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

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.

THURSDAY MARCH 21: VALLEY CDC’S FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS’ WEBINAR. 6 to 9 p.m. on Zoom. Three-part series: Thursday, March 21; Tuesday, March 26; and Thursday, March 28.  Get the facts on the homebuying process and learn tips about how to improve your credit. Ask questions to help you proceed and protect your interests as you approach this life decision. Register here.

MONDAY MARCH 25: FULL MOON HIKE TO MOUNT NORWOTTUCK. 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m., Kestrel Land Trust, 37 Bay Road. This hike, in partnership with Adventure East, will begin at our Kestrel Land Trust headquarters located at the foot of the beautiful Mount Holyoke Range. We’ll climb for approximately an hour and a half before arriving to the top of Norwottuck. Once there, we will stop to take in the iconic views and watch the moon rise over the Pelham Hills and enjoy a snack provided by your Adventure East guide. Returning to the trailhead, we’ll have the unique opportunity to take in the sights and sounds of the forest at night, guided by the light of the moon. Headlamps will be provided.Registration is required, and Kestrel members receive a 20% discount for this event by using the discount code: KLTMOON. Your discounted price will be $24 instead of $30.

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 : CRAV THE HARVEST: DANCE CONCERTS WITH LORENZO HARRIS. 7 p.m., Totman Gym, UMass. A celebration of Black dance forms, presented by Five College Dance, featuring Hip-Hop scholar and practitioner Dr. Lorenzo Harris. Also, public artist talks and masterclass. More information and registration here. Free.

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: 43^RD 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.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 27: CHASING THE MOON’S SHADOW: THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OF APRIL 8, 2024. Talk by James Lowenthal, Professor and Chair of Astronomy at Smith College. 7:30 p.m. Room 135, Integrated Science Center, UMass. Lowenthal will take the audience on a guided tour of total solar eclipses, including how and why they happen, phenomena to watch for, and how to prepare for and safely watch the total solar eclipse coming to northern New England. Free and open to the public.

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: CRAV THE HARVEST: DANCE CONCERTS WITH LORENZO HARRIS. 7 p.m., Totman Gym, UMass. A celebration of Black dance forms, presented by Five College Dance, featuring Hip-Hop scholar and practitioner Dr. Lorenzo Harris. Also, public artist talks and masterclass. More information and registration here. Free.

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.

MONAY APRIL 1: “THE CERTAINTY TRAP: DEMOCRACY’S EXISTENTIAL THREAT”. LECTURE BY SOCIOLOGIST ILANA REDSTONE. 11 a.m., Room 301 of the Integrative Learning Center, UMass. Sociologist, writer, and academic entrepreneur Ilana Redstone will present the 2024 College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Freedman Lecture. In her lecture, “The Certainty Trap: Democracy’s Existential Threat,” Redstone will explore how the notion of certainty drives the tendency to judge harshly, demonize and dismiss people with whom we disagree, and how that poses a threat to both aspiring and established democracies. She will examine how certainty contributes to political polarization, incivility, and a lack of viewpoint diversity and how to overcome these challenges through thinking and communicating more effectively. Free and open to the public.

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.

MONDAY APRIL 8: TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE VIEWING AT UMASS. The College of Natural Sciences and the astronomy department will distribute solar shades beginning at 11 a.m. April 8 at two locations on campus while supplies last—UMass Amherst Sunwheel and Metawampe Lawn. UMass astronomers will speak about the phenomenon at both campus viewing locations. The peak of the eclipse will be at 3:28 p.m., and the event will conclude at 4:30 p.m.

MONDAY APRIL 8: SENIOR SERVICES OPEN HOUSE. 4 to 6 p.m., Bangs Community Center. The Amherst Council on Aging and the Senior Center invite you to their Third Annual Open House. The event will showcase Senior Center programs and services, collaborations with fellow town departments, and new initiatives while having a great time! Learn more about our vast array of offerings and connect with Center staff. Our special musical guest for the event will be singer/songwriter Eli Elkus. Light refreshments will be served. Leave your mark on the event by participating in our community paint mural. 

MONDAY APRIL 8: WIND ENSEMBLE AND SYMPHONY BAND. 7:30 p.m. Tillis Hall, Fine Arts Center, UMass. Matthew Westgate and Lindsay Bronnenkant, conductors. Music by Nicole Piunno, Zdenek Lukas, Vittorio Giannini, Malcolm Arnold and more. $15/$5. UMass students free. Tickets

TUESDAY APRIL 9: UMASS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. 7:30 p.m. Tillis Hall, Fine Arts Center, UMass. Gonzalo Hidalgo Ardila, conductor. Featuring winners of the Concerto Competition: Ingrid Husemoller, violin; Kathy Liu, piano; Austin McCann, cello. Music by Brahms, Dvorak, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff. $15/$5/ UMass students free. Tickets.

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.

SATURDAY APRIL 27: UMASS CONCERT BAND. 7:30 p.m., Tillis Hall, Fine Arts Center, UMass. Timothy T. Anderson, conductor. Miles Anglin, Kaitlyn Burns, and Richard Sargent, graduate conductors. Ian Hale, marimba soloist. Featuring the premiere of Jeff Holmes’ Other Roads, written in honor of the career of Professor Thom Hannum. Also including Rossini’s William Tell Orchestra and a trumpet trio feature on Leroy Anderson’s Bugler’s Holiday. $15/ $5/ UMass students free. Tickets.

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.

SUNDAY MARCH 17 THROUGH APRIL 27: “PIECES OF US:” WORKS BY PELHAM STUDENT ARTISTS. Local Art Gallery and General Store in the Mill District, 91 Cowls Road. We are so proud that the work of student artists from Pelham Elementary is going to be featured at Local Art Gallery. This collection of artworks by Pelham Elementary students, aged 5 to 12 explores identity themes. Each piece reflects discussions on diversity and individuality with students choosing to represent a single aspect of themselves through various mediums.There will also be an Open House weekend April 6-7 during the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. both days.

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.