What’s Happening in Amherst
Photo: Pixabay.com
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
FRIDAY MARCH 8: OPENING RECEPTION FOR “WATER, NATURE, AND THE CITY”: AN EXHIBIT BY CHRISTINE MIRABAL. 4 to 6 p.m. Town Hall. Please join us for an evening of art and friendship. Come meet the artist – Christine Mirabal. Walk the galleries and enjoy some snacks. Sponsored by the Amherst Public Art Commission.
SATURDAY MARCH 9: JACKSON GILLMAN AT SONG AND STORY SWAP. 7 to 9 p.m. First Churches, 165 Main Street. The Pioneer Valley Folklore Society’s monthly Song & Story Swap, now in its twenty-seventh year, will feature actor, songsmith, and story teller Jackson Gillman at its March show . GIllman will appear on March 9 from 7-9 p.m. at the First Church, 165 Main Street in Amherst. Free parking is available in the lot behind the church. The Song & Story Swap is open to members of the public of all ages. Gillman will present an Irish-themed program. Expect a rollicking evening, well-lubricated with his leprechaun spirit. His repertoire will include sprightly songs and tales about Guinness beer, a faux Irishman, and true farce about a toppled statute of the patron Saint of Ireland. Admission is free, with a suggested minimum donation to the artist of $7.50. More information
SUNDAY MARCH 10: COMMEMORATION OF THE TIBETAN UPRISING. 9 a.m., Town Hall front steps. This day is an expression of solidarity for the Tibetan Peoples in exile across the world. The Amherst event includes the raising of the Tibetan flag on Town Hall, the reading of a proclamation by the Town Council, and a march from Amherst to Northampton along Route 9 and concluding in Easthampton.
SUNDAY MARCH 10: EXPLORATIONS IN THE MUSIC OF SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND. 7:30 p.m., Bezanson Hall, UMass. Featuring the ensembles of the Five College Early Music Program, Allison Monroe, director. Shakespeare found inspiration in the music of his day, calling for songs in his plays, mentioning music theoretical concepts, quoting popular tunes, and using metaphorical imagery based on instruments. The Five College Early Music Program’s Collegium and Chamber Ensembles, including recorders, early voices, cornetts, and sackbuts, viols, violin band, and lutes, explores a variety of repertoires from early modern England, joined by some members of the community. Free
MONDAY MARCH 11: NOW IS THE TIME: THE UAW STAND UP STRIKE AND ORGANIZING THE SOUTH. 6 p.m., Old Chapel, UMass. Chris Brooks is a top aide to UAW President Shawn Fein and a leading strategist in the Labor Movement. He helped overhaul the 88-year-old union, bringing a renewed militancy and empowering rank-and-file workers by pushing for frequent rallies and events where Fain heard them out. Register here.
MONDAY MARCH 11: KEVIN MCCAFFREY POETRY READING. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., The Red Barn at Hampshire College. South Hadley poet Kevin McCaffrey will read from his new collection of poems, I Could Have Been More Wrong. The event is free and open to the public. It will also feature a performance of musical settings of a few of the poems by Peter Jones and Steven Santoro. Kevin McCaffrey has published a novel, Nightmare Therapy and a 2014 volume of poetry, Laughing Cult.
MONDAY MARCH 11: CONVERSATION WITH LABOR ACTIVIST CHRIS BROOKS (IUMass ’18), VISIONARY STRATEGIST WITH THE UAW. 6:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. Old Chapel, UMass, 144 Hicks Way.
Here’s more on Chris from the WSJ: “The group includes Chris Brooks, a 39-year-old labor activist recruited early this year to manage the new president’s transition team who then became a top aide. He helped overhaul the 88-year-old union, bringing a renewed militancy and empowering rank-and-file workers by pushing for frequent rallies and events where Fain heard them out. “
MONDAY MARCH 11: UMASS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT. 7:30 p.m., Tillis Performance Hall, Bromery Center for the Arts, UMass. Gonzalo Hidalgo Ardila, conductor. Featuring Josef Haydn’s Symphony No. 100 and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 12. Tickets $15/$5 students and youth.
