.berkshiresartsfestivallenox.com/

Crane and Company Old Stone Mill Rag Room

A great place to take a midweek tour into a slice (or a page) right out of history.

The Papermaking Museum at Crane's Old Stone Mill

40 Pioneer Street, Dalton, Massachusetts (about 1/2 hour for the 1896 House)

https://plus.google.com/117400291355767910907/about?gl=us&hl=en

(413) 684-7780

http://www.crane.com

This structure represents the oldest paper factory (c. 1844) in continuous operation at one site, and outstandingly documents the early development of the American paper industry through the 19th and into the 20th century.

The museum, first opened in the autumn of 1930, it is on the National Register of Historic Places, National Register Number: 83004376. The one-story building is situated on the banks of the Housatonic River, which supplied the water to wash the rags and drive the machinery of the early Crane mills.

The museum is open Monday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m., free of charge, from early June through mid-October. 

Some interesting facts about Crane & Co.

Crane and Co. has been making fine paper for over 200 years and is now in its seventh generation of being owned and operated by the Crane family.

Papers made by Stephen Crane were used to print patriotic newspapers and broadsides leading up to and during the war, and were even engraved for Colonial Currency by Paul Revere. Revere even pastured his horses at the Liberty Paper Mill, just in case he needed to make a midnight ride…

Franklin and Eleanor conducted the affairs of a nation on Crane paper.

The Queen Mum announced the celebration of her 100th birthday on Crane paper.

Paul Revere engraved banknotes for the Colony of Massachusetts Bay on Crane paper to help finance the American Revolution.

As early as 1806, local and regional banks began printing currency on Zenas Crane's fine cotton papers. This was quickly followed by official government proclamations, permanent public records and stocks and bonds.

In the mid 1800s. Crane’s began making 100% cotton stationary. Soon after that, it was discovered that trees could be made into paper. Crane stayed with what they thought and currently still use what they think the best material to make paper out of; cotton.

Bella Terra Festival this weekend and ideas for some things to do during the week

Bella Terra Festival, Stephentown, New York (less then 30 minutes from the 1896 Inn)

August 16^th – 19th, 2012

Bella Terra Festival is an outdoor music and arts festival that occurs over multiple days and nights and features several stages of performances, artists and other programming. Gardner’s Farm in Stephentown, New York will be home to the third annual Bella Terra Festival, located between Albany, New York and The Berkshires in western Massachusetts.

Bella Terra celebrates a positive and progressive outlook and lifestyle, grassroots organization and activism, consciousness and creativity, self expression through artistic mediums, and the pursuit of a holistic existence that balances body, mind & spirit. Music and art can be a great platform to promote awareness, consciousness and sustainability and unite a people to affect societal progress. Bella Terra Festival uses this platform to call attention to the need to reestablish a spiritual connection between mankind and the Earth and perpetuate an ideology of global unification.

Bella Terra Festival recognizes that changing one’s own life for the better goes hand in hand with improving the world around us. This is why Bella Terra advocates that each person pursue his or her own dreams, open their minds and realize their maximum potential. To help meet these ends at Bella Terra Festival, many classes, workshops, and lectures in music, art, nature, politics and beyond are offered, in addition to a host of other programs and entertainment to help deliver our message.

http://bellaterrafestival.com

https://twitter.com/TheBellaTerra

Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat until August 18, 2012

Impressions of New England

Bennington Center for the Arts & Museum of the Covered Bridge

Bennington, VT

http://www.thebennington.org

This annual exhibition will include over 60 scenes captured in paint and bronze. Seashores, rolling hills, foliage and New England wildlife will be depicted in over seventy fine works of art.

Mondays

Ghost Tours At The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home

Lenox, MA

For over a century, The Mount has been home to writers, actors, wealthy families, hard-working servants, and teenage girls. Tour the most haunted parts of the estate to find out what spirits might still be lurking. Tours begin at 7:30pm, last 90 minutes and not recommended for visitors 12 years and younger due to mature content.  Reservations are highly recommended as most tours sell out. See website for more details.  http://www.edithwharton.org/

Mondays until August 28, 2012

Monday Lecture Series at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home

Lenox, MA

The 20th season of the Lecture Series promises to be one to remember! This year they are proud to offer an exciting mix of historians and biographers who will take you from the Romanov Dynasty, to the Gilded Age, to Paris and the Roaring Twenties. Lectures begin at 4 pm and are followed by a tea and book signing. For schedule visit the website. Seating is limited and early ticket purchase is highly recommended. $18 members, $20 non-members.

http://www.edithwharton.org

Weekly on Tuesday until October 3, 2012

Tyke Hike

North Adams

For children ages 8 and under with their parents/guardians. Take a short hike with the Park Interpreter to explore the nature around us. A great opportunity to introduce children to the outdoors. Wear sturdy shoes, bug spray and bring water bottle. Programs are free and start at the Natural Bridge Visitor Center with a $2.00 parking fee. 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm.

