What’s Happening in Amherst?
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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)
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15: CHILDREN’S SONG AND SINGING GAMES WITH ROGER TINCKNELL. 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Woodbury Room, Jones Library, 43 Amity Street. Join local musician Roger Tincknell for an interactive performance. Children’s Songs and Singing Games includes a variety of traditional and contemporary music from around the world, and original children’s songs designed to stimulate the imagination and inspire singing, clapping, moving and dancing. Children are encouraged to imitate animals, take imaginary journeys, create song lyrics and learn words in Spanish and other languages through call and response singing. Quiet songs and lullabies interspersed with high energy movement songs and sing-alongs hold the attention of children of all ages. Supported in part by the Amherst Cultural Council.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15: “MOVE WHEN THE SPIRIT SAYS MOVE: THE LEGACY OF DOROTHY FOREMAN COTTON. 2:30 to 4 p.m., Jones Library, 43 Amity Street. Join us for a screening of this 2023 documentary, and learn more about Dorothy Foreman Cotton. She was a bold and highly effective civil rights leader, who educated thousands about their citizenship rights and inspired generations of activists with her powerful freedom songs. The only woman on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s executive staff, Dorothy was a charismatic, courageous and consistently overlooked key player in the Civil Rights Movement, whose freedom schools, freedom songs and messages of empowerment are profoundly needed today.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15: 2ND ANNUAL WINTERFEST GAMES. 1 to 4 p.m., Mill River Recreation area, 95 Montague Road. Bring the whole family to the 2nd Annual WinterFest Games! Enjoy a fun-filled afternoon with friendly competition, including snowball fights, street hockey with Amherst-Pelham Regional High School Boys Hockey Team, and a Frosty Fun Carnival. Cheer on the return of the exciting Atkins Farms Cider Donut Eating Contest. There’s something for everyone, no matter the weather. This event is organized by Amherst Recreation and sponsored by Amherst Innovative Living and The Mill District General Store & Local Art Gallery.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15: ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL HONOR BAND CONCERT. 7 p.m., Tillis Performance Hall, UMass. The UMass Amherst Department of Music and Dance will host hundreds of talented high school musicians from over 70 schools on Saturday, February 15 for the 39th Annual High School Honor Band. This annual program provides hundreds of New England’s finest wind and percussion students the opportunity to rehearse and perform wind band literature of the highest caliber while learning from UMass faculty and world-renowned guest conductors or composers. Free and open to the public.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15: OH HE DEAD, WITH VIRG. 8 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Washington DC’s Oh He Dead brings their funky, poppy rock vibes wherever they go. Led by CJ Bowlin’ Johnson and her golden pipes, the five-piece group includes lead guitarist Alex Salser, John Daise on the bass, Adam Ashforth on drums, and VIRG on the keys. Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door.
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 18: HOUSING PRODUCTION PLAN: SCENARIO WORKSHOP. 4 to 6 p.m., Town Room, Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Avenue. Are you passionate about ensuring all residents have pathways to affordable and secure housing in Amherst? Join us at this event to help Amherst plan for future housing scenarios! Hosted by UMass affiliates in partnership with the Town of Amherst and Barrett Planning Group, this imaginative workshop will involve scenario planning exercises and discussion. Pizza, snacks, and drinks will be provided. There will also be coloring activities and interactive materials for children. RSVP’s appreciated.
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 18: UNDERSTANDING ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA. 6:30 p.m., Woodbury Room, Jones Library, 43 Amity Street. Join us for a presentation on Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Learn about the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, the early warning signs of dementia, risk factors, the importance of early detection, new treatment options, and local resources. Presented by the Alzheimer’s Association. Meghan Lemay, M.S. is the Regional Manager for the Western Mass office of the Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20: WHAT IS HOSPICE? 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Zoom. What kind of care occurs during hospice? For whom is hospice a meaningful choice? What are different types of hospice programs? What makes Hospice of the Fisher Home unique? End of life decisions are difficult to think about, but inevitably we must make important choices which can ease our final transition. Staff of the Fisher Home will present an overview of hospice and what this end-of-life option entails. There will be time for questions. Sponsored by Amherst Neighbors. No registration required. Zoom link.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20: MARCO BENEVENTO SOLO. 8 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Over the course of seven studio albums and countless shows around the world, keyboardist Marco Benevento has amassed a devoted fanbase. Benevento combines genre-blind mashup of indie rock, jazz, and improvisation. Tickets $25 in advance, $30 at the door.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 21: REBIRTH JAZZ BAND. 8 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Founded by brothers Phil and Keith Frazier over 35 years ago, Rebirth began their career playing on the sidewalks of the French Quarter and quickly landed gigs at second line parades. The band’s unique “soundtrack of New Orleans” has also garnered admiration from artists of all genres. Tickets $30 in advance, $35 at the door.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22: FIFTH ANNUAL FIRE AND ICE FESTIVAL AND LUMINARIA. 3 to 7 p.m., Town Common. Don’t miss the grand finale of WinterFest! The Fire & Ice Festival is the culminating event of WinterFest and a highlight of the winter season, transforming the Town Common into a magical winter wonderland. Enjoy mesmerizing ice sculptures, live entertainment, hot coca and s’mores over fire pits, and a breathtaking luminaria display. Activities also include an Amherst Fire Truck to explore, Sparky the Fire Dog to take photos with, MATICA Circus fire performers, metal sculpture demonstration by Kamil Peters, wood carving demonstration by Cody Stosz of Kodiak Carving, crafts, and so much more. This event is organized by Amherst Recreation and the Amherst Business Improvement District made possible by the generosity of many local businesses and community partners including presenting sponsor Amherst College, and supported by Summerlin Floors, Encharter Insurance, Amherst Innovative Living, and more!
