What’s Happening in Amherst

by Art and Maura Keene

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

SATURDAY JANUARY 27: WINTER WONDERLAND FAMILY SCIENCE AT THE HITCHCOCK CENTER. 10 to 11 a.m. Hitchcock Center for the Environment,  845 West Street. Come explore the shimmery, sparkly, silvery world of snow and ice! During this journey through a Winter Wonderland, designed for children (ages 5–7) with their parents, we’ll discover properties of frozen water, investigating the shapes, sizes, and colors of snowflakes and icicles! Saturday, 10:00-11:00 am, Hitchcock Center. Free, suggested donation $5 to $30 per family.

SATURDAY JANUARY 27 – SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3: AMHERST WINTERFEST FESTIVAL. Assorted locations and times. The Amherst Recreation Department, in collaboration with several community partners, invites you to join a community celelbration of the magic of winter and community togetherness at WinterFest Amherst 2024! The festivities offer an array of exciting events for residents and visitors of all ages.  Most events are free and all are open to the public. See here, for a selected schedule of events.

SUNDAY JANUARY 28: POLAR BEAR SPLASH. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Amherst Regional Middle School Pool, 170 Chestnut Street.  Open Swim. $4 adults, $3 kids (Amherst residents).

SUNDAY JANUARY 28: ICE HARVESTING DEMONSTRATION. 4 to 5 p.m. Munson Library. The Amherst Historical Society will host a demonstration with Dennis Picard, who has been demonstrating the ice harvesting trade for more than twenty years at museums and environmental education centers. He will display some of his antique tools of that trade including several invented in Massachusetts, and will share the interesting tale of this once massive enterprise that is now fading from our collective memory. Sunday, 4:00-5:00 pm, at Munson Library. Free. 

SUNDAY JANUARY 28: MIDNIGHT NORTH. 8 p.m. The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Midnight North was formed in the Bay Area in 2012 by singer/songwriters Grahame Lesh and Elliot Peck, who were joined by bassist Connor O’Keefe and drummer/banjo player Nathan Graham. $20 in advance, $25 at the door. 

TUESDAY JANUARY 30: ANCESTRAL BRIDGES PRESENTATION. 4-5:30 p.m. Amherst College Frost Library Mezzanine, 61 Quadrangle Drive. Join Ancestral Bridges founder Anika Lopes as she introduces you to her ancestors, generations of Black and Afro-Indigenous residents of Amherst. They lived in the historically Black, west-end neighborhood around Hazel Avenue, on only one side of the train tracks. Some worked at Amherst College, serving meals on dishes that depicted Lord Jeffery Amherst shooting at Native Americans, while they mentored and befriended students. They started businesses and churches; they provided homes to Black people newly arrived from the South; they performed jazz music internationally; and they were denied scholarships, jobs and opportunities due to systemic racism. This exhibit, a 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. Free.

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 31: NORTHAMPTON JAZZ WORKSHIP WITH THE GREEN STREET TRIO AND JOE MAGNARELLI. 7:30 at the Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. New York City trumpeter Joe Magnarelli joins the Green Street Trio for a featured set followed by open jam. Bring your axe to sit in! $10, $5 students, free to jam participants.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 1: BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION. 6 p.m. Town Hall. The Human Rights Commission and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion invite all community members to join us for the Annual Black History Month Flag Raising Ceremony on Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 6:00 pm at the Amherst Town Hall. The ceremony includes the reading of the 2024 Black History Month Proclamation read by the Town Council. After the flag raising participants can view the opening of, “The Black Experience in Amherst,” A self-guided exhibit of shared stories and experiences of Amherst’s African American communities past and present through historic photographs, and artifacts. The exhibit is a collaborative effort between the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service. The exhibit is open Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Registration encouraged but not required https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=mv0XWNoJA0qjouaAUB4sUj0ebx75WJtItJBGdBSX-6tUMzJQWjhJQkY1S1VVOFI1MzVJNTgxQVpPVy4u