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/nbdg.htm

Wednesdays until October 4, 2012

Healthy Heart Walk at Natural Bridge State Park

Location: North Adams, MA

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/nbdg.htm

Easy 3/8 mile fitness walk on Healthy Heart woodland trail with Park Interpreter at 1pm. Bring sturdy shoes and water bottle. Programs are free and start at the Natural Bridge Visitor Center with a $2.00 parking fee.

Now is a great time to go berry and apple picking picking!

Right now is the perfect time of year to go fruit picking in the Berkshires! A great way to spend quality time with the family, stock up the pantry and get ready time bake up a storm or just enjoy them fresh with a little whipped cream.

The area abounds with farms and PYO farms, a lovely mouthwatering way to take home a taste of the Berkshires not far from the 1896House and great Saturday or Sunday bit of fun in the sun.

A great tip to hold your fresh berries and keep them fresh a little longer. Mix 1 tea. white vinegar with 1 cup fresh water, rinse the berries briefly and pat dry. Store in the refrigerator in a glass container. The berries don’t pick up the vinegar flavor but kill the mold spores on the berries.

The Apple Barn & Country Bake Shop (20 minutes from the Inn)

Strawberries, blueberries, Fall red raspberries

Rt 7 South, Bennington, VT 05201.

888-827-7537

Pick Your Own, Weather Permitting; Everbearing Strawberries - Mid June until October; Blueberries - Early July - Early August; Red Raspberries - Mid August to late September. Open: Call for PYO hours and availability.

http://www.theapplebarn.com/index.php

Lakeview Orchard (25 minutes from the Inn)

Sweet and Tart Cherries, Apples, plums, raspberries (Spring, red), raspberries (Autumn, red), raspberries (black), Honey from hives on the farm, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises)

94 Old Cheshire Road, Lanesboro, MA 01237.

413-448-6009

Early July to October 31; Tuesday through Sunday 9 am to 5:30 pm; Columbus Day Monday.

http://www.lakevieworchard.com/

Mountain View Farm (25 minutes from the Inn)

Blueberries, strawberries

90 Old Cheshire Road, Lanesboro, MA 01225.

413-445-7642.

Open: Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm; Saturday and Sunday, from 8am to 4pm. http://mountainviewfarm.org/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mountain-View-Farm/106412962736471

Bartlett's Orchard (45 minutes from the Inn)

Apples, raspberries and flowers 575 Swamp Road, Richmond, MA. 

413-698-2559.  

PYO, call for hours; Stand open 8-5pm, 7 days a week

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bartletts-Orchard/146680312027115

Hilltop Orchard / Furnace Brook Winery (45 minutes from the Inn)

Apples

800-833-6274.

Open: Wed to Sunday, 9am to 5pm Labor Day until Columbus Day for PYO

Containers provided, children welcome, picnicking and free hayrides on weekends.  View cider mill and offer hard cider.  Year round stand and bakery

Kirchner's Farm (45 minutes from the Inn)

Blueberries and raspberries

131 Churchill Street, Pittsfield, MA.

413-443-7645.

Open: Mid July thru early September Call for appointment.

The Maple Connection/the Harvest Pride (45 minutes from the Inn)

Apples, maple syrup

Route 143, PO 565, Hinsdale, MA 01235

413-842-7592.

Crops are usually available in February, March, April, September, October, November. Open: year round please call ahead for times and crop we are picking and or boiling maple syrup; Please call ahead for PYO

Strawberry Acres Farm (45 minutes from the Inn)

Blueberries

370 Pittsfield Road, Hinsdale, MA 01235. Phone: 413-655-2672

Open: 9am to 5pm daily. 

Some Great Shopping Spots in the Heart of Williamstown

Photo courtesy of cohdra

Some ideas for the clothes horses and the outdoors folks, with a great shop for kids and adults to visit and see what’s new. All a short distance away from the 1896 House. Stay tuned next week when we feature some great local Adams shops, only a short hop away from Williamstown.

Amy’s Cottage

http://www.amyscottage.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheCottageOfWilliamstown

24 Water Street * Williamstown, MA  01267

413-458-4305

An eclectic boutique in the center of Williamstown, the heart of the beautiful Berkshires. We feature a wide array of gifts and women's clothing, tons of beautiful Jewlery, Scarves, Baby Clothing and Gifts. Featuring PANDORA, Vera Bradley, Robeez, Zutano, Baggallini, Demdaco Willow Tree Angels, Horse Lovers gifts, and so much more!

the Browns

http://berkshirebrowns.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/theBrowns/47697204906

16 Water Street

Williamstown, MA

413-458-1618

Some of the brands they carry: Eileen Fisher, B.P. Studio, MaxMara, Majestic, AG jeans and knits, XCVI, Fabrizio Gianni, and Jerome Dreyfuss, Damask, Lisa b, Hannoh, Nuno, Matta, Rossopuro, Reptiles House, and Laviniatura.and some amazing vintage pieces.

