What’s Happening In Amherst?
Photo: istock
by Art and Maura Keene
There are lots of interesting events happening in our town. You can help us make our events calendar more useful by sending us your listings and including contact information and/or a link for more information. Send events listings to amherstindy@gmail.com.
SINGLE DAY EVENTS
SATURDAY JUNE 3: PUFFERS POND PANCAKE BREAKFAST. Mill River Recreation Area. 95 Montague Road. 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Free and open to the public. Join the Friends of Puffer’s Pond for multigrain pancakes made from ingredients donated by local farms. There will also be gluten-free pancakes and local sausages! And, as usual, we’ll have real maple syrup, live music, fabulous raffle prizes, and tons of community spirit!
SATURDAY JUNE 3: GRAB COFFEE WITH REPRESENTATIVE JIM MCGOVERN. Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk, 9 a.m. RSVP here.
CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER SATURDAY JUNE 3: FAMILY PRIDE DAY AND QUEER POP-UP MARKET. 12 to 4 p.m., Mill District, 91 Cowls Road. Everyone is invited for an afternoon filled with amazing crafters, makers, and vendors, plus crafts for kids, a family pride parade, games, book reading and more. The Mill District shops will be open as well.
TUESDAY JUNE 6: PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION ON VALLEY GREEN ENERGY. 6:30 p.m. on Zoom. Amherst, Northampton, and Pelham have formed a municipal electricity aggregation for collective purchasing of electric power to increase renewable energy in our supply, stabilize prices, and increase consumer protection. Before the plan is launched, the towns must submit an Aggregation Plan to the state. The public comment period is open until June 30. The public information session may be reached at https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/82693145607#success.
THURSDAY JUNE 8 THROUGH SUNDAY JUNE 11: AR[T]HS AT THE ELI MARSH GALLERY, FAYERWEATHER HALL, AMHERST COLLEGE. Opening reception June 8th, 5 to 8 p.m. This 15th annual juried exhibition showcases the very best works of art made from all of the Art Department’s areas of study: foundations of art, ceramics, drawing, fiber arts, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. We are so excited to be returning to an in-person exhibition after three years of virtual shows. Please join us in celebrating the young artists in our community. The Eli Marsh Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from noon to 4 p.m. on the weekend.
THURSDAY JUNE 8: MAGNOLIA’S MASQUERADE. 8 p.m. The Drake., 44 North Pleasant Street. A drag production by Andrew Curran with performances by Dr. Pepper MD, Marina Garconne, Misandrie, and Ruby Monroe. Presented by Amherst Pride.
FRIDAY JUNE 9: CUPPA JOE WITH PAUL AND THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.Amherst Town Common (North Side Across from Town Hall) Rain location is the Town Room on the 2nd Floor of Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Avenue. 8:30- 10 A.M. free and open to all. Join Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman and the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Director Pamela Nolan Young and Assistant Director Jennifer Moyston for an informal conversation around the initiatives of the Office of DEI and other topics. Bring your questions, concerns, or ideas. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
FRIDAY JUNE 9: SUN RA ARKESTRA – CELEBRATING MARSHALL ALLEN’S 99TH BIRTHDAY. The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. 8 p.m. Tix: $35 advance. $35 day of show. All seating general admission. The Sun Ra Arkestra‘s live shows combine big band swing, outer-space jazz, dancing, singing, chanting and Afro-pageantry. For most of the 20th century, iconic jazz bandleader Sun Ra helmed one of the planet’s most exciting big bands. Entertaining audiences from the Pyramids to the Hollywood Bowl, the visionary pianist/composer took his acclaimed Arkestra everywhere. A skilled clutch of musicians were with him at every turn of the journey, helping Ra fulfill his lofty mission of enhancing listeners’ lives. When Ra passed in the spring of 1993 at the age of 79, the group knew it was paramount to sustain his work. The 98-year-old Allen is a wonder, shepherding the Arkestra through its second act, and pushing its members into making some of the outfit’s most remarkable sounds ever. Physically spry and musically daring, Allen is an on-stage beacon during the band’s stellar concerts, crafting the music’s dynamics, signaling soloists for lift-off, and configuring passages to reflect the ever-changing vibe between ensemble and audience. Like Sunny before him, Marshall is expert at delivering all sorts of turns to keep his presentation unique. More information. Full calendar of events here.