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 1: OPENING RECEPTION FOR DANCES OF DEMENTIA BY CHERYL REZENDES. Gallery A3, 28 Amity 1D. 5-7 p.m. Free and open to the public. More information

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 1: DRUM TAO 30TH ANNIVERSARY. 7:30, Frederick Tillis Performance Hall, UMass. Drum Tao celebrates 30 years at the vanguard of taiko. Founded in 1993 with the objective of creating the world’s greatest show using wadaiko (Japanese drums), Drum Tao has spread out from their base in Oita, Japan to perform in front of more than nine million spectators in 26 countries across four continents. The troupe’s performances are magnificent spectacles of musicianship and movement, incorporating wadaiko (or taiko) drumming, Japanese flute and harp, and extraordinary, acrobatic choreography. In their 30th anniversary tour, Drum Tao will revisit some of their greatest performance pieces. Tickets https://fac.umass.edu/Online/mapSelect.asp?doWork::WSmap::loadMap=Load&createBO::WSmap=1&BOparam::WSmap::loadMap::performance_ids=5E4254F7-4AEF-4508-A3A0-D31251B28238 $55, $45, $35. Youth and students: $15, $12, $10.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 2: MAGGIE HODGES PAINTINGS RECEPTION. 5-7 p.m., Mill District Local Art Gallery, 91 Cowls Road. Please join us in welcoming Maggie Hodges and Family Outreach of Amherst to the Front Window Gallery on Friday, February 2 from 5-7pm. Complementary light refreshments served. Exhibit runs from January 4 through February 27, 2024. All paintings are available for immediate purchase and Maggie is donating 20% of sales to Family Outreach of Amherst

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3: NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY. 10 a.m to 12:30 p.m., Alumni Gym at Amherst College. The Amherst College Department of Athletics, in partnership with the Town of Amherst and Amherst Recreation Department, is proud to host National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD). This event, dedicated to honoring the achievements of girls and women in sports, aims to recognize the power of sports and play in unlocking limitless potential. NGWSD at Amherst College will provide girls in grades 4-6 with a unique opportunity to explore various sports, play, and have fun together. The event will feature activities led by women’s sports teams, including: squash, basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, field hockey, lacrosse, golf, cross country and track & field. After an introductory program, girls will be divided into teams so they can try different sports and games.  Parents and guardians must remain on the premises; however, they will have the opportunity to attend presentations by our nutritionist and receive details about local sports and fitness organizations. Additionally, refreshments will be provided for their enjoyment.
For more information, contact Jennifer Chuks at jchuks@amherst.edu. Register here:  https://forms.gle/Sx38q4dLhcGQ7E9v7