TUESDAY MARCH 12: CIVIC SUMMIT: SHOULD MASSACHUSETTS DROP THE MCAS GRADUATION REQUIREMENT? 5 to 7 p.m. UMass College of Education, 813 North Pleasant Street. Join us for a lively discussion at our in-person event, where we will examine whether Massachusetts should eliminate the MCAS graduation requirement for high school students. The Civic Summit will bring together experts, educators, and concerned citizens, and will be organized in the style of a deliberative poll: attendees will “vote” on the measure before and after learning more about it. The Center for Education Policy will use this information to help inform other voters in the commonwealth. Parking in lots 27 and 66. Refreshments. Free.
TUESDAY MARCH 12: BURMESE DIASPORIC WRITERS: MAW SHEIN WIN, AUDREY T. WILLIAMS, KENNETH WONG. 7 p.m., CHI Think Tank, Lyceum 101, 197 South Pleasant Street. Maw Shein Win is a Burmese American poet, editor, & educator. She was the first poet laureate of El Cerrito, California. She has published several prize-winning chapbooks, & her full-length poetry collection Storage Unit for the Spirit House was long-listed for the 2021 PEN America Open Book Award, nominated for a Northern California Book Award for Poetry, & shortlisted for the Golden Poppy Award. Williams is a speculative literary artist who writes poetry, fiction, & creative non-fiction. Her writing is published in Conjuring Worlds: An Afrofuturist Textbook, Space & Time magazine, among others. She is a Program Coordinator for the Afrosurreal Writers Workshop of Oakland, Co-chair of the Speculative Literature Foundation’s San Francisco Bay Area chapter, & a board member of the Black Speculative Arts Movement’s Oakland chapter. Wong is a Burmese American author & a language instructor. His short stories, essays, & poetry translations have appeared in AGNI, The Irrawaddy, Myanmar Times, & more. For more information see here.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 13: MEETING. OF THE SCHOOL EQUITY AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. Amherst Regional High School Library. Meeting will be in person and is open to the public.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 13: CONSERVATION ACTION FOR BIODIVERSITY: DARKNESS AT NIGHT—ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE. 6 to 7:30 p.m. Online presentation by Dr. James Lowenthal of Smith College Department of Astronomy. Streetlights and exterior lighting on houses and buildings have become a necessity for daily life. But while light can provide us with a feeling of security, too much of it can have negative consequences that you might not expect. Not only does light pollution impact human health, energy use, and other quality of life issues, it also has been shown to impact wildlife. This is the second of the Kestrel Land Trust’s 2024 Online speaker series. Registration is required. Sliding Scale donation welcome.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 13: HEART OF AFGHANISTAN PERFORMED BY THE FANOOS QUARTET. 7:30 p.m., Bowker Auditorium, UMass. Banned by the Taliban from performing in their native country, Ahmad Fanoos, Elham Fanoos, Mehran Fanoos, and Sohail Karim bring Afghan music and culture to the world through Heart of Afghanistan. | Tickets $35-$25; Five College Students and Youth 17 & Under $12. Tickets here.
THURDAY MARCH 14: “THE VIOLENCE OF RECOGNITION. ADVASI INDIGENEITY AND ANTI-DALITNESS IN INDIA. 6 p.m., Amherst Books, 8 Main Street. Anthropologists Pinky Hota and Joe Lee will talk about their latest books,Hota’s The Violence of Recognition and Lee’s Concealing Caste: Narratives of Passing and Personhood in Dalit Literature. Hota teaches at Smith College Informed by critical caste & race, & gender & sexuality approaches, her research examines right wing politics in the context of contemporary capitalism, & participates in Smith’s Program for the Study of Women & Gender. Lee teaches at Williams College where he conducts research on religion, language, caste & the state in South Asia.
BEGINNING FRIDAY MARCH 15: KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION. On-line registration for children who will turn 5 on or before September 1, 2024. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to join our Dual Language Program at Fort River Elementary School To qualify, your kindergarten application must be received by April 24th, 2024. We kindly request that you refrain from entering any information into the portal before March 15th. If information is entered prematurely, it will not be saved, and you will be required to reenter it again after March 15th. Click on this link: Registration Link. Have Questions? We’re here to help! Call us at 413-362-1871. Secure your child’s spot in a vibrant learning community – where curiosity meets education!