SATURDAY JUNE 10: ACOUSTIC BEATLES NIGHT. First Church, 165 Main St. 7 p.m. A special Acoustic Beatles Night, featuring the performance and sharing of songs recorded by the Beatles or a former Beatle. Musicians from around the Valley will lead the Beatles songfest and singalong. Karen Brooks, Pete Nelson, Ben Tousley, and Muldrow Etheredge, are among the more than a dozen artists who will take the stage. Musicians interested in sharing one or two Beatles songs are encouraged to come and be part of the show. Instruments should be of the acoustic variety (guitars, ukes, hand drums, accordions, sitars, etc.). Electronic keyboards and direct lines are OK. Microphones for instruments and vocals will be available. There is a tuned piano available. Beatles song performers should sign up by emailing Paul Kaplan at paulkaplanmusic@gmail.com. Get your song choices in early, before your favorite gets taken.
SATURDAY JUNE 10: THE EMPRESS OF THUNDER, AMHERST BALLET. 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Amherst Pelham Regional High School Auditorium, 21 Mattoon Street. Students of all ages from the school perform a new work, the Empress of Thunder, set to music by Vivaldi. Student choreography will also be showcased. Set to Vivaldi’s exuberant music “The Four Seasons,” “The Empress of Thunder” is a celebration of human nature and what it means to be “flawed.” The ballet follows the story of a woman who has been assigned control of all the world’s storms. She casts the thunder and the lightning into every raincloud, provokes the violent winds of blizzards, and compels the darkest days of winter. Misunderstood by the other “seasons,” the empress is often isolated and alone, envying the lovebirds of spring and the carefree temperaments of summer. Tickets $8 to $18 at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-empress-of-thunder-tickets-631747733477
SUNDAY JUNE 11: AMHERST HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION YOUNG HEROES PICNIC AND RACE AMITY DAY. Mill River Recreation Area, 95 Montague Road. The event begins at 10 a.m. with an all ages basketball tournament. Register at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DYzeLUgx6GjVY6QwdTcdrz_C0Aey4Typ/view There will be a picnic lunch at noon, followed by the youth hero awards and Race Amity Day Celebration at 2 p.m. The day will end with the Old Vs Young basketball game at 3 p.m. Sponsored by Amherst Recreation, CRESS, Citizens for Race Amity, The Human Rights Commission, Julius Ford Harriet Tubman Healthy Living Community, Old and Young, and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Free.
SUNDAY JUNE 11: 41st ANNUAL LAKE WYOLA ROAD RACE. 8 Shore Drive, Shutesbury It’s not an Amherst event but it is directed by the Indy’s Maura and Art Keene. Walk or race 4.8 miles around Lake Wyola on paved and dirt roads. 1.8 mi. fun run for youth Come for the walk/run and stay for a day at the lake. . Prizes and raffle. Free refreshments. T-shirts to advance registrants. Registration opens at 8:30. Walk beings at 9:30, road race at 10 and fun run at 10:10. Register here.