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3: THE EVOLVING NEW ENGLAND ORCHARD. 3 p.m. on Zoom. Learn about the history of apples in New England, as well as how apples continue to nourish our stomachs and souls, in this Zoom presentation by Russell Powell, executive director of the New England Apple Association. Register via Zoom.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3: AMHERST FIRE AND ICE FESTIVAL. Town Common, 2 p.m – 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. The fourth annual Amherst Fire and Ice Festival will be held on the Town Common on February 3 with events running from 2 p.m to 7 p.m.  The event is a family friendly festival that will include s’mores, fire pits, hot cocoa, crafting, ice and metal sculptures, and fire performances. As in years past, the highlight and finale of the event will be a lighting of luminaria which will begin at 6 p.m.
Sponsored by Amherst Downtown BID, Amherst College, Amherst Recreation Department, and the Amherst Fire Department.  Fire & Ice is part of WinterFest Amherst, a Town of Amherst series of events celebrating the winter season. Schedule of events here.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 6: FREE FACULTY JAZZ CONCERT.  7:30 p.m, Bezanson, UMass. Featuring jazz faculty Felipe Salles, sax; Ben Griffin, trombone; Haneef Nelson, trumpet; Catherine Jensen-Hole, vocals; Bob Ferrier, guitar; Jeff Holmes, piano; Fumi Tomita, bass; Tom Giampietro, drums. Free.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 6: ANCESTRAL BRIDGES EXPANDED EXHIBITION OPENING RECEPTION. 4 to 6 p.m., Frost Library, Amherst College. The Ancestral Bridges exhibit is growing! Join us for the opening reception of the Ancestral Bridges Expanded Exhibit, featuring more photographs, objects, and rare documents. Join us as we celebrate the expansion of this unique exhibition at a reception welcoming the descendants of those whose stories are featured, as well as campus and community members. Doors open at 4:30 PM, with brief remarks at 5 PM. Connect with history and community while exploring the stories of Black and Afro-Indigenous families who lived and worked in Amherst from the 18th through the early 20th centuries. We look forward to your presence at this special event.Ancestral Bridges is a first-of-its-kind partnership between Amherst College and Ancestral Bridges.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 8: THE PLACE AND PEOPLE OF MALAGA ISLAND. 7 p.m. on Zoom. The experience of any place is informed by its physical characteristics, natural history, and cultural story. Malaga’s experience is complex, with contrasting beauty and pain. Andrew Deci, Regional Land Steward for Maine Coast Heritage Trust and caretaker of the 40-acre island in Phippsburg, Maine, will present an overview of the island and its storied past of racist eviction by the State of Maine.  Register via Zoom.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 9: FACULTY CONCERT: GILLES VONSATTEL, PIANO. 7:30 p.m. Bezanson. All Beethoven program featuring the Op. 26 “Funeral March” Sonata, the Op. 57 “Appassionata” Sonata and the Op 106 “Hammerklavier” Sonata. Free.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 9: POP UP MARKET AND LADIES OF COMEDY. Market 6 to 7:30 (free), show at 8, The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Pre-Valentine market featuring Art of Intimates, Julie Nolan Jewelry, and Botanical Home. Comedy show features Jane Condon and Christine Hurley. Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10: LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF AMHERST BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON. 12 p.m. Ginger Garden, 351 Northampton Road. Celebrate LWVA’s 85^th birthday with special guest State Senator Jo Comerford. You must RSVP by January 28. See https://www.lwvamherst.org/ . $22 per person.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10 AND SUNDAY FEBRUARY 11: UMASS OPERA ON THE AIR: 3 ONE-ACT OPERAS. February 10 at 7:30 and February 11 at 3 p.m. Bowker Auditorium, UMass. Marjorie Melnick, William Hite & Jamie-Rose Guarrine, faculty coordinators. Three one-act operas portrayed as if on a radio station: Samuel Barber: Hand of Bridge, Douglas Moore: Gallantry, and Gian Carlo Menotti: Old Maid and the Thief. Snow date: Monday, Feb. 12, 7:30pm. Tickets: $25 public, $20 seniors, free to students. Tickets at https://fac.umass.edu/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=musicanddancedepartment&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 13: FRED SIENKIEWICZ TRUMPET. 7:30 p.m. Bezanson Hall, UMass. With Tom Weaver, piano. Lecture/Recital on the life & trumpet works of Alexander Arutiunian. Trumpeter Fred Sienkiewicz, a UMass Amherst alumnus, enjoys a multi-faceted career as a performer, pedagogue, and scholar. Sienkiewicz has been a member of the Owensboro Symphony since 2016, and actively performs throughout the Mid-South. Free.