Ruby Sparks

http://rubysparkswilliamstown.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ruby-Sparks/199012270155421

37 Spring Street

Williamstown MA

413-458-2226

Ruby Sparks is newly created by Harrison Gallery owner Jo Ellen Harrison, run by retail veteran Cindy Jeandell, with her fashion-mate Courtney Andrews. A unique, trendy business where shopping is enjoyable, Ruby Sparks offers an energetic, service-oriented experience with clever, upbeat merchandising and a full range of highly desirable products. Offering a store mix typical of boutique shopping, Ruby Sparks products are individually selected at market with flair and exclusivity in mind. We are selling a lifestyle driven by individuality and a playful spirit for the modern woman.

Where'd You Get That!? (For the Kids and the Adults)

http://www.wygt.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Whered-You-Get-That/287542295210

100 Spring Street - Williamstown, MA

413-458-2206

Where'd You Get That!? is a specialty toy store offering a wide range of ingenious games, brainteasers, puzzles, inventive educational and developmental toys, baby gifts, humorous books, flying toys, gizmos, novelties, gourmet candy, camp care-packages, customized party favors and gift bags, cards and balloons for any occasion. Hailed "Best Window Shopping" in Williamstown, The New York Times gives Where'd You Get That!? high marks.

The Spoke Bike Shop

http://www.spokebicycles.com/

250 Main Street

Williamstown, MA 01267

413-458-3456

All  types of bicycles for sale.. Children's bikes, adult mountain, road and hybrid bikes, touring bikes, cyclocross bikes, unicycles, tricycles, tandems. Offers bicycles tune-ups and bicycles accessories.

Mountain Goat Outdoor Shop

http://www.themountaingoat.com/

130 Water Street

Williamstown, MA 01267

413-458-8445

Since 1982 The Mountain Goat in Williamstown has been the area's premier outdoor specialty shop. In 1999 John Bryan and Jay Merselis, lifelong residents of the area and avid outdoorsmen, bought the Goat. In 2008, John decided to pursue a new career and jay became the sole owner. With the help and support of a dedicated and educated staff, The Mountain Goat continues to be a destination. Whether your next outing takes you across the world or simply across town, we at The Goat have the technical and casual clothing, gear, footwear, and accessories you need to battle the elements and simply look great!

Get Your Game on with a Game of Golf

By: amjorsfeldt

It’s the perfect time of year to go golfing. The 1896 House has 2 great golf courses less then 5 minutes away from the inn and 2 more with in close driving distance.

Taconic Golf Club (less then 5 minutes from the Inn)|

19 Meacham Street

Williamstown, MA 01267

413-458-3997

Website: http://www.taconicgolf.com/

Originally designed in 1927 by Wayne Stiles of Stiles & Van Cleek, our par-71 course was renovated in 2009 by renowned golf course architect Gil Hanse of Hanse Golf Course Design, Inc., Golf Magazine’s 2009 Architect of the Year. Taconic Golf Club is located on land owned by Williams College and is operated by an independent board of directors.

Rates: http://www.taconicgolf.com/play-taconic/greens-fees/

Waubeeka (less then 5 minutes from the Inn)

18 Hole Public Golf Course
Routes 7 and 43
South Williamstown, MA 01267

413-458-8355

Website: http://www.waubeeka.com/

Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Waubeeka-Golf-Links/226353307797

The base elevation of the golf course is 850 feet with the Taconic Range on the West side, the Brodie Mt. Range on the South, the Hoosac Range (includes Mt. Greylock, at 3,491 feet the highest point in Mass.) to the East and the Green Mountains of Vermont to the North. T'hecounty seat city of Pittsfield is 15 miles to the south and Bennington, VT, is 20 miles to the north. New York's Capital District is 35 miles to the west.

Rates: http://www.waubeeka.com/tee-times/

Forest Park Country Club (less then 25 minutes from the Inn)

Forest Park Ave.

Adams, MA 01220

413-743-3311

Website: http://forestparkadams.com/

Forest Park Country Club is a nine hole golf course located in Adams, MA.  Forest Park Country Club is open to the public.  We are a user friendly, yet challenging course. Forest Park Country Club was founded in the year 1900 is one of the oldest clubs in the United States!   We are located near the base of scenic Mt Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts.  We have a Function Room that can host parties up to 100 people.  Forest Park is open for guest play from 8:00AM until sunset everyday.

