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)
SATURDAY APRIL 12: TESLA TAKEDOWN! STAND OUT AT THE HADLEY TESLA SUPERCHARGING STATION, 12 pm—2 pm. Public Sidewalks are adjacent to the Pride Gas Station at 25 Russell Street, Hadley. Parking is at Hadley Crossing Office Park, 2 Bay Road.
RESCHEDULED – NOW SATURDAY APRIL 19: SHADE TREE PLANTING. 9 a.m. to noon, Town Common. If you’re at risk of news overload, if you’re doom-scrolling on your phone, if you just haven’t gotten outside enough, we have the answer. That first slice of the shovel through spring soil can be magical – no, really. And then, once you’ve placed a tree in the hole, you can’t help but think about what it will look like in 20 years. That’s just good for the brain.
SATURDAY APRIL 12: CELEBRATE EQUALITY DAY. 3 to 4:30 p.m., Lower level of WEB DuBois Library, UMass. Celebrate the 134th anniversary of Dr. B.R.Ambedkar. Join us in honoring the remarkable logistics of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and W.E.B. DuBois, two pioneering intellectuals and social justice advocates who fought for equality, human rights, and democracy across the world. Guest speakers and discussion, featuring Shahir Samghaji Bhagat, renowned Indian folk poet, singer, playwright, and activist. Contact us @BostonStudyGroup.org.
SATURDAY APRIL 12: DOWNTOWN DESSERT CRAWL. 3 to 6 p.m., Purchase tickets and pick up wrist bands at the Visitors Center, 35 South Pleasant Street. Downtown Amherst is about to get a whole lot sweeter! The Amherst Dessert Crawl is set to take place on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 3:00–6:00 PM, inviting the community to indulge in exclusive dessert samples from local businesses while exploring the town. Attendees will receive a wristband granting access to participating businesses, where they can sample a variety of sweet treats. In addition to dessert tastings, the event will feature a scavenger hunt, allowing participants to complete fun challenges for a chance to win prizes donated by local businesses. Highlights: Dessert Tastings – Sample delicious treats from participating Amherst restaurants, cafés, and bakeries; Scavenger Hunt & Prizes – Complete challenges while enjoying your desserts for a chance to win exciting giveaways; Support Local Businesses – A fun way to explore and support Amherst’s vibrant small business community. $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
SATURDAY APRIL 12: CELEBRATE EQUALITY DAY. 3 to 4:30 p.m., Lower level of WEB DuBois Library, UMass. Celebrate the 134th anniversary of Dr. B.R.Ambedkar. Join us in honoring the remarkable logistics of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and W.E.B. DuBois, two pioneering intellectuals and social justice advocates who fought for equality, human rights, and democracy across the world. Guest speakers and discussion, featuring Shahir Samghaji Bhagat, renowned Indian folk poet, singer, playwright, and activist. Contact us @BostonStudyGroup.org.
MONDAY APRIL 14: “HOW CAN UNIVERSITIES NAVIGATE THE CURRENT MOMENT:” UMASS AMHERST 2025 FREEDMAN LECTURE. 4 p.m., Great Hall of the Old Chapel, UMass. Free Speech activist Robert Shibley and historian Hank Reichman explore the future of higher education and academic freedom in the U.S. Robert Shibley, special counsel for campus advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), and Hank Reichman, former chair of the American Association of University Professors’ (AAUP) Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure, will present the 2025 College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Freedman Lecture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on Monday, April 14 at 4 p.m. in the Great Hall of Old Chapel. The lecture is free and open to the public. Online registration is suggested.
TUEDAY APRIL 15: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AROUND BULLYING: YOUTH EMPOWERMENT TRAINING. 5 to 6:30 p.m., Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk and online. For grades 6-12. The DEI Department is offering our second Youth Empowerment Programing and would love your help spreading the word. The Programing will be a Know Your Rights workshop hosted by Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CfJJ) brought to the community through the DEI and CRESS Departments. Free. Refreshments provided. Register here.
TUESDAY APRIL 15: “THE POD GENERATION:” SCIENCE ON SCREEN AT AMHERST CINEMA. 7 p.m., Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. Directed by Sophie Barthes, 2023. Living in the not-so-distant future, a New York couple takes a wild ride to parenthood after landing a coveted spot at the Womb Center, which offers couples a convenient and shareable pregnancy by way of detachable, artificial wombs. Speaker: Carrie N. Baker, Professor and Chair of the Program for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Smith College. “Pushing the Limits: Ethics, Opportunities and Perils of Reproductive Technologies.” Tickets.