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 25: BOOK DISCUSSION OF ERASURE. 7 p.m., Jones Library, 43 Amity Street. Join Professor Jimmy Worthy from UMass-Amherst and Jones Library staff member Linda Wentworth for an in-depth discussion of the selected title for this year’s Jones Library’s “on The Same Page” commuity read program. Jimmy Worthy is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 27: ANNUAL HEARING ON THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUDGET. 6:30 p.m., Amherst Regional High School Library (side entrance) 21 Mattoon Street, and on Zoom. A public forum on the FY26 budget for the Amherst elementary schools. Members of the public may join in person or virtually.
Agenda and virtual link.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28: AUTHOR EVENT: ON THE SAME PAGE WITH PERCIVAL EVERETT. 5 p.m., Johnson Chapel, Amherst College. Join us for The Making of American Fiction, featuring actor Jeffrey Wright ’87, author Percival Everett, and writer/director Cord Jefferson in conversation with Amherst College President Michael A. Elliott, with remarks by Jennifer Acker ’00. Percival Everett is a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern California. He is the author, most recently, of James, winner of the National Book Award in 2024. Other books include Dr. No (finalist for the NBCC Award for Fiction and winner of the PEN/ Jean Stein Book Award), The Trees (finalist for the Booker Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction), Telephone (finalist for the Pulitzer Prize), So Much Blue, and I Am Not Sidney Poitier. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, the writer Danzy Senna, and their children. This is a ticketed event. Registration is required for this event due to limited seating. Please register as soon as possible to reserve your spot for this event and to request tickets (free of charge). Note: the event is now full but registration will put you on the wait list. REGISTER HERE.
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.
TUESDAYS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY: AMHERST NEIGHBORS LUNCH IN TOWN. 12 to 1 p.m., Community Room, Amherst Police Station, 111 Main Street. The Lunch in Town series continues in January and February. A mixture of regulars and newcomers show up every week. Come join with a bagged lunch. There will be no gathering on January 28. 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.
SECOND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH: ARTIST SOCIAL AND CRITIQUE. 6 to 8 p.m., Local Art Gallery, Mill District, 91 Cowls Road. All local artists, both beginners and established, are invited to attend our Artist Social and Critique that meets every 2nd Thursday of the month in The Local Art Gallery from 6-8pm. Help us create a safe space for a supportive and constructive artistic feedback while expanding your connections to other artists. Artist social time from 6 to 6:30 p.m., Artist critique from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Share digital images by emailing to gallery@cowls.com in advance. For information, contact Shannon Borrell at gallery@cowls.com or 413-835-0966.
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.
EVERY WEDNESDAY: BEGINNER BIRDING. 9:00-9:30 a.m. Notch Visitor Center, 1500 West Street. For ages 12 and up. An easy, level, 1/4-mile guided hike to discover more about birds: their behaviors, needs, habitats and significance. Listen, observe, sketch, photo or journal. Free
LAST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH (EXCLUDING JULY AND JANUARY): 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.
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. The Amherst Public House, 40 University Drive. 4-7 p.m. Fiddle, Flute, Tin Whistle, Guitar, Mandolin, Bouzouki and more. Jigs, Reels,Hornpipes, Polkas, Slides, and Waltz’ from around the Celtic world.
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.
SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS: LIVE JAZZ AND GOOD EATS AT THE BLACK SHEEP. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Black Sheep Deli, 79 Main Street. Frist and third Saturdays: Masala Jazz, Second, Fourth and Fifth Saturdays: Simmer Music Presents, Sundays: the Catalytics. Tip Jar.
SECOND AND FOURTH SATURDAYS JANUARY THROUGH MARCH: WINTER FARMERS’ MARKET. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Bangs Community Center., 70 Boltwood Walk. The Amherst Farmers’ Market is excited to announce the launch of its Winter Market at the Bangs Community Center, right in downtown Amherst. The Winter Market will run from 10 am to 2 pm every Saturday in December and on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of January, February, and March. This new venue offers a spacious and familiar environment for local farmers, artisans, and crafters to showcase their goods to the community.
NOW THROUGH TUESDAY FEBRUARY 25: RESISTANT RHYTHMS: THE GRAPHIC WORKS OF ALEXIS KUHR. Herter Gallery, UMass. The posthumous retrospective of the work of the former chair of the UMass art department, curated by her colleague Young Min Moon, will run Jan. 30-Feb. 25, with an opening reception scheduled for Jan. 30 and a curator’s talk set for Feb. 12.
