FOOD & DRINK

Youth aged 14 and under are invited to participated in a free fishing derby in Pittsfield.

Pittsfield — Berkshire County residents won’t have long to wait before the town sees a new steakhouse, courtesy of Jose Reyes, entrepreneur of RJ’s Restaurant in Pittsfield and Picante’s restaurants in Connecticut. Rare 297 on North is slated to open at the end of May in the space that formerly housed Berkshire Palate; however, be prepared to not draw any comparisons between the two establishments, Reyes said. The décor and ambiance of the space is being remodeled to have more of an upscale vibe, he said.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Christian Center in Pittsfield is set to host a gastronomic extravaganza like no other on May 6 from 3pm to 7pm. The "Feed Our Neighbors" event promises an afternoon filled with delectable delights, lively music, and a spirit of community coming together to support a noble cause.

It’s Jazz Appreciation Month and the Berkshires are celebrating with the Pittsfield CityJazz Fest. The mostly-free 10 day-long affair has kicked off and we speak to Berkshires Jazz President Ed Bride to hear more about the stellar lineup and all the ways the festival tries to engage the local community in the arts.

Kimball Farms Life Care Community presents “A Creativity Explosion at Kimball Farms,” art exhibition and discussion. Lenox— On Tuesday, April 30th from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Kimball Farms Life Care Community presents “A Creativity Explosion at Kimball Farms,” an art exhibition and discussion. Art...

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Farmers Market is set to start its outdoor summer season on May 18, 2024, at a new location. This year, the market will be hosted at a new location on Main Street in North Adams sharing space with Touchy Coffee, a pop coffee shop that will be at 90 Main Street for the month of May.

Stockbridge — The Red Lion Inn held a celebration party for the opening of the art exhibit “Foreign Substances” on Saturday, April 20. The exhibit brings together art from British-based artist Charlotte Rose and Hollywood-actor-turned-artist Billy Zane. The exhibit, which will be up at the Red Lion...

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. – Spring is here at Naumkeag, which has planted over 50,000 tulips, daffodils and small bulbs for the 5th annual Tulip and Daffodil Festival. Over 50,000 tulips and daffodils planted at Naumkeag. It's time for the 5th annual Tulip and Daffodil Festival. Visitors can come and enjoy...

Comedian Paula Poundstone will be taking center stage at the Colonial Theater in Pittsfield on May 4th. With an impressive resume that includes hosting the White House Correspondents dinner, live coverage of major political events, and starring in HBO specials like “Cats Cops and Stuff.”. Paula Poundstone has become...

ADAMS, Mass. — Award-winning pastel artist Gregory Maichack will present three separate pastel painting workshops for adults and teens 16+, to be hosted by the Adams Free Library. Wednesday, April 24 The Sunflower; Wednesday, May 8 Jimson Weed; and Thursday, May 23 Calla Turned Away from 10:00 a.m. to...

The $7,500 grant from the Feigenbaum Foundation recently awarded to Berkshire HorseWorks gives them even more cause to celebrate nearly 10 years of providing Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, life skill development, team building, and literacy programs on their seven-and-a-half-acre ranch in Richmond. Now, funds for a new trailer for the “Berkshire HorseWorks Goes Mobile” initiative will also allow them to go off site to schools, eldercare facilities, and other organizations that don’t have the means to travel there.

STOCKBRIDGE - Berkshire Botanical Garden presents the following upcoming programs. Thursday, May 2, “Spring Wildflowers.” In this two-part class, botanist Ted Elliman will focus on the wildflowers that grace Berkshire County’s spring woods. The evening program on Thursday, May 2, at 5 p.m. on Zoom, will present an overview of native wildflowers found in several kinds of forest communities in the Berkshires, with a focus on their identification features and particular habitats. The Saturday, May 4 walk, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be in woodlands notable for the beauty, abundance, and variety of their spring flora. There will be a BBG van option for up to 10 people on Saturday, May 4, departing at 10 a.m. and returning at 2 p.m. Please bring lunch to enjoy in the field. Cost $50 members, $100 nonmembers; Saturday, May 4, “New Moon Botanical Bounty: Creating and Using Herbal infused Oils.” Delight in a spring-inspired tea while making lip balms, skin salves, and roll-on perfume/bug repellent energized by the Flower Moon from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In this beginner-friendly class led by Nicole Irene, participants will learn techniques to extract the healing properties of herbs and infuse them into nourishing oils. This workshop will empower participants to harness the healing potential of nature. All students will make and take home a lip balm, salve, infused oil, mason jar of herbs, and a handout with basic instructions. These aromatic treasures will serve as a reminder of your enchanting experience and the mason jar of herbs can be used to infuse future batches of oil. This workshop welcomes all enthusiasts who share a passion for the power of plants. Cost $65 members, $80 nonmembers; Saturday, May 4, “Spring Tree Identification.” In this class, from 9 a.m. to noon, and led by Tom Ingersoll and Melissa LeVangie-Ingersoll, participants will revisit trees through the seasons (this class will look at the Spring season) and witness their unique characteristics with and without leaves. Identify species of trees as their leaves begin to sprout, ID a tree by its bark, and understand which trees flower in spring. Come join in the journey of the magic of trees, starting with how to identify them in the landscape and forest settings. Cost $50 members, $65 nonmembers; Saturday, May 4, “Cultivating Mushrooms Outside.” Start spring early with a dive into the fungal kingdom from 1 to 3 p.m. Instructor Willie Crosby will teach participants how to inoculate logs, wood chips and stumps for mushroom cultivation in your backyard. Learn the basic information everyone should know about fungi and get hands-on experience doing these easy-to-replicate growing methods. By the end of class, you will be familiar with six different wild mushroom species, and three cultivation techniques. Cost $40 members, $60 nonmembers. To register or for more information, visit www.berkshirebotanical.org. Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.

On Saturday, the Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington, Massachusetts is holding a special fundraiser screening of the late director Arthur Penn’s counterculture cult classic “Alice’s Restaurant.” Shot in and around Stockbridge in 1968 and released the following year, the movie is an adaptation of the Thanksgiving tale related in Arlo Guthrie’s 1967 song of the same name starring the singer-songwriter as himself. Guthrie lives in the Berkshires to this day. Matthew Penn, Arthur’s son, will complement the screening with a Q&A with Guthrie. Penn is an established director in his own right, with credits including “Law & Order,” “Gossip Girl,” and “The Sopranos.” He spoke with WAMC.