What’s Happening in Amherst?

by Art and Maura Keene

There is a lot happening around town. You can help us make our events calendar more comprehensive 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
TUESDAY DECEMBER 26: HABARI GANA (WHAT’S THE NEWS?): A CELEBRATION OF KWANZAA. 5:30 p.m. Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Join the Human Rights Commission for an evening of celebrating community with friends and family in spirit of Umoja (community). Learn the history and seven principles of Kwanzaa which honors African American history, values, and culture.  This is a celebration for community members of all ages!  Everyone is invited to participate Music, dance, drumming, performances, and community.Dinner prepared by Penni Stevens.  

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 27: AMHERST MONTLY VETERANS LUNCH. Noon – 1 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst, 197 South Pleasant Street. Come join us for a monthly luncheon for the Veterans’ Community. Sponsored by Town of Amherst Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service (CRESS) and by Gene Herman, CRESS Veterans’ Outreach Volunteer. Free and open to the public.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 30 AND SUNDAY DECEMBER 31: NRBQ WITH LUXE DELUXE. 8 p.m on 12/30, 9 p.m. on 12/31. The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. NRBQ is Terry Adams, Scott Ligon, Casey McDonough, and John Perrin. “NRBQ”, which stands for New Rhythm and Blues Quartet, has often been called a national treasure, which may be why the band’s music has attracted legions of devoted fans worldwide, including Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Costello, Penn & Teller, Doc Pomus, R.E.M., SpongeBob SquarePants, Michael J. Pollard, Ian McLagan, Steve Earle, Drew Carey, and Nick Lowe, among many others. NRBQ songs have inspired cover versions by Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos, Darlene Love, Dave Edmunds, She & Him, Widespread Panic, Yo La Tengo, and more. The group served as the unofficial “house band” for The Simpsons for Seasons 10-12. $30 in advance, $35 at the door https://www.thedrakeamherst.org/events/nrbq-lux-deluxe-nye

SUNDAY DECEMBER 31: A CELEBRATION OF THE SIXTH NIGHT OF KWANZAA. 1-4p.m., New Africa House Theater Room, 181 Infirmary Way, University of Massachusetts. Presented by the Black Business Association of Amherst Area. Keynote presentation by Professor Amilcar Shabazz, “The Creative Economy and the Gift of Black Folx.” Free and open to the public. Refreshments provided. Bring a dish to share. For more info: BBAAmherst@gmail.com or www.BBAAA.org.

TUESDAY JANUARY 2: SWEARING IN OF ELECTED TOWN OFFICIALS. 6:30 p.m. Bangs Center. 70 Boltwood Walk. All newly elected town officials: councilors, library trustees, and school committee members, as well as member of the Housing Authority and  the Oliver Will Smith elector will be sworn in by the Town Clerk in a ceremony in the Town Room of Town Hall at 6:30 p.m. on January 2.

SATURDAY JANUARY 6: ARHS CABARET. 7:30 p.m. The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Join us for an entertaining evening of skits and small group musical performances featuring students from Amherst Regional High School. We are so excited for this long-running annual tradition to take place at The Drake this year. A pair of MCs will weave together musical acts from a variety of genres showcasing the many talents of the students in town. $10, $5 students.

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 10: FORUM ON RACIAL EQUITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY. 6-8 p.m. at Town Hall and on Zoom. The Town of Amherst seeks input on peoples’ experiences with the Amherst police. Tell us about your experiences with the Amherst Police and learn about the Resident Oversight Board. Share your views on how to best assure public safety and accountability. Moderated by Rabbi Debra Kolodny. Spanish and Chinese translation available. Childcare provided. Other forums will be held on Thursday, January 18, 6-8 p.m., and Sunday January 21, 1-3 p.m.

JANUARY 11-14 AND JANUARY 18-21, 2024: SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL. Amherst Community Theater presents the Broadway musical Seussical!”Oh, the thinks you can think” when Dr. Seuss’ best- loved characters collide and cavort in an unforgettable musical caper!Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, and all of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage at the beautiful UMass Bowker Auditorium. For tickets, go to: https://amherstacts.org/buy-tickets/Questions? Please email producer@amherstacts.org.

THURSDAY JANUARY 18: VALLEY VOICES STORY SLAM: MISSED CONNECTIONS. 7:30 p.m. The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. The NEPM January Story Slam is about “missed connections.” $17.

FRIDAY JANUARY 19: MUSWELL HILBILLIES: THE MUSIC OF TOM PETTY. 8 p.m. The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Returning to The Drake stage, the Valley’s Muswell Hillbillies offer a career retrospective on the works of Tom Petty, covering the guitarist’s formative in Gainesville and subsequent five decades of success with longtime backing band, The Heartbreakers. $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Join us

ONGOING AND MULTI-DAY EVENTS
FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH. 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 (EXCLUDING JULY): 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 (EXCLUDING JULY): 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.

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.

NOW UNTIL DECEMBER 23: BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA CHRISTMAS TREE SALE: Weekends 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Kendrick Park. Sale continues until sold out.

NOW THROUGH FRIDAY DECEMBER 29: CREATIONS IN BIRCH BARK BY JIM CROWELL. US Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Drive, Hadley. M-F 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Jim Crowell, of Hatfield, is a maker. Now retired from professional cabinetry and finish carpentry, Jim Crowell continues to make, creating sculpture, vessels, and bas relief wall pieces that reflect his deep interests in nature and the natural world. The primary material he builds his pieces around is birch bark.