SATURDAY MARCH 16: GUITARRA! BOKYUNG BYUN. 8 p.m. Old Chapel, UMass. Praised by Classical Guitar magazine as “confident and quite extraordinary,” Korean guitarist Bokyung Byun holds the distinction of having been the first woman to win the prestigious JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition. Tickets $20
SUNDAY MARCH 17: LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF AMHERST: AMHERST HOME RULE CHARTER REVIEW. 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Zoom. The LWVA Charter Review Task Force is continuing its review of the Amherst Home Rule Charter in relation to League good government principles. The Task Force will be hosting a series of public Zoom discussions on questions related to potential Charter Amendments. The first part of the discussion will be a presentation of potential amendments to the Charter, how they may relate to good government principles, and how five years of experience has demonstrated whether an amendment is or is not needed. We will then open to public comments. Other sessions will be April 14 and May 5. Save the dates and spread the word.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 20: WORKSHOP: CLIMATE CHANGE IN NEW ENGLAND. 7 to 8 p.m. On-line. Workshop with Dr. Elizabeth Burakowski. Climate in the northeastern United States has shifted remarkably over the past few decades, with notable impacts on ecosystems and society. Trends include warmer and shorter winters, fewer days with continuous snow cover, changes in leaf out dates and chilling periods, and dramatic swings in precipitation and drought. How will the climate choices we make today affect native plants in the future? This talk will provide an overview of climate trends past and future, based on historical observations and future climate model projections. Part of the Hitchcock Center’s Climate Series.
TUESDAY MARCH 26: GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT FORT RIVER. 3:30 p.m., Fort River School, 70 South East Street.
TUESDAY MARCH 26 THROUGH FRIDAY MAY 10: FAINT/HIDDEN/SHROUDED: CONTEMPLATING OBSCURITY. ANNUAL EVA FIERST GRADUATE STUDENT CURATORIAL EXHIBITION. Opening reception and talk, Tuesday, March 26, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Bromery Center for the Arts Lobby and UMass Museum of Contemporary Art. This exhibit invites you to uncover hidden meanings and symbols buried beneath layers, prompting inquiry into what is visible and what has been deliberately concealed, drawing attention to the identities and intentions of artists and their work which have been often overlooked and obscured.
TUESDAY MARCH 26: 43RD ANNUAL JAZZ SHOWCASE. 7:30 p.m., Bowker Auditorium, UMass. Jeffrey W Holmes, Coordinator. Featuring compositions and arrangements by UMass faculty, students, and alumni. Including Jazz Ensemble I, Chapel, Jazz Lab and Vocal Jazz Ensembles, plus Graduate Composers’ Ensemble, Graduate Jazz Quartet, Chamber Jazz Ensembles, and Jazz Faculty. Tickets $15/$5 students and youth.
THURSDAY MARCH 28: NOW OR NEVER: FORGING A MULTIRACIAL ALLIANCE IN LABOR. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Zoom. Presented by the Western Mass Area Labor Federation, Racial Justice Committee and Education Committee. Featuring Carolina Bank Munoz, Cedric de Leon, and Naomi R. Williams. In 2024, U.S. society faces deep inequality and dire threats from authoritarian right-wing forces. Fighting back requires a multiracial labor movement dedicated to confronting racism and unifying workers across the lines that divide us. What can labor history teach us for this struggle? Register here.
THURSDAY MARCH 28: 45 YEARS IN 45 MINUTES. LECTURE BY ACOUSTEMOLOGIST AND ANTHROPOLOGIST STEVEN FELD. 4:30 p.m. (wine and cheese at 4:15), CHI Think Tank, Lyceum 101, 197 South Pleasant Street. This talk is a tour of the theory of acoustemology of sound as a way of knowing and relating. Listen to the histories of listening with birds and rainforest dwellers in Papua, New Guinea rainforest, with belled landscapes and carnivals in pastoral Southern Europe, and with the urban percussion of toads and truck horns in West Africa. Feld is a MacArthur fellow, filmmaker, musician/sound artist, and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at the University of New Mexico.
THURSDAY MARCH 28: THE PEOPLE’S TONGUE WITH JOHN MORSE, FORMER PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER OF MERRIAM WEBSTER. 7 p.m., Stirn Auditorium, Amherst College and LiveStreamed. Defining a healthy democracy through the prism of language. Point/Counterpoint series moderated by Ilan Stavans. Guest speaker books will be available for purchase at each event, courtesy of Amherst Books. A book signing will follow the in-person events. For more information, see here.
THURSDAY APRIL 4: THE PEOPLE’S TONGUE WITH AUTHOR DAN BROWN. 7 p.m. Virtual event. Defining a healthy democracy through the prism of language, with Dan Brown, author of the Divinci Code. Point/Counterpoint series moderated by Ilan Stavans. Guest speaker books will be available for purchase at each event, courtesy of Amherst Books. A book signing will follow the in-person events. For more information, see here.
