It’s All Purple and Gold in Williamstown!

Williams’ Homecoming weekend is upon us! Are you planning your homecoming weekend with your Eph in Williamstown this week? Well here’s what Williams College and the surrounding areas have to offer while you’re here!

Looking for a fun Friday evening?

“Standards, Show Tunes and Surprises” is happening Friday night, November 8^th in the Tavern at the Williams Inn. Howie Levitz, TGL Tunes, plays the piano every Friday night! Come dance and enjoy great music!

Berkshire Theatre Group presents Gordon Lightfoot at The Colonial Theatre on November 8^th. Gordon Lightfoot has recorded 20 albums and received five GRAMMY nominations. His songs have been aired regularly and his radio hits in the USA have earned five #1s, five Top 10s and thirteen Top 40 hits. This is guaranteed to be a great concert!

At Williams: There will be the Homecoming Chili Fest on November 9^th. Join the Williams community for chili and Eph camaraderie under their hospitality tent at Weston Field.

While you’re here, be sure to visit the Homecoming Spirit tent next to Hospitality Tent for purple projects, face painting, pictures with the Purple Cow and Williams spirit treats and goodies!

Then of course, grab your chili and find a spot in the stands to cheer on the Williams Football team as they take on Amherst at 12pm! Go Ephs!

For the Clark Art fans out there, The Clark will be hosting Live in HD: Tosca on November, 9^th. Tosca, the famed opera that includes some of Giacomo Puccini’s most beloved melodies, will be airing live at the institute from the Metropolitan Opera.

Be sure to bring the whole family for all the fun and pack your best purple and gold outfits for game day and the weekend activities! Book your rooms while there are still rooms left and come stay with us at the 1896 House! We can’t wait to see you!

Things to do this Weekend and More!

Image courtesy of smallwon

It has been an exciting weekend in Williamstown, Williams College football team achieved their first 49-35 win of the season  on Saturday against Tufts! Congratulations and way to go Ephs! For those of you coming into town for the parents’ weekend, Williams’ next game will be home this weekend, Saturday the 26th against Hamilton at 1:00pm at Weston field. Book your rooms with me, family and friends, while there are still rooms left and don’t forget to pack your purple attire!

Meanwhile, on Spring Street, the Williamstown Farmers’ Market had a great turn out. Many fall season items were offered including, pumpkins, handmade clothing, vegetables, and baked goods from local farms and vendors. Many families and football game attendees enjoyed the fall activities and goodies the market had to offer, as well as the beautiful fall weather! I enjoyed sipping cider and munching on baked goods myself while watching the Ephs’ game. The Williamstown Farmers’ Market will be held again this Saturday the 26th at the bottom of Spring Street in Williamstown, MA.

Looking ahead at events to attend this weekend, the Grand Gala & Auction will be held on Saturday, October 26th from 6:00pm to 11:00pm at the Bennington Center for the Natural and Cultural Arts in Bennington, VT. Let’s get fancy! Dress up for this Black Tie Affair and enjoy cocktails, food, music, silent auction on school catamounts and the live auction for 35 designer catamounts on display.

Well, the weather is starting to become quite brisk out here and before we know it we’ll be seeing snow! Hurry now and book your stay with me at the 1896 House and enjoy some last minute fall activities and events and enjoy the remaining foliage in the Berkshires!

Where the Wild Things Are Walks

While you are here visiting the 1896 House Inn, getting outdoors in this great weather should be on your "to to" list!

Williams College is putting on a series of Food Foraging Walks taking place locally.

Saturday, April 28 (11am – 1pm) — Aimee Gelinas at Stone Hill in Williamstown

Sunday, April 29 (1 – 3pm) — Blanche Derby at Field Farm in Williamstown

Saturday, May 5 (1 – 3pm) — Russ Cohen at Money Brook Trail in Williamstown

Sunday, May 6 (1 – 3pm) — Russ Cohen at Cole Field in Williamstown

Each walk costs $25 per person, rain or shine.

Register for the events by going to http://www.eventbrite.com/org/2134859133?s=7793761

PLEASE NOTE, participants are required to pre-register for all foraging walks at least 48 hours in advance. Walk-ins are not permitted as there is limited space for each walk. Registration is non-refundable.

Location is subject to change but will remain in the northern or southern Berkshires as originally planned. Registered participants will receive confirmation of location via email the week of the walk. Please wear appropriate clothing and shoes for hiking and weather conditions.

The walks will be led by instructors who will focus on responsible harvesting techniques, recipes, and the history of foraging in the Berkshires. One goal of the walks is to educate the public on ecosystem balance and sustainability.

For more information please visit http://www.berkshirefarmandtable.com/where-the-wild-things-are-2012/sign-up/

Old Hopkins Observatory & Mehlin Museum of Astronomy

Visiting the 1896 Inn in the next month and half is a great time to take advantage of visiting the local Planetarium. Late Fall and early winter weather conditions make for perfect atmospheric conditions for star and planet viewing. Grab an early dinner at the 6"House Pub or visit the Bar after the Planetarium shop for an even nightcap.

The Hopkins Observatory is the oldest existing observatory in the United States and houses the earliest Alvan Clark telescope.  In 1834, Prof. Albert Hopkins went to England, with the permission of the trustees of the college, to search for astronomical apparatus.  On his return, he enlisted some of his students to build a permanent observatory, which they constructed by hand from 1836 to 1838.  That building is now the planetarium.  It was originally located in the center of the quad but was moved to the far end in 1908 and to its present location in 1961.  Some of the original equipment from the 1834 trip to England still survives in this building.

Milham Planetarium Fall Schedule

Fridays at 7:30pm through Dec. 9

Reservations: 413-597-2188 or mcr4@williams.edu

http://astronomy.williams.edu/

Astronomy students at the college will host free shows for the public on the following Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m.: November 4, 11, 18; and December 2, 9.  Audiences will be treated to shows from the high-precision Zeiss Skymaster ZKP3/B opto-mechanical planetarium projector, installed in April 2005.

The Zeiss Skymaster is capable of demonstrating phenomena including: retrograde motions of the planets, phases of the moon, the varying temperatures/colors of stars, locations of neighboring galaxies, the mythological figures and zodiacal signs ascribed to constellations, the Southern Hemisphere’s sky, comets, artificial satellites, and much more.

Fall ’11 shows will be hosted by Williams College students Pushpanjali Giri ’14, Matthew Hosek ’12, Soraya Membreno ’12, and Muzhou Lu ’13.  Jay Pasachoff, Field Memorial Professor of Astronomy, is director of the Hopkins Observatory.

*Photo courtesy of Williams College