SATURDAY JUNE 10: DISHING OUT DRAG WITH GIGANTA SMALLS FOR TEENS AGES 13-18. 4 to 5 p.m. over Zoom. Jones Library Program. Teens aged 13 to 18 are welcome to join her as she dishes on what the life of a drag performer is like and maybe pick up a few tips on make-up and costumes! Join us virtually on June 10th at 4:00 PM to experience the world of drag through the eyes of popular New England Drag Queen Giganta Smalls. Giganta Smalls is the largest drag queen in captivity and is ready to take the world by storm! Based out of the forests of Connecticut, she lights up the stage with her quirky personality and charming performances. Registration required. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/8416801214292/WN_UqQFTMHMQuuepcc0JMiKoQ#/registration
FRIDAY JUNE 16: TUNES AT NOON. 12 to 1 p.m. Amherst Survival Center, 138 Sunderland Road. Small Change has been entertaining Western Massachusetts audiences for many years. The band plays an eclectic mix of tunes including swing, standards, folk, Hawaiian and old-time tunes. Everyone in the band sings and vocal harmonies abound.The band members are: Dennis Avery: dobro, Dick Boehmer: wash tub bass, Karen Hogness: mandolin, Larry LeBlanc: guitar, banjo, mandolin, and accordion.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the South Hadley Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
SATURDAY JUNE 17: SUMMER READING KICK OFF FEATURING DIVINITY ROXX. 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. South Common Lawn. Join the staff of the Jones Library to celebrate the start of our summer reading program! We will be participating in the statewide summer reading theme, Find Your Voice. In partnership with Ancestral Bridges and the Amherst BID we are excited to present a musical performance by Grammy-nominated artist Divinity Roxx at 1:00pm. Readers of all ages will have the opportunity to register for our Kid, Teen, or Adult summer reading programs, learn about upcoming library events, and be inspired by the catchy songs and positive messages of Divinity Roxx. For more information on the Ancestral Bridges schedule of events on June 17th, please visit https://ancestral-bridges.org/3rd-annual-juneteenth-celebration/ This event is made possible thanks to the Friends of the Jones Library.
SATURDAY JUNE 17: FAMILY FUN DAY AT THE ERIC CARLE MUSEUM. 3 p.m. Eric Carle Museum, 125 West Bay Road. Join the Eric Carle Museum for a day of stories, book signings, and drawing demonstrations as they celebrate the opening of Horse Tales: Galloping into Children’s Books. Meet exhibition artists Micha Archer, Jane Dyer, Ruth Sanderson, and Audrey Helen Weber, and horses from Whispering Horse Therapeutic Riding Center. Free with museum admission.
SATURDAY JUNE 17: ANCESTRAL BRIDGES THIRD ANNUAL JUNETEENTH LEGACY CELEBRATION. Celebrating the legacy that makes Amherst an important place in the history of Juneteenth. 10 a.m. at West Cemetery, 11:30 a.m. at the Emily Dickinson Museum, 1 p.m. at the Town Common, and 3 p.m. at Hope Church. .
MONDAY JUNE 19: THIRD ANNUAL JUNETEENTH JUBILEE. Noon, Amherst Common. The Town of Amherst celebrates its 3rd Annual Juneteenth Jubilee on the Common: Our Voices. Our History. Our Vision. Our Stories. More details to follow.
TUESDAY JUNE 20: LISTENING SESSION ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING. The Amherst Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, the Community Safety and Social Justice Committee, the Human Rights Commission, and the Board of Health are co-sponsoring a listening session on affordable housing at the Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk on Tuesday, June 20 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. More Information.
SATURDAY JUNE 24: COMMUNITY SAFETY DAY. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Mill River Recreation area 95 Montague Road. Join the Senior Center, Fire Department, Police Department, CRESS, the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, and Northwestern District Attorney’s Office for the second annual Community Safety Day. Become a safety expert and get to know your local first responders. This event is geared toward promoting public safety awareness for all ages. Events will feature Touch-A-Truck, fire safety demonstrations, scam prevention, K9s, jaws of life presentation, face painting, balloon art, car and car seat checks, food, live DJ and more.
ONGOING AND MULTI-DAY EVENTS
FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH BEGINNING JUNE 6: RAINBOW COFFEE HOUR. 10-11 a.m. Amherst Senior Center, Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. The Rainbow Coffee Hour is a new LGBTIA+ social coffee group for ages 50 and above. Join us for this welcoming space to socialize. No format, no agenda, just community. The July coffee hour will be held on July 11, due to July 4 being the first Tuesday of the month.
FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: NORTHAMPTON JAZZ WORKSHOP. The Drake. 44 North Pleasant Street. 7:30 p.m. Free (donations accepted). Featuring the Green Street trio with a special guest. Featured set at 7:30 followed by an open jam session. Bring your axe. Full calendar of events here.
SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: OPEN MIC NIGHT AT THE DRAKE. 44 North Pleasant Street. Free event. Performers arrive by 5:30 p.m. Stage time: 6 p.m – 10 p.m. All ages. Younger performers will be slotted earler. All performers and styles of performances welcome, including but not limited to: music (of all kinds) – acoustic, folk, rock, hip hop, jazz, classical, etc…comedy, spoken word / readings, poetry, dance, performance art. House rules and more information.
FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: MOBILE FOOD PROGRAM. 1-2 p.m. The Boulders, 156 Brittany Manor Drive. Free produce. No registration necessary. Open to everyone. Brought by the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and the Amherst Survival Center. The Food Bank truck will be in the parking lot near apartments 115-125.
FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: COVID 19 VACCINE CLINIC. Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. 3:00-5:00 p.m. Free. The clinics offer Pfizer and Moderna Bivalent Boosters for ages 12 and up and Pfizer Bivalent Booster for ages 5 and up. Registration is preferred, but walk-ins are accepted. To schedule an appointment, click here. More information
LAST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: CRAFT AND CONVERSE. Mill District General Store and Local Art Gallery, 91 Cowls Road. 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Are you tired of creating in solitude? Looking to connect with other artistic individuals? Grab your sketchbook, knitting bag, or water color gear and join our monthly coworking group! Craft and converse, hosted by Easthampton artist Kaia Zimmerman, is held the last Wednesday of every month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. This welcoming, intentional space is designed for community members to come together for a casual, social evening while pursuing their own creative projects. Drop-ins welcome, but registration encouraged for any weather-related changes in schedule. Bring your own arts or crafts project (BYOA) to work on. Ages 16+.
EVERY WEDNESDAY : CAN’T REMEMBER CAFE. Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Are you or a loved one experiencing memory loss? At the Amherst Senior Center, we understand memory changes and have developed a new program based on the popular Memory Café format. The Can’t Remember (CR) Café offers fun, relaxation, and of course, snacks. This program is perfect for caregivers, people with mild memory loss, or anyone in the community who enjoys good conversation and strong coffee. Each Can’t Remember Café opens with a coffee and conversation hour, followed by a group activity. Join us on Wednesday, November 30th for a performance by our special musical guests, “Healing Hearts with Harmony” at 11:00am. Come for the coffee, stay for the connections! Email seniorcenter@amherstma.gov or call 413-259-3060 with questions.
EVERY THURSDAY: STITCH CIRCLE. 4 to 6 p.m. Mill District Local Art Gallery and General Store, 91 Cowls Road. Grab your needles, venture to the General Store, and join us for our first Stitch Circle. Knitters, quilters, embroidery artists, and crocheters are all invited. Free.
LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH : LAST FRIDAYS AT THE DRAKE POETRY SERIES HOSTED BY LYRICAL FAITH. 44 North Pleasant Street. Join us every last Friday of the month* for Last Fridays at The Drake hosted by Lyrical Faith for an unforgettable open mic and poetry night experience featuring award-winning spoken word artists from across the country. Come through for music, drinks, and artistic expression where poets take center stage to share new work, old work, or any work that helps them get free. Doors and bar open at 5PM. Early arrival is encouraged to get a slot on the sign-up sheet. The cover charge is $5 with a college ID or $10 general admission. More Information. Full Events Calendar at the Drake.