Guest Rates http://forestparkadams.com/rates/

Mt. Anthony Country Club (less then 25 minutes from the Inn)

180 Country Club Drive

Bennington, VT 05201

802-442-2617

Website: http://www.mtanthonycc.com

Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mt-Anthony-Country-Club/118078876815

Established in 1897, Mt. Anthony Country Club is nestled in the green Mountains and it's located in the heart of Historic Old Bennington. The course has gone through a renovation under the direction of Golf Course Architect, A. John Harvey, of the RBA Group. The new changes take full advantage of the spectacular Green Mountain location and challenge players at every level. The restoration includes new shaping of bunkers and tee complexes. A systematic agronomic program continues in all existing grass areas, fairways and greens which results in a superb quality of the turf. Come and enjoy the new Mt. Anthony. A monumental Golfing Experience!

Guest Rates http://www.mtanthonycc.com/golf.html Non-members can register 3 days in advance.

Things to do this weekend around Williamstown

Saturday July 21, and Sunday July 22, 2012

Oh, Canada 

MASS Moca, 87 Marshall St, North Adams, MA    

Oh, Canada:Featuring works by over 60 artists across Canada, this exhibition seeks to create talks about contemporary Canadian artwork. A 450 page book accompanies the exhibition, guiding readers through Canada, its topography and artists.

http://www.massmoca.org/event_details.php?id=663

Saturday July 21, 2012

Last of the Red Hot Lovers

Williamstown Theater Festival - Nikos Stage

1000 Main St, Williamstown, MA     

Last of the Red Hot Lovers: Middle-aged restaurant manager Barney Cashman has a pleasant enough existence, but his marriage provides no passion. He hopes to get away with an exhilarating afternoon that would provide a satisfying memory. However, his lack of relevant skills leads to three meetings with three different women.

http://wtfestival.org/calendar/2012-07-21

Saturday and Sunday 10:00am – 12:00pm and 1:00 – 2:00 pm.

Marble Walk at the Natural Bridge State Park

North Adams, MA (less then 15 minutes from the 1896 House)

Take a walk with the Park Interpreter to discover the natural geologic features and the remains of the marble quarry that once operated at Natural Bridge. Offered every Programs are free and start at the Natural Bridge Visitor Center with a $2.00 parking fee.

Runs every Sunday and Saturday until October 8, 2012

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/nbdg.htm

Sunday, July 22

The Clark Lecture Series at the Clark

Author Reading with Natalie Dykstra.  Her new biography Clover Adams: A Gilded and Heartbreaking Life, Natalie Dykstra illuminates the life of Clover Adams, socialite, amateur photographer, and wife Henry Adams. Dykstra will present a free, illustrated talk on Clover’s life and photographs.  A book signing will follow the event.  3pm.

http://www.clarkart.edu

One, two, three, Zip! - Ziplining!

Under an hour from the inn, zipline tours at Berkshire East offers three different tours, one of New England’s largest zipline destinations and one of the top ten in the US and check out some other videos of the zipline tours at http://www.youtube.com/user/berkshirezip

Choose from one of three zip line canopy tours

Base Tour , Mountain Top Tour or Valley Jump

Check out more information about these tours at http://www.berkshirezip.com/

Phone reservations can be made with a BECT customer service representative at 413-339-6618 during normal business hours. Online reservations may be made at any time.   Walk up guests are welcome, but cannot always guarantee you a spot on the same day, so its best to make reservations. 413-339-6618 or book online at http://reservations.berkshireeast.com/express/reservation/results.jsf?typeID=1

Check out some facts on what to wear and more at http://berkshireeast.com/zip_faq

And find them on Facebook and Twitter too!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Berkshire-East-Canopy-Tours/94318020786 and

https://twitter.com/#!/BerkshireEast

Berkshire East Ski Area/Berkshire East

66 Thunder Mtn. Road Charlemont, MA

413-339-6618

Williamstown Theatre Festival starts this week!

The 2012 summer season starts on June 26^th with The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People. Directed by David Hyde Pierce

The play runs from June 26 through July 14, 2012

For tickets: http://www.wtfestival.org/buytickets

The Williamstown Theatre Festival has an interesting history spanning over 58 years. The theatre was started in 1955 by Ralph Renzi, the then News Director of Williams College, and David C. Bryant, chairman of the College’s active drama program. Read more at http://wtfestival.org/history

2012 On the Main Stage:

The Importance of Being Earnest By Oscar Wilde

June 26 – July 14

Directed by David Hyde Pierce

Far From Heaven

July 19 – 29

Book by Richard Greenberg

Directed by Michael Greif

A Month in the Country By Ivan Turgenev

August 1 – 19

Directed by Richard Nelson

2012 On the Nikos Stage:

The Blue Deep By Lucy Boyle

June 27 – July 8

Directed by Bob Balaban

Last of the Red Hot Lovers By Neil Simon

July 11 – 22

Directed by Jessica Stone

The Elephant Man By Bernard Pomerance

July 25 – August 5

Directed by Scott Ellis

WHADDABLOODCLOT!!! By Katori Hall

August 8 – 19

Directed by May Adrales

Here Lies Love

June 21, 22 & 23 @ 8pm, June 23 & 24 @ 3pm

The Hunter Center at MASS MoCA

Written by David Byrne

Directed by Alex Timbers

Other 2012 Events:

For a full updated list of “More” events, please visit http://www.wtfestival.org/2012/morefest

The architectural award-winning ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance is the summer home of the Williamstown Theatre Festival.  Located on the campus of Williams College, the building offers a modern theater experience.  Its Main Stage “courtyard” proscenium has 512 seats, is air conditioned and provides disabled access. 1000 Main Street, Williamstown, MA, only 5 minutes away from the 1896 House Inn.

Jacob’s Pillow, A Berkshire’s Gem

In the Berkshires we are getting ready for the seasonal opening of Jacob’s Pillow. On

June 16, the 80th Anniversary Season Opening Gala (http://www.jacobspillow.org/festival/2012/06/gala-2012/) was held marking the opening of the season. Celebrating eight decades of dance, it featured international renowned performers followed by a dinner and live auction.

Jacob’s Pillow offers free outdoor performances for the young and old. Check out their

Inside/Out series, performances by emerging and established dance companies and presentations by dancers of every Wednesday through Saturday at 6:15pm.

For the full schedule please visit http://www.jacobspillow.org/festival/insideout-schedule/index.php Performances start Wednesday, June 20.

Inside/Out moves to an indoor studio in the event of rain and seating is very limited indoors. Please call the Box Office at 413-243-0745 the day of the performance after 5:30 PM to learn if the performance has been moved to an indoor venue.

Ticketed performances begin June 20^th as well on a variety of stages.

2012 Schedule:

Mimulus, June 20-June 24, 2012

Circa, June 20-June 24, 2012

Morphoses, June 27-July 1, 2012

Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM, June 27-July 1, 2012

Vertigo Dance Company, July 4-July 8, 2012

LeeSaar The Company, July 4-July 8, 2012

Borrowed Light by Tero Saarinen, July 11-July 15, 2012

The Men Dancers: From the Horse's Mouth, July 11-July 15, 2012,

Hong Kong Ballet, July 18-July 22, 2012

Luna Negra Dance Theater, July 18-July 22, 2012

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, July 25-July 29, 2012

Jessica Lang Dance, July 25-July 29, 2012

Royal Winnipeg Ballet, August 1-August 5, 2012

Jonah Bokaer & David Hallberg, August 1-August 5, 2012

Trey McIntyre Project, August 8-August 12, 2012

Dance Heginbotham, August 8-August 12, 2012

Compagnie Käfig, August 15-August 19, 2012

Liz Gerring Dance Company, August 15-August 19, 2012

A Jazz Happening,August 19, 2012

The Joffrey Ballet, August 22-August 26, 2012

Doug Elkins and Friends' Fräulein Maria, August 22-August 26, 2012

For more information please visit:

http://www.jacobspillow.org/festival/events/ticketed-performances/

Jacob's Pillow Dance

358 George Carter Road

Becket, MA 01223

Box Office, March 3-August 28

Phone: 413-243-0745

http://www.jacobspillow.org/

Also check out: "Never Stand Still: Dancing at Jacob's Pillow"

Never Stand Still, a documentary about Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Becket, Mass., and its founder Ted Shawn. http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/reviews/specialty-releases/e3ieebd34100228bb43bff0ad4af13ffa6f

Get revved up this coming weekend for the British Invasion!

Once again the town of Lenox is going hold a three day festival, the Berkshire British Motorcar Festival, a lovely combination of antique cars with a dash of John Steed and Mrs. Peel. 

The festival is held this Father’s Day weekend, starting on Friday, June 15^th and going through the weekend until Sunday, June 17^th.

The event starts on Friday with a motorcar parade from the Shakespeare & Company to Main Street, and then kicks of the Main Street Party, sponsored by the Lenox Chamber of Commerce. 007 will be on hand to oversee the Sean Connery look alike competition.

All of the cars will be on display at the Shakespeare & Company grounds and a Judged Competition will take place based on appearance. There will be a complimentary shuttle service between the Shakespeare & Company grounds and Main Street, provided by the local chamber. Area shops and restaurants will offer special British themed options.

For more information please visit: http://berkshiremotorcarfestival.com/events/index.html

Check Out Herbfest!

Photo image courtesy Gracey 

It’s supposed to be a beautiful weekend in the Berkshires. If you are staying at the 1896 House Inn and looking for something to do, check out the Mt. Lebanon Herbfest in nearby New Lebanon, NY. (less then 30 minutes away from the inn).