TUESDAY FEBRARY 13: BOOK DISCUSSION OF THIS OTHER EDEN BY PAUL HARDING. 7 to 8 p.m., Jones Library. Join Jennifer Acker from Amherst College and Jones Library staff member Linda Wentworth for an in-depth discussion of this year’s selected title.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14: FACULTY CONCERT: BUSONI FESTIVAL WITH STEVEN BECK AND ERINN KNYT. 7:30 p.m. Bezanson Hall, UMass. With UMass faculty pianist Steven Beck, guest pianist Amy Cheng, and UMass student pianists. Featuring the music of Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) with a pre-concert talk by UMass music history professor and Busoni scholar Erinn Knyt. Free.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 15: CIRCQUE MECHANICS: ZEPHYR. 7:30. Frederick Tillis Performance Hall, UMass. n Zephyr — A Whirlwind of Circus the ever-inventive Cirque Mechanics offer the latest expression of their celebrated blend of ingenuity, theater, and circus arts.
Founded in 2004 by Boston native and German wheel artist Chris Lashua, Las Vegas-based Cirque Mechanics, quickly established itself as a premier American circus troupe. The company is revered for its unique approach to performance, inspiring storytelling, and innovative mechanical staging. Spectacle hailed it as “the greatest contribution to the American circus since Cirque du Soleil.” Tickets https://fac.umass.edu/Online/mapSelect.asp?doWork::WSmap::loadMap=Load&createBO::WSmap=1&BOparam::WSmap::loadMap::performance_ids=AA4101FD-AF7B-43F5-BB8A-E738F68B3896 $55, $45, $35, Youth and Students: $15, $12, $10.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 16: GRADUATE JAZZ COMPOSERS ENSEMBLE. 7:30 p.m. Bezanson Hall, UMass. Featuring new music by students in the jazz composition/arranging Masters program, includingHugo Sanbone, Forest Loomis-Dulong, Justin Leach & others. Free.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 18: CLARICONNECT: PLAY WITH THE PROS. 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Bezanson Hall, UMass. UMass Clarinet Day. Free for all! This year CLARIconNecT is about chamber music. All clarinetists are welcome to participate in the rehearsals and performances of clarinet chamber groups and clarinet choir with DECODA guest artists Alicia Lee, Bixby Kennedy, Paul Cho, and Romie de Guise-Langlois. Register by February 1 to perform. See https://www.deguise-langlois.com/clariconnect-2023?fbclid=IwAR244KiYOyC8KeMIRlb-J29Up-yX2LkivWPkuoGz4baxJYobbEVljrLjYIs

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21: FACULTY CONCERT: JONATHAN HULTING-COHEN, SAXOPHONE & JIAYAN SUN, PIANO. 7:30 p.m. Bezanson Hall, UMass. Music by Jules Demersseman, Ingrid Arauco, Pablo de Sarasate, David Loeb, & the Sonata in A Major by Cesar Franck, arranged for saxophone and piano. Free

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21: JUDY BROOKS CONVERSATION SERIES WITH MEMBERS OF THE BLACK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF AMHERST. 7 p.m. on Zoom. Register for the League of Women Voters of Amherst monthly Judy Brooks conversation series at https://www.lwvamherst.org/

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 22: BLUE NOTE RECORDS 85^TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WITH THE BLUE NOTE QUINTET. 7:30, Bowker Auditorium, UMass. The combo Blue Note has assembled to play their traveling birthday party features five absolutely stellar current-day exponents of America’s greatest music form. There’s no way we’d miss an opportunity to host this quintet. We can’t wait to see what happens when they hit our stage. And we know you’re going to want to be here to see it, too. Led by pianist Gerald Clayton, a six-time Grammy nominee, the band features vibraphonist Joel Ross, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, drummer Kendrick Scott, and bassist Matt Brewer. We don’t have enough time or space to list the artists these guys have performed with, because it’s pretty much everyone. We will tell you that their recorded output as leaders and sidemen has been remarkable. Tickets https://fac.umass.edu/Online/mapSelect.asp?doWork::WSmap::loadMap=Load&createBO::WSmap=1&BOparam::WSmap::loadMap::performance_ids=FCB2BF2B-50C4-4606-8A72-C1AE9FCD7AC7 $35, $30, Youth and students $10.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23: ON THE SAME PAGE WITH PAUL HARDING. 5 to 6:30 p.m., Johnson Chapel, Amherst College. Join us for a conversation with National Book Award winner Justin Torres and finalist Paul Harding, moderated by Amherst College Assistant Professor of English Amelia Worsley, with introductions and remarks from Amherst College President Michael Elliott and National Book Foundation Director of Programs and Partnerships, Natalie Green.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 29 : NATIONAL DAY OF RACIAL HEALING AT UMASS (recheduled from January 16.  9-11 a.m., Student Union, UMass and streaming. Please join us in community to contemplate our shared values, celebrate our common humanity, and inspire collective action to create a more just and equitable world. Our featured speaker is author, activist, and jazz singer, LaTosha Brown. Brown is a contributor to The New York Times and a Senior Practice Fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. As co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund organization, LaTosha is dedicated to increasing the political power of Black people. Brunch is sold out. Join by livestream at https://youtube/live/x00pfwrWUo