SATURDAY APRIL 6: MISSOULA CHILDREN’S THEATRE PRESENTS “JACK IN THE BEANSTALK”. 2 performances at Amherst Regional Middle School auditorium. See https://amherstacts.org/childrens-theater/ . Missoula Children’s Theatre comes to town to produce a play in one week. Auditions for children kindergarten through grade 12 are April 1-6 at Amherst Regional Middle School. Auditions are very entertaining and non-threatening. In general, there are spaces available for 60 cast members. In recent years everyone who auditioned was cast, but there have been years when over 100 children have auditioned for only 60 spaces. We anticipate that we may have a larger audition pool again this year, so please be aware—some auditioners may not be cast. If your child is cast, you can expect a full and very fun week, capped off with two performances in the ARMS Auditorium on Saturday.
SATURDAY APRIL 6: EMPTY BOWLS 2024. 12-4 p.m. Amherst Survival Center, 138 Sunderland Road. Get your tickets now and join us at the Center anytime from 12:00-4:00 PM on Saturday April 6th for a delightful meal and table service by fabulous local celebrities! You’ll find gorgeous handmade bowls from local potters and delicious soup made by local restaurants and our very own kitchen! Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free soup options are available. Meals will be served with warm bread, salad, and a light dessert. Tickets $50 each.
THURSDAY APRIL 18: THE PEOPLE’S TONGUE WITH ILYA KAMINSKY, POET AND TRANSLATOR. 7 p.m. Stirn Auditorium, Amherst College and Livestreamed. Defining a healthy democracy through the prism of language. Point/Counterpoint series moderated by Ilan Stavans. Guest speaker books will be available for purchase at each event, courtesy of Amherst Books. A book signing will follow the in-person events. For more information, see here.
THURSDAY APRIL 25: THE PEOPLE’S TONGUE WITH RUTH OZEKI, WRITER, FILMMAKER, AND ZEN BUDDHIST PRIEST. 7 p.m., Stirn Auditorium, Amherst College and LiveStreamed. Defining a healthy democracy through the prism of language. Point/Counterpoint series moderated by Ilan Stavans. Guest speaker books will be available for purchase at each event, courtesy of Amherst Books. A book signing will follow the in-person events. For more information, see here.
ONGOING AND MULTI-DAY EVENTS
TUESDAYS IN FEBRUARY: MY VOICE MY STORY. 4:30 on Amherst Media Channel 12. Amherst Media”s Black History Month Portrait Series returns with Tennis Professional, Art Carrington, who shares insight into the history of Black Tennis.
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 MARCH 30: PAIRINGS BY MARTHA BRAUN AND ROCHELLE SHICOFF.
In PAIRINGS, Martha Braun applies her experience as a painter to the discipline of printmaking. Rochell Shicoff presents a series using encaustic, paint, pastel, and photomontage. At Gallery A3, 28 Amity Street. There will be a free Online Art Forum (register here) on Thursday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. Gallery hours are Thursday-Sunday, 2-7 p.m. More. Information
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 FRIDAY MAY 10: AS WE MOVE FORWARD: ART EXHIBIT. Augusta Savage Gallery, New Africa House, 80 Infirmary Way, UMass. Curated by Juana Valdes and Nhadya Lawes. As We Move Forward honors the work and legacy of American sculptor and educator Augusta Savage (1892-1962), who paved the way for future generations of Black artists. Valdes and Lawes have chosen the works of seventeen Black, Latinx, and Afro- Indigenous women artists from Savage’s home state of Florida. The exhibition combines printmaking, photography, sculpture, architecture, ceramics, and other mixed media to create a space of celebration and growth for these emerging artists. Opening Reception: Tuesday, February 27, 5-7 p.m. Curators’ Talk: Thursday, April 4, 6 p.m.
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.
NOW THROUGH SUNDAY JUNE 9: SLOW WALK WITH TREES: ALICIA GRULLON PHOTO EXHIBIT. Mead Art Museum, Amherst College. The exhibition is a call to consider notions of land and labor as interconnected systems through various mediums. Grullón’s new photographs of trees and pictures of a single masked person are each paired with text. The compilation of texts reflects Grullón’s research of recent protests in a range of industries such as mining, shipping, and entertainment.