EVERY SATURDAY THROUGH NOVEMBER 18: AMERST FARMERS” MARKET. Amherst Town Common. 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. This year’s market will features 45 vendors (so far) and has room to sign up a few more. More information
SATURDAYS JUNE 24 THROUGH AUGUST 19: CRAFTS FOR KIDS AT SIMPLE GIFTS FARM. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Simple Gifts Farm 1089 North Pleasant Street. June 24 is decorating planting pots. Free, but limited to 20 children. Sign up at https://checkout.square.site/buy/NZPOILQLBXAW3RGLJHXQ2GEN
THIRD SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH APRIL THROUGH OCTOBER: CARS AND COFFEE AT THE MILL DISTRICT. Hosted by the Mill District General Store, 91 Cowls Road, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. It is free for collectors to display their cars and compete for trophies in four categories: best domestic, best foreign, best exotic, and best overall, based on votes of the public. Plus, there will be coffee from Futura Coffee Roasters which will soon be joining the Mill District. Cars and Coffee will be held rain or shine.
Now through FRIDAY JUNE 30: EMILY DICKINSON’S GHOSTS AT GALLERY A3. Gallery A3, 28 Amity Street 1D. A new exhibit by Laura Holland and Nancy Meagher that is inspired by Emily Dickinson. .There will be an opening reception on Thursday, June 1 from 5-7 p.m. and a free, online art forum on Thursday June 15 at 7:30 p.m. Gallery Hours: Thursday – Sunday 3-8 p.m. Register here for the forum. More information
NOW through FRIDAY JUNE 30: ARTWORK OF DR. SHIRLEY JACKSON WHITAKER AT LOCAL ART GALLERY IN THE MILL DISTRICT. Artist, activist and local nephrology specialist, Dr. Shirley Jackson Whitaker, will bring her etchings, paintings, and storytelling to the Front Window Gallery at The Mill District’s Local Art Gallery, 91 Cowls Road, for a new exhibit that will run through the end of June. Whitaker weaves her love of art into all aspects of her life, connecting medical conundrums to trauma, to racism, to ongoing lynching, and then to canvas and the page. Social Justice and a healthy community are her goals. A protégé of renowned artist Leonard Baskin, Whitaker uses her talent in etchings, drawings, paintings, photography, children’s books, and cinematography to “roar for change.” More information
NOW through SUNDAY JULY 2: GOD MADE MY FACE: A COLLECTIVE PORTRAIT OF JAMES BALDWIN. Meade Art Museum, 41 Quadrangle Street, Amherst College. Look here for days and hours. This exhibit presents works from iconic artists such as Richard Avedon, Marlene Dumas, and Kara Walker alongside archival materials in order to explore the life, work, and legacy of James Baldwin (1924–1987). More information
NOW throughout THE SUMMER: THE MAGNIFICENT LIFE & ART OF MABEL LOOMIS TODD. Amherst History Museum, Strong House, 67 Amity Street. The 2023 Season at the Strong House brings a fresh look at our founder, Mabel Loomis Todd with an exhibit that explores Todd’s work as a nature writer, painter, conservationist, lecturer, and the editor of Emily Dickinson’s poetry. Visitors will have the opportunity for a before-and-after look at several of Todd’s botanical paintings that have not been on view in decades due to needed repairs. Open Saturdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and by appointment.
NOW throughout -SUMMER 2023: ANCESTRAL BRIDGES EXHIBITION AT FROST LIBRARY TO CELEBRATE BLACK AND AFRO-INDIGENOUS FAMILIES WHO LIVED AND WORKED IN AMHERST Frost Library at Amherst College, 61 Quadrangle Drive, 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. This exhibition, the first partnership between the Ancestral Bridges Foundation and Amherst College, seeks to center this long-neglected aspect of town history and to reveal the rich and complex lives of the Black and Afro-Indigenous community of Amherst. Our families’ old black-and-white photographs complement oral histories–some yet to be recorded – and other artifacts available locally and at the college. I hope these images and stories raise questions, prompt further research, and challenge us all to meet our collective responsibility to build a more just and equitable future. All are welcome. On view through the summer of 2023. Free.