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 29: BLACK ARTS MATTER VISUAL SHOWCASE OPENING. Mead Art Museum, Amherst College. The Black Art Matters Festival affirms and celebrates Black student artists and creators. Zoe Akoto (Class of 2021) started the Black Art Matters Festival in 2018 in a student dormitory when she noticed that the creative work of Black students was rarely seen on campus.  Comprised of a visual arts showcase and a performance showcase, the Festival highlights an expansive range of creative practices including all visual media as well as spoken word, dance, and music.

FRIDAY MARCH 1: MUSIC AT AMHERST PRESENTS TERRi LYNNE CARRINGTON AND SOCIAL SCIENCE. 7:30 p.m. Buckley Recital Hall, Amherst College Galvanized by seismic changes in the ever-evolving social and political landscape, Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science confront a wide spectrum of social justice issues. The band’s stunning double-disc debut, Waiting Game, immediately takes its place in the stirring lineage of politically conscious and activist music, expressing an unflinching, inclusive and compassionate view of humanity’s breaks and bonds through an expansive program melding jazz, R&B, indie rock, contemporary improvisation and hip-hop.

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.

FIRST AND THIRD FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH: VETERAN’S COMMUNITY BREAKFAST FOR ALL -8 a.m – 9 a.m. Large Activity Room, Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. At each breakfast (bagel/donut/coffee), a veteran or veteran ally, will tell his or her personal story regarding military service. Generation after generation reveals that those going to war to defend our country come back spiritually and morally wounded, regardless of the bodily consequences of combat. We want to bring veterans together for food and friendship to help coalesce a spirit of camaraderie to enable authentic, veteran-oriented communities to flourish. WELCOME: Veterans, Spouses, Caregivers, Amherst Community Members.  Let’s Build a Thriving Veterans Community.  There are 387 Veterans in town! Sponsored by CRESS. FOR MORE INFORMATION:  CALL THE CRESS OFFICE, (413) 259-3370  OR GENE HERMAN, VIETNAM VETERAN, (240) 472-7288  –  CRESS VETERAN’S OUTREACH VOLUNTEER.

NOW 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 MONDAY JANUARY 29: A BECKER’S DOZEN: PRINT EXHIBIT. Hope and Feathers Framing, 319 Main Street. Open Monday through Saturday. Prints by Fred Becker and Jean Morrison Becker curated by their daughter Carla Becker.  In 1968 the Becker family moved to Amherst when Fred joined the faculty at the University of Massachusetts.  He retired in 1986. Jean taught in the UMass Continuing Education Division from 1972-86. In 1972 Jean continued her education and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from UMass in 1978. She became very active in University and Amherst town activities. Always interested in women’s education, she was one of the founders of Everywoman’s Center at the University. Jean was on the Amherst Public Arts Commission and was the initial director of the Burnett Gallery in Jones Library.

NOW 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.

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.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23 THROUGH SUNDAY FEBRUARY 25: 9^TH ANNUAL AMHERST COLLEGE LITFEST.  a literary festival celebrating fiction, nonfiction, poetry and spoken-word performance, along with the College’s extraordinary literary life. Guest speakers include award-winning authors Natasha Trethewey, Paul Harding, Ed Yong, Blair Kamin ’79 P’15, Lisa Biggs ’93, and other distinguished editors and authors. Check https://www.amherst.edu/about/literary-amherst/litfest  for schedule and speaker information.