TUESDAY APRIL 15: “GETTING FITTED FOR THE WORK:” HARRIET TUBMAN’S PREPARATION FOR A LIFETIME OF COURAGEOUS ACTION. 5 p.m., Cole Assembly Room, Amherst College. Tiya Miles, the Michael Garvey Professor of History at Harvard University and Radcliffe Alumnae Professor at the Radcliffe Institute, will reconstruct the early life of abolitionist Harriet Tubman, considering how relationships, religious faith, and environmental knowledge prepared her for a lifetime of bold activism and creative community building. The lecture will conclude with lessons that we can draw from Tubman’s life story as we face significant societal challenges today. Event Link/more information
WEDNESDAY APRIL 16: 2025 JAMES BALDWIN LECTURE: THE MEANING OF HONESTY IN ACADEME. 6 p.m., Old Chapel, UMass and on Zoom. In the 2025 James Baldwin Lecture, Steven Salaita, Professor of English and Comparative Literature, American University in Cairo, will draw on his recent memoir, An Honest Living, to explore questions of honesty and dishonesty on campus. Is it possible for a professor to pursue an honest living? What might it look like? Conversely, are there forms of dishonesty that can be considered ethical or necessary amid the predominant cultures of academe? Salaita will consider these questions through analysis of labor, inequality, alienation, and political violence on and off campus. A public Q&A moderated will follow, with books available for purchase from Amherst Books following the event. Closed captions will be available on Zoom and the event will be recorded. (Part of the Feinberg series). Zoom registration.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 16: INAUGURAL RHONDA COBHAM-SANDER LECTURE FEATURING POET AND ESSAYIST HANIF ABDURRAQIB. 7 p.m., Johnson Chapel, Amherst College.The Amherst English department invites you to the inaugural Rhonda Cobham-Sander Lecture featuring poet and essayist Hanif Abdurraqib. In his work as poet and essayist, Hanif Abdurraqib thinks about topics such as culture, memory, and race on a personal and national level. Textually, his work engages deeply with core human emotions – such as
grief, longing, and joy – that often times feel too big and abstract. The event will include followed by a Q&A. You can find more on this event here. Free.
TUESDAY APRIL 15: THE CHAOS BENEATH RETURNS: PUBLIC READING BY U.S. LATINO POETS. 7 p.m., Woodbury Room, Jones Library, 43 Amity Street. Let us continue our exploration of Latino poetry in this evening with the poets! Maria Calima Vera Arias, Magdalena Gómez, and Elias Villanueva Gomez share their works in this event moderated by Dr. Ilan Stavans. This program is presented as part of Latino Poetry: Places We Call Home, a major public humanities initiative taking place across the nation in 2024 and 2025, directed by Library of America and funded with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Emerson Collective.
THURSDAY APRIL 17: FIVE COLLEGES LEARNING IN RETIREMENT: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SELF GROWTH. 4 to 5:30 on Zoom. Please join Amherst Neighbors for an informational program where Dick Stoneberg will present an in-depth overview of an important community source which offers many opportunities for personal growth and development. In this program participants will not only learn about the history of 5CLIR, but also how to join and get a taste for the programs which will be coming up this fall. No registration required. Zoom link.
THURSDAY APRIL 17: PHOSPHORESCENCE CONTEMPORARY POETRY SERIES. 6 p.m. on Zoom. April’s featured poets are Carlene Kucharczyk, Avia Tadmor, and Silvia Bonilla. Emily Dickinson, phosphorescence was a divine spark and the illuminating light behind learning — it was volatile, but transformative in nature. Produced by the Emily Dickinson Museum, the Phosphorescence Contemporary Poetry Series celebrates contemporary creativity that echoes Dickinson’s own revolutionary poetic voice. The Series features established and emerging poets whose work and backgrounds represent the diversity of the flourishing contemporary poetry scene. Join us on a Thursday evening each month to hear from poets around the world as they read their work and discuss what poetry and Dickinson mean to them. Free, but registration required.