NOW THROUGH SATURDAY DECEMBER 30: SMALL WONDERS HOLIDAY SHOW AND SALE AT GALLERY A3. 2-7 p.m. 28 Amity Street 1D. Thursday through Sunday. Intimate, affordable, and fun…. Gallery A3’s annual December Holiday Show and Sale SMALL WONDERS features small-scale works of art created by current members of this contemporary cooperative gallery located in downtown Amherst. Original artwork includes paintings, prints, photographs, collages, and assemblages. All pieces are appealingly small, with none larger than 10 by 10 inches. All are affordably priced, with most ranging from $50 to $150. And all are “cash and carry”, making them an ideal choice for a unique holiday gift. SMALL WONDERS Holiday Show and Sale runs from December 7-30. Stop by the gallery and take a look. Discover perfect gifts for family or friends, or treat yourself to a tiny gem of art.

NOW THROUGH SUNDAY DECEMBER 31: A SIMPLE CIRCLE: PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAMES GEHRT. Burnett Gallery, Jones Library. A Simple Circle is inspired by the original Kodak camera, a wooden box that revolutionized photography in 1888. The kodak produced 100 small round images that captured the everyday moments of life in the late 1800s. They were intimate, spontaneous, and personal. Website: www.jamesgehrtphoto.com.

NOW THROUGH SUNDAY DECEMBER 31: GEM TACTICS—PRACTICING SANDS, BY MICHAEL MEDEIROS. Burnett Gallery, Jones Library. An exhibit of photography, ceramics and printmaking inspired by the poet Emily Dickinson, Gem Tactics—Practicing Sands— explores notions of physical and creative space. For five years Michael Medeiros was the public relations coordinator at the Emily Dickinson Museum in downtown Amherst, where he experienced the homes and gardens that were so essential to Dickinson’s writings and life. These artworks are grounded in his time there.

NOW THROUGH SUNDAY DECEMBER 31: MAKE A FREE HOLIDAY CARD. Local Art Gallery, The Mill District, 91 Cowls Road. Fridays 10-6, Saturdays 9-6, Sundays 9-12.  Swing by the General Store and Local Art Gallery to make a free holiday card this season! We will provide the paper, envelopes, and markers, you provide the kind messages and doodles! Enjoy finding accompanying gifts for your special people while you are here. We have lots of treats, goodies, and treasures to help you spread cheer and love this season! Fun for the whole family. Children 14 and under must be actively supervised in the Gallery. Donations accepted for the Amherst Survival Center.

THURSDAY JANUARY 4 THROUGH SATURDAY JANUARY 27: ARTISTS FROM ART FOR THE SOUL GALLERY AT GALLERY A3.
Artists from Art for the Soul Gallery, in Springfield annouce their exhibition IN RESIDENCE: Art for the Soul Gallery Artists at Gallery A3 in January. There will be an opening reception, free and open to the public, on Jauary 4 from 5-7 p.m. There will be a free online art forum on Thursday January 18. Gallery A3 is located at 28 Amity Street 1 D. Hours are 2-7 p.m. Thursday – Sunday. More information

NOW THROUGH FRIDAY JANUARY 5: MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: STORIES ABOUT GLOBAL HEALTH. Exhibit 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Friday, UMass Science and Engineering Library, 740 North Pleasant Street. Around the world, communities, in collaboration with scientists, activists, governments, and international organizations, are taking up the challenge to prevent disease and improve quality of life. Making a World of Difference: Stories about Global Health examines stories of the people who are working on a wide range of issues—from community health to conflict, disease to discrimination—to improve health in their areas and beyond. Free.

NOW UNTIL JANUARY 7, 2024: BOUNDLESS, WORKS BY NATIVE AMERICAN ARTISTS AND WRITERS. Mead Art Museum, Amherst College, 41 Quadrangle Drive. Boundless is a nearly museum-wide exhibition that features work by Native American writers and artists, grounded in but not contained to the Northeast. Boundless takes shape like water, moving across generations and geographies, and expanding conversations about kinship, presence, resistance, and history through its flow. The exhibition never chooses one path, but moves in multiple directions and broadens as it goes. A wide range of materials from Amherst College’s Collection of Native American Literature and the Mead form the core of the exhibition, and are joined by key works on loan from artists and other institutional and private collections. Curated by Heid Erdrich, a member of the Ojibwe people of Minnesota. Hours 9 to 5 Tuesday through Sunday, Open until 10 p.m. on Thursdays during the semester.

NOW UNTIL JANUARY: WINTER COAT DRIVE. Amherst Survival Center, 138 Sunderland Road, is accepting new and gently used winter coats for a pop-up event in January. Donations may be dropped off at the center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays (closed on Wednesdays).

NOW THROUGH JUNE 7: DAILY YOGA AT THE MUNSON LIBRARY. Free outdoor yoga is now inside at the Munson Library. The schedule is: Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays at 8 a.m., Mondays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m., Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 a.m. No pre-registration necessary. Bring your own mats, blocks, straps, and blankets. Donations welcome.

THROUGH MARCH 2024: SELF-PORTRAITS BY FIRST GRADERS FROM WILDWOOD SCHOOL. Mead Art Museum, Amherst College. First graders from Wildwood School had a gallery opening at the Mead Art Museum at Amherst college on Thursday evening, December 14. Their self portraits are the culmination of a partnership with the Mead that included art educators visiting the Wildwood classrooms and a field trip.