What’s Happening in Amherst?
Photo: istock
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 (more or less)
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NOVEMBER 1 -3: VALLEY LIGHT OPERA PRESENTS THE MCADO. 7:30 on November 1, 2 p.m. on November 2 and 3, Academy of Music, 274 Main Street, Northampton. See Gilbert & Sullivan as you’ve never seen it before. Set in the Highlands of Scotland, the McAdo tells the story of a wandering minstrel and his dainty maiden, a tailor who became the Lord High Executioner, and the McAdo who leads them all. Preshow talk by Amherst resident Michael Greenebaum, a founding member of VLO at 1 p.m. prior to all matinees. Tickets.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 2: HOLIDAY ART MARKET IN THE MILL DISTRICT. 12 to 4 p.m., Mill District General Store and Local Art Gallery, 91 Cowls Road. Join us at The Mill District General Store & Local Art Gallery’s 4th Annual Holiday Arts Market from 12pm-4pm on November 2nd, 2024 (rain date 11/3/24) for a day of fun and supporting local art! Shop locally this holiday season from 40+ local makers & crafters from Amherst, MA and the surrounding area. Our market offers a variety of arts of different mediums, sculpture, pottery, clay jewelry, fine jewelry, greeting cards, assorted gifts, toys, books, candles, holiday décor, gifts for pets, soaps, pottery, clothing & wearables, and more. So skip the mall and come shop small! Featuring Smores roasting, magic show, jazz piano, and caricatures. For more info and reservations.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 2: WESLEY’S ANNUAL FALL FAIR. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wesley United Methodist Church, 98 North Maple Street, Hadley. Shop for the holidays and stay for lunch. Local artisans, handmade quilts, fresh apple pies, silent auction, grandma’s treasures, children’s activities. Elizabeth Vierling will be selling woven goods made by Guatemalan women’s cooperatives using material from backstrap looms. All proceeds go to the makers.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 2: MINDFUL MOVEMENT IN NATURE: LAST CHANCE FOR FALL. 11 a.m. to noon, Kestrel headquarters 37 Bay Road. Come experience the revitalizing benefits of yoga and Qigong with instructor Lynne Nicole Smith. Experience how Lynne seamlessly weaves together the calming essence of yoga with the rejuvenating energy of Qigong. The mind-body practice promotes well-being and can help relieve physical, mental, and emotional tension. Sliding scale. Register.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 2: SONG AND STORY SWAP WITH BLACK DOOR 74. 7 to 9 p.m., First Church, 165 Main Street. The monthly Song & Story Swap, now in its twenty-seventh year, is sponsored by the Pioneer Valley Folklore Society of western Massachusetts. Visit the Folklore Society website at https://pvfs.us.Guest performers for the November 2 Song & Story Swap will be the musical ensemble Black Door 74. Black Door 74 is Afrostotle, Frost E. Beatz, & Rigo. They met while working together in upstate New York and bonded over their shared passions for sound, rhythm and meaningful music. Each member brings a mashup of musical influences to the band’s aesthetic. The result is a unique musical journey. Come enjoy it. Attendees will be invited to contribute a song or story on the topic of Political Engagement during an opening round of sharing. Donations accepted. Parking available behind the church.
MONDAY NOVEMBER 4: THE ACADEMIC LABOR MOVEMENT NOW: UMASS FEINBERG SERIES. 6 p.m. on Zoom. Panel discussion with Joe Berry, Union Organizer and Historian, and Diana Vallera, Adjunct Professor of Photography, Columbia College, Chicago. In recent decades campuses have relied more and more on contingent instructors and graduate workers who have little job security and often receive poverty wages. As the percentage of tenure-track faculty has plummeted, the number of highly paid administrators has expanded by leaps and bounds. Who and what has driven these shifts? What are the consequences? And how have instructors, students, and community supporters organized to improve labor and learning conditions? Historian and longtime adjunct Joe Berry will explore these questions alongside adjunct and organizer Diana Vallera, who recently led a successful 49-day adjunct strike at Columbia College in Chicago. Register.
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 5: SWEET COUNTRYMEN—JUDGE TENDERLY OF ME: COMMUNITY POETRY HOUR. 3 p.m. on Zoom. Take a mid-day break from the uncertainties of election day for an hour of poetry. Consider, through the poetry of Emily Dickinson and other, themes of discord and unity, the known and unknown, places of refuge and moments of hope for the future. All are welcome to hear the poetry reading and to sign up to read a poem of their choice. Sponsored by the Emily Dickinson Museum Free. Register.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 7: UMASS SOLO AND CHAMBER CONCERT. 7 to 8 p.m., Woodbury Room, Jones Library, 43 Amity Street. Enjoy an evening of live music performed by musicians from the University of Massachusetts. Pieces and performers will be announced at the performance.