THURSDAY APRIL 17: LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF AMHERST JUDY BROOKS SERIES: AMHERST MOBILE MARKET, 7 p.m., online. The Amherst Mobile Market will return to three locations weekly beginning in June: Wednesdays 3 to 6 p.m. in North Amherst, Thursdays 3 to 6 p.m. at Colonial Village, and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at East Hadley Road. The Amherst Mobile Market launched in the summer of 2020 with 12 employees hired from among the residents who participated in the planning process. Throughout the 12-week pilot season, the market sold over 5,000 produce items to over 400 residents who were 33% more likely to be people of color than the population of Amherst overall. 71% of customers had annual household incomes of less than $50,000 and 33% had annual household incomes of less than $15,000. Customers were able to purchase 6-item farm shares for $5 a week, and were able to pay with SNAP, HIP, P-EBT, WIC, or Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons. Over the course of the season, survey respondents’ average score (on a 1 – 10 scale) of how easy it was to get fresh, healthy food increased by 33%. Learn about the Amherst Mobile Market in this program. Register here.
THURSDAY APRIL 17: COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET. 7:30 p.m., Tillis Performance Hall, UMass. “Forging a path for what ballet can be instead of what it historically has been.” — The Guardian. Hailed as a “matchless American dance company” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Complexions Contemporary Ballet transcends dance tradition through a groundbreaking approach to the art. Founded in 1994 by master choreographer Dwight Rhoden and the legendary Desmond Richardson, Complexions’ foremost innovation is to remove boundaries. Complexions was the first American ballet company to actively recruit and prioritize diverse bodies and identities on stage. The company blends methods, styles, and cultures from across the globe. The result is a continually evolving form of dance that reflects the movement of our world — and all its cultures — as an interrelated whole. The program for this performance, which is part of the company’s thirtieth anniversary celebration tour, will center on WOKE, an activist piece created in response to continuing racial violence and discrimination in American society. Tickets start at $30, students $15.
THURSDAY APRIL 17: YASU AND FRIENDS: AMHERST REGIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS ELEMENTARY MUSIC FUNDRAISER. 7 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Featuring ARPS 6th grade band, ARHS student musicians, trombonist Ariel Templeton (ARPS Elementary Band Director), saxophonist Dan Friedman (Pathfinder High School Music Director), and renowned guitarist Peter Trias. Spread the joy of music and make a difference in our community. Together we can ensure that our children continue to have access to the wonderful benefits of music education. Donate here. See full calendar here.
FRIDAY APRIL 18: PEACEFEST: A BENEFIT CONCERT. 8 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. UMass Disability Services is proud to host PeaceFest at the Drake with support from Local Mojo. Featuring a variety of acts from the Amherst area and beyond. This benefit concert will support funding for a center dedicated to providing support, resources, and programming to the campus community around the disabled identity. Featuring performances from Stock Goblin, Skruple, B’Shara, Leadheads, and Eliza Howells. Tickets $12in advance, $15 at the door. . See full calendar here.
SATURDAY APRIL 19: SHADE TREE PLANTING. 9 a.m. to noon, Town Common. If you’re at risk of news overload, if you’re doom-scrolling on your phone, if you just haven’t gotten outside enough, we have the answer. That first slice of the shovel through spring soil can be magical – no, really. And then, once you’ve placed a tree in the hole, you can’t help but think about what it will look like in 20 years. That’s just good for the brain.
SATURDAY APRIL 19: MEET AND GREET WITH LAVENDER THE BUNNY. 11:30 to 2:15, Mill District General Store, 91 Cowls Road. Come to this FREE meet and greet with Lavender and snap photos with your personal devices. There will also be a coloring activity. Let Lavender know you are coming. RSVP here.
TUESDAY APRIL 22: OFFICE HOURS WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE MINDY DOMB. 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Amherst Survival Center, 138 Sunderland Road, State Representative Mindy Domb (D-Amherst) announced her monthly community office hours for April. As she does every month, her office will be at the Amherst Survival Center on Tuesday, April 22, 2022 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. She’ll also be at the Jones Library on Friday, April 25, 2022 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you have a time sensitive matter that needs assistance, Rep. Domb urges you not to wait for office hours. Instead, contact her office at your convenience (413) 335-1362.
THURSDAY APRIL 24: MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO: NO MORE WATER—THE GOSPEL OF JAMES BALDWIN. 8 p.m., Bowker Auditorium, UMass. Meshell Ndegeocello is known as a virtuoso of the electric bass, and as a songwriter and arranger whose work spans multiple genres. She is a thirteen-time Grammy nominee, and three-time Grammy winner. Her first album for the iconic Blue Note label, The Omnichord Real Book (2023), took the first-ever Grammy for Best Alternative Jazz Album. The critically acclaimed Omnichord found Ndegeocello creating at the intersection of jazz, R&B, funk, soul and other genres developed by Black American artists. Ndegocello notched her second consecutive Best Alternative Jazz Album Grammy with her second Blue Note release, 2024’s No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin. A breathtakingly powerful record, No More Water marries Ndegeocello’s expansive vision of jazz with the words and ideas of the writer, orator, philosopher, and civil rights activist. Tickets start at $35. Students $15.