The Herbfest is a two day festival held on the beautiful Darrow School campus on the grounds of Mount Lebanon Shaker Village. On Saturday June 9, there are local activities and retail offerings throughout town. On Sunday multiple workshops are held.

They recommend pre-registration for workshops as they do fill up. http://www.mountlebanonherbfest.com/june-10/registration-and-locavore-lunch/

More than 30 walks, talks, demonstrations and workshops on herbs in food, pharmacy, gardening and local history

Admission: $10 per person, $20 per family.

The HerbFest is held rain or shine.

Saturday June 9 events and activities

Morning Walk at Hand Hollow Conservation Area

Herbal Walk and Workshop

9:00-11:30 am

Hand Hollow Conservation Area

4079 Route 9, New Lebanon

All Ages – Free

Talk at the New Lebanon Library

1:00 pm at the New Lebanon Library on The Literary Herb

Cattail Walk

at Wyomanock Center for Sustainable Living, 68 Wyomanock Rd, Stephentown, NY

2:30pm

.

Please visit http://www.mountlebanonherbfest.com/june-9/activities/ for more information

Sunday June 10 events and activities

(Sunday has multiple events running at the same time)

10:00 am

Shaker Cooking with Herbs, (1 hour)

Making Herbal Creams and Salves, (1 hour)

Mohican History and the Gift of the Healing Waters of the Lebanon Springs, (1/2 hour)

10:30 am

Herb Gardens: Have one at your fingertips. Delightful to the eye, delicious to the taste. (1/2 hour)

11:00 am

Family Forage: Fun with edible herbs. (1 hour)

Herbal Tinctures for Health. (1/2 hour)

Recent Research into the Ecology of the Shaker Swamp. (1/2 hour)

11:30 a.m.

Green Clean: Cleaning Your Home with Herbs and Essential Oils. (1/2 hour)

Tracking Down Herbs of All Kinds in the Shaker Swamp. (1 and 1/2 hours).

12 noon

Herbs in Modern Cooking 1 hour.

Lebanon Springs: The Source of New Lebanon’s Healing Gift. (1/2 hour).

12:30 p.m.

Making Herbal Soap. (1 hour)

1:00 p.m.

Searching Attics, Papers and Memories: Understanding the Rise and Decline of the Tilden Pharmaceutical Company of New Lebanon. (1/2 hour)

1:30 p.m.

Creating a Living Herbal Wreath. (1 hour)

How to Use Chinese Herbs. (1/2 hour)

2 p.m

Every man his own Physician: Samuel Thomson, the Shakers and the Thomsonian System. (1/2 hour)

2:30 p.m.

Nettles: One of Nature’s Wonder Plants. (1/2 hour)

Native American Storytelling in the Tipi. (1/2 hour)

3:00 p.m.

Making Drinks with Bitters. (1 hour)

Wonderful Garlic. (1/2 hour)

Tea Served in the Beautiful Herb Garden at the Abode. (1 hour)

3:30 p.m.

Cello Concert by Paul de Jong. (1/2 hour)

The Living Machine: An Ecological Wastewater Treatment Solution (1/2 hour)

For more information about each workshop, visit http://www.mountlebanonherbfest.com/june-10/program-schedule/

A perfect addition to a weekend getaway

When you are on vacation or even just a weekend getaway, one of the things high on the priority list is to RELAX.

Massage is one of the best options to help relax, it also aids in the body healing processes and helps
with general well being. What better way to reduce anxiety (and your blood pressure) by going to get a massage.

In Touch Day Spa is only 5 minutes away from the 1896 House. They offer Massage Therapy, facials, skin care, a full service hair salon, a private outdoor hot tub and a relaxed atmosphere. Check out a full list of their services at http://www.intouchdayspa.com/services.html.

Date Night Special - One hour private Hot Tub for two followed by 2 one hour massages $175.00

As a courtesy to their staff they require a minimum of 24 hour advanced notice to change or cancel appointments.*Otherwise the full fee for booked services will be charged. If you arrive late they will do their best to accommodate you, however they may have to finish on time.

For more information or to schedule an appointment please stop by or call 413-458-3235

In Touch Day Spa
84 Water Street, Williamstown MA
413-458-3235
http://www.intouchdayspa.com/

Check out Chunky Move at Mass MoCA this weekend!

This coming weekend while you are visiting the 1896 House, check out the fantastic shows by Chunky Move at MASS MoCA. Have dinner Saturday night at the 6' House Pub before the show or catch lunch before the show on Sunday. Less then 15 minutes from the Inn, get directions at http://g.co/maps/5upp8

Combine your visit with a spin through the MASS MoCA galleries http://www.massmoca.org/. Special combo ticket Chunky Move + galleries just $32. Galleries open 11 - 7:30on Saturday and 11 - 5 on Sunday with lots of great art  

Australia’s leading contemporary dance company, Chunky Move, presents their newest work Connected, a collaboration of choreographer Gideon Obarzanek and visual artist Reuben Margolin who is known for large kinetic sculptures that move and morph. In Connected, the airborne sculpture made of wood, recycled plastic, paper, and steel is built in front of us as the dance unfolds, and has been described by dance critic Deborah Jowitt as “the most compelling presence onstage.”