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NOVEMBER 8-10: VALLEY LIGHT OPERA PRESENTS THE MCADO. 7:30 on November 8, 2 p.m. on November 9 and 10, Academy of Music, 274 Main Street, Northampton. See Gilbert & Sullivan as you’ve never seen it before. Set in the Highlands of Scotland, the McAdo tells the story of a wandering minstrel and his dainty maiden, a tailor who became the Lord High Executioner, and the McAdo who leads them all. Preshow talk by Amherst resident Michael Greenebaum, a founding member of VLO at 1 p.m. prior to all matinees. Tickets.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 10: DIWALI CELEBRATION. 4 to 7 p.m., Wesley United Methodist Church, 98 North Maple Street, Hadley. The Pioneer Valley Indian Association invites all to join a celebration of the South Asian festival of Diwali, the festival of lights, on November 10, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm for cultural performances and dinner.
MONDAY NOVEMBER 11: ANNUAL SALUTE TO VETERANS BREAKFAST. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Join the Central Hampshire Veteran Services for their Annual Salute to Veterans Breakfast on Monday, November 11 at 9:00 am! Breakfast will be at 9:00 am at the Bangs Community Center followed by a Ceremony at 11:00 am on the North Common in front of Town Hall. Special Guest: Courtney Bennet, MA, ATR, LPC – Creative Arts Therapy – VA Central Western MA FREE for All Veterans $15 donation for accompanying guests. Advanced Tickets ONLY Tickets available at Amherst Town Hall Service Counter & Amherst Senior Center. No tickets will be sold at the door. For more information please contact: Central Hampshire Veteran Services at 413-587-1299 Amherst Senior Center 413-259-3060
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13: COVID 19 AND FLU VACCINE CLINIC: 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Bangs Center Room 101, 70 Boltwood Walk. The town will be offering COVID and flu vaccines this fall. Two clinics are being organized in collaboration with the Northampton Department of Health and Human Services through the regional Public Health Excellence grant. Pfizer COVID vaccines and regular and high dose flu vaccines will be offered and are available to all Massachusetts residents ages six months and over. Registration is highly recommended. For more information, call 413-259-3077.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13: SARAH TOWLE BOOK READING. 7 p.m., Amherst Books, 8 Main Street. Immigration justice activist Sarah Towle will be reading from her book, Crossing the Line. Part memoir and part historical analysis, this book profiles the relentless efforts of people in border communities to help asylum-seekers. It also provides historical context and gets up close and personal with the heart-breaking and terrifying reasons that people are fleeing their homes in order to seek safety in the United States. Reading with Sarah will be Jewish Activist for Immigration Justice member D. Dina Friedman, whose books, Immigrants, and Here in Sanctuary—Whirling draw from her experience as an activist at the border, at a children’s detention center in Homestead, and here in Amherst; as well as from her ancestral stories of Jewish heritage. More details on the reading are on our Facebook event page here. Sarah will also be giving several other presentations in the area as part of her book tour, including an event at the Edwards Church in Northampton on November 12th.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13: WHOSE HOME IS THIS? OBSERVATION OF WILDLIFE AS KIN. 7 to 8:15 p.m., Room 107, Beneski Museum, Amherst College. Several Amherst College students, under the mentorship of Professor Lisa Brooks have explored the wildlife who live among us using trail cameras installed at Bright Water Bog, Kestrel’s newest nature retreat, and at the Amherst College Wildlife Sanctuary. The students will present their findings from their keystone kin class. Sponsored by the Kestrel Trust. Sliding scale admission. Register.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 14: ANNUAL AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AWARDS DINNER. 5 to 8 p.m., Student Union Ballroom, 41 Campus Way, UMass. Celebrating excellence, impact and legacy! Each year, the Amherst Area Chamber bestows A+ Awards to individuals and organizations that enrich the life of the community through their work in business, education, and civic engagement across the area that the Chamber serves: Amherst, Belchertown, Hadley, Leverett, Pelham, Shutesbury, and Sunderland. The Annual A+ Awards Celebration will be held on Thursday, November 14 in the Student Union Ballroom at the University of Massachusetts. Tickets $90 or $700 for a table of 8.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 14: ANGELIQUE KIDJO. 8 p.m., Frederick Tillis Performance Hall, Fine Arts Center, UMass. Genre defining. Era defining. Legendary. Choose your superlative. Angélique Kidjo embodies them all. Her magnetic stage presence, expressive, crystalline vocals, and infectious songs have kept music fans across the globe rapt for more than 35 years. The Beninois-French singer-songwriter burst out of Paris and onto the international stage via her 1989 album Parakou, and rose to world music superstardom two years later with the Billboard World Albums chart-topping Logozo. She has continued over the decades that followed to stand among the most revered artists in world music, winning new fans along the way with astounding live performances and fifteen remarkable studio albums, including a critically acclaimed 2018 song-by-song reimagining of the Talking Heads’ landmark Remain In Light, and her most recent release, 2021’s award-winning Mother Nature. Tickets $35-$75. Students $15 -20.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 16: FULL MOON HIKE. 3 to 8:30 p.m., Kestrel Headquarters, 37 Bay Road. Hiking at night can change your perspectives of what it means to spend time outdoors, but it can be daunting to try it on your own. This guided group hike, in partnership with Adventure East, will begin at Sweet Alice Conservation Area. We’ll climb for about an hour and a half before arriving at the top of Norwottock. Once there, we will stop and watch the moon rise over the Pelham Hills and enjoy a snack provided. $40, $32 for Kestrel members. Register.