THURSDAY APRIL 24: DINOSAUR JR WITH RHUBARB DUO. 8 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Dinosaur Jr celebrating 30 years of “Without a Sound.” Dinosaur Jr was founded in 1984 and the group emerged among the most highly regarded in alternative rock. J. Mascis’ work continues to inspire a generation of guitar players and songwriters. This show is for 16 years and older. Tickets $45 in advance. See full calendar here.
FRIDAY APRIL 25: ALLISON MILLER: BOOM TIC BOOM. 7:30 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. A lauded drummer who’s mastered a vast array of musical settings and a renowned bandleader/composer in her own right, Allison Miller is always at the heart of the music. Tickets through Amherst College $28 general, $22 seniors, $12 students. See full calendar here.
FRIDAY APRIL 25: OFFICE HOURS WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE MINDY DOMB. 4 to 5 p.m. at the Jones Library, 43 Amity Street. State Representative Mindy Domb (D-Amherst) announced her monthly community office hours for April. As she does every month, her office will also be at the Amherst Survival Center on Tuesday, April 22, 2022 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. If you have a time sensitive matter that needs assistance, Rep. Domb urges you not to wait for office hours. Instead, contact her office at your convenience (413) 335-1362.
SATURDAY APRIL 26: 13TH ANNUAL AMHERST SUSTAINABILITY FESTIVAL. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Town Common. Coinciding with the regularly scheduled Amherst Farmer’s Market, this free and family friendly event brings together local farmers,
environmental vendors, live entertainment, hands-on demonstrations, and much more.
Festival highlights include:Environmental Vendors; Meet and learn from a variety of businesses and organizations dedicated to sustainability and environmental protection including renewable energy vendors, energy efficiency product suppliers, advocacy groups, and sustainable crafts and artisans.Live Entertainment: Enjoy a lineup of local musicians and artists providing dynamic performances throughout the event. Demonstration Area: Participate in hands-on learning experiences with experts in various fields. Activities Around the Common: Attendees can also check out performances by Henry the Juggler, an electric vehicle display with test drives, sustainable crafts, and the Amherst Fire Department’s first hybrid fire truck.
SATURDAY APRIL 26: 14TH ANNUAL UMASS DINING DINE AND DASH 5K. 11 a.m. at the Southwest horseshoe, UMass. Promote health and wellness at UMass Amherst while raising funds for the Amherst Survival Center. Over the past 13 years, UMass Dining has raised over $50,000 for the Amherst Survival Center. The schedule for the April 26 event includes check-in at the Southwest Horseshoe starting at 9 a.m., followed by a free fun run for children 8 years old and younger at 10 a.m. The race itself begins at 11 a.m. followed by an awards ceremony at 11:30 a.m., and lunch in the Berkshire Dining Commons at noon. The race fee is $15 for all Five-College students, $25 for UMass Amherst faculty and staff, and $30 for the general public. Children 8 years old and under are free to participate. The race fee includes registration, and a complimentary meal at the university’s award-winning dining facilities in the Berkshire Dining Commons. Online registration ends April 24.
SATURDAY APRIL 26: MOON HOOCH. 8 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Spring tour 2025. Moon Hooch started in the NYC subway platforms in 2010. They initially met as students at the New School and are currently touring the world. The band plays through what they call a reverse DJ setup, in which the live sound from their horns runs through Ableton software on their laptops to process recorded effects onto the output. The band uses an evolving arsenal of electroacoustic techniques to utterly demolish every possible barrier that could stand between you and the dance floor. Tickets $24 in advance, $27 at the door. See full calendar here.
SUNDAY APRIL 27: 15TH ANNUAL DAFFODIL 5K/10K WALK/RUN FOR BIG BROTHERS/BIG SISTERS OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. 10 a.m., Town Common. This community event has become the first marker of spring for the town of Amherst and draws hundreds ofcommunity members to the area to participate and cheer on their family and friends. Look forward to 5K Run/Walk & 10K Run post-race party with delicious food, and family-friendly fun. The Daffodil Run helps sustain the power of youth mentoring through Big Brothers Big Sisters by connecting adult mentors with young people in our community. Once matched they go on to build a meaningful, positive relationship that empowers the potential inherent in each child. Register.