On their last US tour under the direction of company founder and longtime artistic director Gideon Obarzanek, Chunky Move, Australia’s “biggest and most successful contemporary dance export” (Edinburgh International Festival) comes to MASS MoCA.

In 2008 Chunky Move received Best Dance Work for Glow and Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production for Mortal Engine at the Live Performance Australia Helpmann Awards. In 2009, Mortal Engine received an Honorary Mention in the Prix Ars Electronica awards in the Hybrid Arts category.

Buy tickets online http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=2324&event_val=CHUN&schedule=list (show only)  $39 premium / $29 orchestra / $25 mezzanine at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, 87 Marshall Street. 413-662-2111 or call the Box Office at 413 664 4481.

Check out their website at: http://www.chunkymove.com/

Find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/CHUNKY-MOVE/15467747194

Check Out North Adams 15th Annual Winterfest!

Saturday, February 25, 2012, 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. FREE

We haven't had much of a snowy winter so far, with days that are just short of balmy, but it's still fun to enjoy winter and the winter activities such as ice skating and watching people carve up enormous chunks of ice at the local winterfest. North Adams is less then 15 minutes from the 1896 House.

Early Morning, come see local artists and business owners try their hands at ice carving

The WinterFest Chowder Competition, 12 – 2 p.m.

Activities such as face painting, karaoke, hot chocolate, and horse drawn wagon rides. Children’s activities will be held at both MASS MoCA and Heritage State Park. MASS.

The North Adams Vietnam Memorial Skating Rink will host a Skating Dance Party from 7-9 p.m.. Admission is FREE and will feature a DJ, food and fun.

New events, performances and activities are being added all the time. Maps and schedules will be available the day of the event. For the most up-to-date information on North Adams’ WinterFest, call (413) 664-6180.

For more information please also check out

http://berkshires.org/bvb/files/2011/11/WinterFest.pdf

ALSO!!!

Come visit PRESS during the City of North Adams 15th Annual Winterfest Celebration

Take advantage of this surprisingly spring-like winter and take a walk downtown to experiment with letterpress by making your own type composition. Drop on in and choose from the large assortment of found wood type and bring your words to life! There is a suggested donation of $ 5 for printing.

PRESS

Date: February 25th

Time: 12-2

51 Main Street, North Adams, MA 01247

http://letterpressasapublicartproject.wordpress.com/

Susan B. Anthony Birthplace and a Special Concert Event

Plan a multi-day visit to Adams, MA while staying at the comfortable 1896 House Inn, on Saturday, visit the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum and then on Sunday, listen to a lovely concert honoring the "daughter of Adams".

If you are looking for some fun things to also do on Saturday, go Ice Skating! For more information about hours and rates, please visit http://northadams-ma.gov/index.php?cmd=content&nav_id=76. On Sunday have a leisurely relaxing lunch at the 6' House Pub and then go listen to some lovely music celebrating Susan B. Anthony.

Susan B. Anthony Birthday Concert to Feature “Only the Message Mattered,” Sunday February 19, 2011

The annual event for Susan B. Anthony will feature “an absolutely gorgeous piece of music” to honor the “daughter of Adams.” And will present the original music and narrative, “Only the Message Mattered,” by composer/musician Bob Warren.

The concert, at 3:00 pm, Sunday, February 19, Adams Free Library, 92 Park Street, will honor  one of the world’s greatest human rights leaders and “daughter of Adams,” Susan B. Anthony. The public is invited to attend free of charge.

The event is co-hosted by the Adams Historical Society and funded in part from a grant from Mass Humanities. Bob Warren wrote the piece in 2010 with a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts for an ensemble of three singers/narrators and two instrumentalists. Performing in Adams on February 19, in simple Quaker dress, will be singer/narrators Brittany Rivers, Barbara Skiff, Rebecca Rogers, cellist Demetria Koninis and Bob Warren on piano.

For more information, contact the Adams Free Library, 413-743-8345, or the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum, 413-743-7121.

Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum (20 minutes from the 1896 House)

67 East Road

Adams, MA 01220

413-743-7121

http://www.susanbanthonybirthplace.com

The Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation, dedicated to preserving the birthplace and raising public awareness of the wide-ranging legacy of the great social reformer, Susan B. Anthony, who was a pioneering feminist and suffragist as well as a noteworthy figure in the abolitionist, opposition to Restellism, and temperance movements of the 19th century.  As part of its mission, the Museum will highlight the familial and regional influences which shaped Ms. Anthony’s early life, by displaying the textiles and furnishings of that period, as well as the literature and other memorabilia associated with her later career.