MONDAY NOVEMBER 18: WHAT ARE THE HUMANITIES FOR? UMASS FEINBERG SERIES. 4 p.m. on Zoom. With Christopher Newfield, Director of Research at the Independent Social Research Foundation. Public disappointment with universities has reached epidemic proportions: the tuition is too damn high, the student debt is unjust and unaffordable, the job outcomes are unreliable and unliberating. In the Feinberg Series fall capstone, Christopher Newfield, a distinguished scholar who has written extensively on the history of universities, argues that addressing these problems requires a wholesale redefinition of higher education around intellectual and social benefits rather than monetary ones. The talk will identify the role the humanities disciplines play in realizing these benefits, lifting up literary study as a field that has done exemplary work in generating radical thought with great, though misunderstood, public value. Register.
MONDAY NOVEMBER 18: JEWISH ACTIVISTS FOR IMMIGRATION JUSTICE ELECTION DISCUSSION
7 p.m. on Zoom. JAIJ will hold an open meeting on Zoom to discuss the aftermath of the election and the steps we can take from there to build a robust response to the anti-immigration policy proposals that are coming from both sides of the aisle. This is a chance to network with other organizations and get involved in supporting immigrants both locally and nationally. Regardless of who wins, we will urgently need strategies for changing the narrative from the current view of immigrants and asylum-seekers as unwanted invaders to one that sees their humanity and makes policy based on justice and compassion. We hope that both individuals and organizations interested in various issues of social justice will join us for this important conversation. You can register for this event here.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 20: BOOK DISCUSSION: ARE YOU A “BEAVER BELIEVER”? 6:30 to 8 p.m., Kestrel Headquarters, 37 Bay Road. Looking for your next good read? Eager: The Surprising Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb, got rave reviews. Eager is a powerful story about how one of the world’s most influential species can help us fight drought, flooding, wildfire, extinction, and climate change. Join us for a talk on November 20. There might be a special virtual appearance by the author as well. Sliding scale. Register.
ONGOING AND MULTI-DAY EVENTS
EVERY MONDAY EXCEPT HOLIDAYS: AUTOHARP WORKSHOPS. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Senior Center, Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Join Marie Hartwell-Walker and autoharp players throughout the country who participate on Zoom. Participants on Zoom also welcome.
FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: COUNCIL ON AGING SENIOR LUNCH. Noon. Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk.
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 : 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.
EVERY WEDNESDAY: WEEKLY WEDNESDAY MARKET. 10 to 11:30 a.m., Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Since its launch in May 2024, the Wednesday Market has served over 700 community members. The Market is open to all, and there’s no registration and no questions asked. Just come and enjoy. We distribute fresh produce, dairy, prepared food, and delicious treats.
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 : 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. Our 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 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: IRISH MUSIC SESSION. White Lion Brewery. 24 North Pleasant Street. 4 p.m – 7 p.m.
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.
THURSDAYS OCTOBER 31 THROUGH DECEMBER 5: STOLEN BEAM SERIES. 7:30 to 8:50 p.m. on Zoom. Would you welcome a place to learn why some people are talking about reparations for African-Americans? A 5-session class will take place this fall, called The Stolen Beam Series. This educational series was developed by members of the Reparations Committee of the Jewish Community of Amherst and will be facilitated by members of that committee.The class will meet via Zoom for five Thursdays this fall (October 31, November 7, 14, 21, and December 5) from 7:30 – 8:50 pm. This course requires reading, viewing, active participation, and a commitment to show up for each session. Registration is now open, and closes on October 22. Learn more and register.
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.
SATURDAYS UNTIL OCTOBER 2024: CAMBODIANS IN AMERICA. Exhibit 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Amherst History Museum, 47 Amity Street. Cambodians in Amherst exhibit: a history of the Khmer community. Telling the 45-year history of Cambodians in Amherst through oral histories, photos, art, and archived footage. On exhibit until October 2024. Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or any other day by appointment.
EVERY SATURDAY UNTIL NOVEMBER: AMHERST FARMERS’ MARKET. 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Amherst Town Common. Widely known as one of the best places for local food, fun, and community. Offering farm to table produce and selections from your local growers and valley producers. Come out for food, music, events, and community offerings in downtown Amherst.
NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 3: METAFICTION IN ART. Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 West Bay Road. The art in this exhibition contains an extraordinary sense of playfulness and surprise. It comes from metafictive books: those that tell stories about stories and about the art of storytelling itself. Artists experiment with styles, typography, and page design to delightfully disrupt the rules of how books usually work. Guests can enjoy work by 29 artists in a variety of media. They can read books and “remix” story titles on a magnetic bookshelf. Gallery graphics add a sense of surrealism. Open Wednesday through Sunday.