NOW THROUGH SATURDAY MARCH 1 – NEW WORK BY DANIEL FELDMAN AT GALLERY A3. Depth be Depth, a new exhibit by Daniel Feldman will open at Gallery A3 on Thursday February 6 and continue through March 1. Feldman passed away unexpectedly on November 21, 2024. He had finished all the work for this exhibition before he died and was eagerly looking ahead to February to share it in his first exhibit at Gallery A3. Most of Feldman’s works from the past decade are composed as diptychs, or visual “segments,” as he referred to them. Each segment has a foundation in photographic images that he shot as raw material, and he used Photoshop as the medium to dramatically transform and layer that photographic information. He felt that his digital tools in many ways transcended the freedom that oil painting had given him over two decades before. Gallery Hours and More information
NOW THROUGH FRIDAY MARCH 7: UNFOLDING CONVENTION BY JASON WOLFE. Augusta Savage Gallery, UMass. Born in Queens in 1979, Wolfe currently lives and works in western Massachusetts. His exhibit of “bold, abstract paintings created by unfolding the conventional form into the unknown,” will run through March 7. Opening reception, Friday, February 7, 5 to 7 p.m. Information.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13 THROUGH SUNDAY MARCH 16: “TU DAU, WHEREFROM” BY XUAN PHAM. Hampshire College Art Gallery. Born in Ho Chi Minh City, interdisciplinary artist Xuan Pham emigrated to Omaha, Nebraska at the age of seven. Her artistic practice is shaped by a legacy of way and her experiences as an immigrant. Working with layers and grids, Pham traces the interconnections of trauma, migration, and race with Asian American and. Immigrant communities. Her art explores how the political and psychological dimensions of grief influence racial identity formation in the United States. Information.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13 THROUGH FRIDAY MAY 9: IS ANYTHING THE MATTER? DRAWINGS BY LAYLAH ALI AND HIGH FIVE/TAKE FIVE. UMass Museum of Contemporary Art. “Is anything the matter?” includes more than one hundred drawings by Ali dating from 1993 to 2020. Though the drawings range in format – including ink, colored pencil, soluble crayon, colored marker and mixed media works – each piece explores Ali’s ongoing interest in the amalgam of race, power, gendering, human frailty and murky politics. High Five / Take Five” is an interactive exhibition featuring five art works from the museum’s permanent collection. Each piece will be accompanied by a prompt that asks participants to engage their senses, look closely and respond to the artworks through drawing, listening and writing. Gallery Talk: Wednesday, February 19, 4 to 5 p.m. More information.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15 THROUGH SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22: WINTERFEST Get Ready for Winter Fun! WinterFest Amherst 2025 is Coming! Mark your calendars! The magical Amherst WinterFest returns from February 15th to 22nd, 2025. This week-long celebration promises a variety of exciting events for people of all ages, making Amherst the place to be during the winter season.
WinterFest Highlights:
• Kick-off with the 2nd Annual WinterFest Games at Mill River Recreation Area.
• Grand Finale: Witness the dazzling spectacle of Fire and Ice and Luminaria on the Town Common.
• Enjoy a variety of FREE events happening daily throughout Amherst, both downtown and throughout town. A full listing of events can be found here.
MONDAY FEBRUARY 17 THROUGH WEDNESDAY APRIL 30: MULTIVERSE: AN EXHIBIT FEATURING MULTIPLE ARTISTS. Hampden Gallery, UMass. curated by D. Dominick Lombardi, from Feb. 17-April 30. “Multiverse” focuses on the recognition, conscious or subconscious, and interpretation of the concept of the multiverse in contemporary visual art. Showcasing digital art from Europe and the Americas juxtaposed with analog works by artists from the northeastern U.S., Lombardi gives visitors the opportunity to see and discuss previously unimagined possibilities. A reception and curator’s talk with Lombardi is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. on Friday April 4. Information.
SATURDAY MARCH 1 THROUGH SATURDAY APRIL 5: YOUTH ENTREPRENEURIAL WORKSHOP. 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. for five Saturdays, Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. For grades 6-12. The DEI Department, in association with the Black Business Association of Amherst Area, is excited to announce their first program: A Youth Entrepreneurial Workshop! Young people in grades 6-12 are encouraged to join us for this free five-week program where they will learn the skills needed to develop a business and actively create and sell their own products, getting hands on experience in the process. Materials and snacks will be provided. Sign up here and we will be in touch by mid-February with an additional details. If you have questions, you can email Philip Avila at avilap@amherstma.gov.
THURSDAY MARCH 27 THROUGH FRIDAY MAY 9: (OFF) BALANCE: ART IN THE ATE OF HUMAN IMPACT. UMass Museum of Contemporary Art. The Graduate Curatorial Exhibition, co-curated by Adeyemi Adebayo, M.F.A. studio arts candidate, Eva Barajas, M.A. art education candidate, and Bo Kim, M.F.A. studio arts candidate, invites viewers to explore the intricate ways we interact with, interpret and shape our environment and challenges audiences to reflect on themes of transformation, human intervention and the tension between destruction and conservation. Opening reception Wednesday, March 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. Information.