Museum’s hours and schedule:

October 14, 2010 - May 28, 2011

Thursday, Friday & Saturday 10am - 4pm

- or - Call the Birthplace office and request a special tour.

One can tour the five room home in less than an hour.

Admission is $5 for adults

$3 for seniors and children

Free for children under 6 years of age.

This rural, Federal-style home was the birthplace and childhood home of Susan Brownell Anthony, an advocate for temperance and the rights of women. She was born in 1820 and lived in the house until the age of seven. She later returned here several times throughout her life. Anthony’s family had a long tradition in the Quaker Society of Friends, and she was raised to value the precepts of society, humility, simplicity, and in particular, equality. Anthony received a broad education and undoubtedly incorporated the instruction she received in this rural home into her later career. As an adult, Anthony went on to be educated as a teacher in Philadelphia and taught in various schools from 1835 to 1860, earning 1/3 of the salary paid to her male cohorts. Frustrated by the restrictions placed on her because of her gender, Anthony moved to her family’s home in New York in 1849. There, she became an associate of Fredrick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison, leaders in the anti-slavery movement before the Civil War. Already an advocate of temperance and a good friend of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, she also endorsed rights for women and in 1869 helped found the National Woman’s Suffrage Association. Anthony cast a ballot in the 1872 presidential election and was arrested and fined $100 by a judge who directed the jury to find her guilty. She refused to pay, but because the judgment was never enforced, she could not appeal to the Supreme Court.

In 1892, she became the National Woman’s Suffrage Association’s president. Susan B. Anthony did not live to see women get the right to vote, for she died in 1906, 13 years before the 19th amendment was passed.

Information courtesy of: http://www.susanbanthonybirthplace.com

Love is in the Art

February is the month for romance and what better way to spend a chilly day with your sweetheart then touring a local art gallery.

Love is in the Art – A Group Show. Mon-Sat 10am – 5:30pm. Sun. 11am-4pm.

At The Harrison Gallery (less then 5 minutes from the 1896 House)

February 4 - 29, 2012

39 Spring Street

Williamstown MA 01267

413-458-1700

Website: www.theharrisongallery.com

The Harrison Gallery specializes in contemporary American artists, with a focus on landscapes. The works are created by traditional New England painters, American Impressionists, photographers, watercolorists, and mixed media artists. The Harrison Gallery prides itself in representing a wide variety of styles to serve diverse tastes. The gallery's collection also includes etchings, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, and fine art ceramics. With both local pride and an international scope, our artists range from Williamstown talent to Berkshire residents, the New York School to the California School , and a handful of international artists.

Artists featured in the Love is in the Art Show

Brother Thomas Bezanson

portfolio at http://www.theharrisongallery.com/artistDetail_2773_Brother%20Thomas-Bezanson.htm

Susan Read Cronin

portfolio at http://www.theharrisongallery.com/artistDetail_974_Susan%20Read-Cronin.htm

Stanley Bielen

portfolio at http://www.theharrisongallery.com/artistDetail_7859_Stanley-Bielen.htm

John Traynor

portfolio at http://www.theharrisongallery.com/artistDetail_11715_John-Traynor.htm

While your visiting the Williamstown area, stop by and check out the The Williamstown Art Conservation Center at Stone Hill Center.

The Conservation Center is a unique facility for art conservation. It offers spacious labs for paintings, works on paper, photography, objects, textiles, furniture and picture frames, each space brightly illuminated with natural light and built to meet the specific needs of its specialty. Stone Hill Center also houses Clark exhibition galleries and features sweeping vistas of the Berkshires and Green Mountains. Visitors may experience the conservation process via a viewing platform and windows that look in on the labs.

227 South Street

Williamstown, MA 01267

http://www.williamstownart.org/

The Guthrie Family Rides Again

At the The Colonial Theatre (less then 40 minutes from the 1896 House)

111 South Street

Pittsfield, MA 01201


Please click here for directions from the 1896 House to the Colonial Theatre

Saturday, November 19 8 pm

For over four decades, Arlo Guthrie has toured the world winning a broad and dedicated following. In addition to being an accomplished musician, Guthrie is a natural-born storyteller whose hilarious tales and timeless anecdotes are woven seamlessly into his performances.

http://www.thecolonialtheatre.org

Get tickets at https://tickets.thecolonialtheatre.org/TheatreManager/1/login&event=0

There is a good chance that Arlo will sing Alice's Restaurant, which has become a Thanksgiving day tradition,  being played by radio stations across the country on Thanksgiving. Check out Alice's Restaurant on Youtube at  http://youtu.be/LNLE5z7jNaM

The Motorcycle Song, Arlo Guthrie