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 (more or less)

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.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 9: TOWN TREE PLANTING AND CARE.  9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Station Road, just west of the rail trail crossing. Do you know that we have a town tree nursery?  It’s true! It’s on Station Road just west of the rail trail crossing. We have 30 trees planted there and are going to add more plus give some TLC to the ones already growing. Join us this Saturday, November 9, 9-12. Bring your friends, and a shovel if you have one.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 9: HARVEST FEST IN AMHERST. 12 to 3 p.m., Amherst Town Common. Join the 2024 Harvest Fest for a day of health, culture, and fun! This event is designed to reach Native and Indigenous populations in the Amherst area but no one who comes to seek services will be turned away. Many partners have collaborated to make this event possible, offering flu and COVID vaccines, cultural activities, fall festival games, food, and swag – all for FREE. A dental hygienist will also be on-site for screenings so arrive early to get on the list. Indigenous students (Pre-K through college) who receive a dental screening or vaccine will qualify for a free backpack.  Sponsored by Native American LifeLines of Boston, Ohketeau, Town of Amherst Public Health Department, UMass Amherst School of Public Health. Free and open to all. Rain location: Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 10: NEPM KIDS PRESENTS CARL AT THE CARLE. 12 to 5 p.m., Eric Carle Museum of the Picture Book, 125 West Bay Road. NEPM Kids and The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art celebrate the premiere of the new PBS KIDS animated series, Carl the Collector, with a free day of screenings, activities, and giveaways for families. Screenings of two full episodes of the show will be offered throughout the day in both Spanish and English. Carl the Collector follows Carl, a warm-hearted raccoon who loves collecting things. The show breaks new ground as the first PBS KIDS series to feature central characters on the autism spectrum. Schedule of events here. Free admission to the museum.

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

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 12: AMERICAN JEWISH KEYWORDS. 10 a.m., Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Taught by Senior Lecturer in American Studies Wendy Bergoffen, this course emphasizes the role that community has in our identities, particularly for the nearly three-quarters of Jewish Americans who say that being part of the Jewish community is important to them. The course has four keywords: generations, service, community, and place. Students enrolled in this course will be invited to the Senior Center twice to meet with older adults and hear their perspectives on what makes a vibrant community and what life was like for them growing up. All are welcome.

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: PUBLIC FORUM ON THE FY26 BUDGET. 6:30 p.m., Town Room, Town Hall or on Zoom. Public Forum on the Town Budget – Charter Sec. 5.3. Residents are welcome to express their views for up to 3 minutes, at the discretion of the Town Council President, based upon the number of people who wish to speak. The Council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on a matter raised during Public Comment. This precedes the regular council meeting.

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.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21: ELECTION RESULT PROCESSING SUPPORT. 6 to 8 p.m., Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Coinciding with the Becoming a Beloved Community event,  the DEI Department and CRESS will be holding a separate space for community members to process the election results with one another also in the Bangs Community Center in Room 101. Facilitated by Camille Theriaque, Director of the Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service (CRESS), this discussion is meant to bring community together and support a path forward. 

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21: BECOMING A BELOVED COMMUNITY: NAVIGATING DIFFERENCES. 6 to 8 p.m., Large Activity Room, Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Join a community discussion hosted by The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office as we discuss Navigating differences. Registration strongly encouraged.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 23: ROADTOWN TURKEY TROT 5K RUN AND WALK. 9 a.m., Shutesbury Elementary School, West Pelham Road. This is a fundraiser to support the new Shutesbury Library. The countdown is on for the 2nd Annual Roadtown Turkey Trot and we couldn’t be more excited to bring back the joy, community spirit, and fun that made last year’s event such a memorable day. Join us on Saturday, November 23rd, at 9 am at Shutesbury Elementary School for this lively event open to runners and walkers. Whether you’re looking to beat last year’s time or simply enjoy a crisp fall morning with friends, this race is for you! Register now at roadtown.org for $35 until November 22nd. Day-of-race registration will be available for $40. A Children’s Fun Run around the track at Shutesbury Elementary School will begin at 9:30 am, with registration just $15. All proceeds from the race will help furnish and equip the new Shutesbury Public Library, which is already under construction. 

FRIDAY DECEMBER 6: SENIOR CENTER DECK THE HALLS PARTY. 1 to 3 p.m., Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Join us as we deck the halls and make merry! Cozy up by the virtual fire and enjoy refreshments, music, and mirth.

^{THURSDAY DECEMBER 12: SENIOR CENTER FIELD TRIP TO THE ERIC CARLE MUSEUM.  10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (lunch included), Eric Carle Museum, 125 West Bay Road.. Join us for an intergenerational field trip to see the new exhibit: Free to Be… You and Me: 50 Years of Stories and Songs. Registration is required ends Tuesday, December 3rd. Call (413) 259-3060 to sign up. If you require transportation, let us know.}

FRIDAY DECEMBER 20: SENIOR CENTER COOKIE SWAP. 1 p.m., Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Have a favorite cookie or recipe you’re proud of? Show it off at the cookie swap. Hang out while you sample a few or take some to go to enjoy later. Please bake at least two dozen cookies so there are enough to share. Label cookies that contain nuts, gluten, or other allergens. Store bought cookies are fine too.

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.

EVERY TUESDAY FROM NOVEMBER 12 THROUGH DECEMBER 31: LUNCH IN TOWN WITH AMHERST NEIGHBORS. 12 to 1:30 p.m., Police Station Community Room, 111 Main Street. Meet other Amherst Neighbors members in person for general camaraderie and discussion. Bring your own lunch. Canceled if the town closes for weather.

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.

EVERY SATURDAY UNTIL NOVEMBER 23: 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 UNTIL FRIDAY DECEMBER 13: CLAUS FOR A CAUSE. Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. For the second year in a row, the Amherst Council on Aging is sponsoring Claus for a Cause to bring cheer to older adults who need a pick me up around the holidays, whether they’re homebound, have recently felt a loss, have no family in the area, etc. The Senior Center is collecting donations of puzzle books, hard candies, low-sugar hard candies, tea, hot chocolate, lotion, lip balm, warm clothing, self-care items, etc. that will be used to fill gift bags for seniors. These bags will be delivered beginning Wednesday, December 18. Donations can be brought to the Bangs Community Center until 3 p.m. on Friday, December 13. If you are interested in volunteering to deliver bags, please call Julia MacFadzen at 413-259-3038. Have a friend or neighbor you’d like to nominate? Call Lucas Schildbach at 413-259-3062