SUNDAY APRIL 27: ARBOR DAY TREE IDENTIFICATION WALK. 4 to 5 p.m., Wildwood Cemetery, 70 Strong Street. Join us on Sunday, April 27 from 4 to 5 pm at Wildwood Cemetery for the Arbor Day tree identification walk with Dan Ziomek from Sugarloaf Gardens.
SUNDAY APRIL 27: CHAMBER AT THE DRAKE: QUARTETTO MOSSO. 4 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Quartetto Mosso is a new Springfield chamber players ensemble, which made its premiere in the Berkshires last winter. Tickets $17.85 in advance. See full calendar here.
TUESDAY APRIL 29: BENEFIT FOR A BETTER CHANCE (ABC) IN AMHERST: GOSPEL CHOIR CONCERT. 7:30 p.m., Grace Episcopal Church, 14 Boltwood Avenue. A Gospel Choir Concert featuring: The Amherst Area Gospel Choir, Amherst Regional High School Hurricane Singers, UMass Gospel Choir. Before the concert: Please gather with other ABC community friends and meet the ABC scholars at a Welcome Reception. Join us for light refreshments from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. in the room adjacent to the Grace Church sanctuary. Suggested donation $20.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 30: NORTHAMPTON JAZZ WORKSHOP AND SHERYL BAILEY. 7:30 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Sheryl Bailey is a professor at Berklee College of Music and the Collective in New York. Elliot Simon of All about Jazz coined her “a sizzling guitar goddess.” A jam session will follow the main set of the Green Street Trio with Sheryl Bailey. Musicians are encouraged to bring their instruments. $10 cover at the door, $5 for students. (free for jam participants). See full calendar here.
MONDAY MAY 5: SNEAK PEAK: ANCESTRAL BRIDGES NEW LOCATION. 4:30 to 6 p.m., 29A Cottage Street. Take the next step on our journey as we enhance the arts and culture landscape of Amherst, MA, guided by the authenticity and vision that stems from its Black and Afro-Indigenous roots. A new cultural anchor where archives pulse with the vibrant heartbeat of a community. This initiative celebrates an opportunity to honor, share, and uplift narratives that connect us all. Together, we can cultivate a spirit of connection, reciprocity, and support, ensuring that every story becomes a treasured element of our collective experience.
FRIDAY MAY 9: BRUCE HORNSBY & YMUSIC PRESENT BRHYM. 8 p.m., Tillis Performance Hall, Fine Arts Center, UMass. The grand finale to an unparalleled season is Bruce Hornsby with yMusic on May 9. Many have followed Hornsby since the release of his Grammy-winning debut album, The Way It Is, in 1989. Deadheads know him as keyboardist for the Grateful Dead in the early 1990s. Others have joined his following along his journey through twenty-four rock, jazz, blues, and bluegrass albums, thirteen Grammy nominations, and three Grammy wins. Bruce Hornsby, with the chamber music sextet yMusic, brings a performance you simply cannot miss. Tickets $54-$99, Students $19-$34.
SATURDAY MAY 10: POETRY WALK. 10 a.m., Emily Dickinson Museum, On May 10, In honor of the 139th anniversary of the poet’s death, join the Emily Dickinson Museum for the annual Poetry Walk through downtown Amherst, the town she called “paradise.” This year’s Walk celebrates the opening of the newly reconstructed carriage house with stops that explore its significance to Amherst’s cultural landscape and to the poet herself. Take the walk at your own pace, but be sure to head to Dickinson’s grave in West Cemetery in time for the 12 pm final poems and a lemonade toast to our favorite poet! The Walk takes approximately 40 minutes to complete. Participants begin at the Homestead at any time between 10am and 11am to pick up their Poetry Walk map and daisies to lay at the grave. The Walk stations close at 11:45am so that all participants can make it to the final stop at noon in West Cemetery. Free, but advance registration required. Registration for the walk does not include admission to the museum. For museum tickets click here.
WEDNESDAY MAY 14: THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE: YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM. 5 to 7 p.m., Bangs Community Center Room 101 and online. For grades 6-12. The Amherst Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is excited to hold workshops led by Citizens for Juvenile Justice. Free. Refreshments provided. 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 IN APRIL: DROP-IN VACCINE CLINIC. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Amherst Public Health Department, Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Free flu and COVID shots while supplies last. Individuals over 65 are eligible for a COVID booster this spring. Protect yourself and others. Stay healthy! For more information, email publichealth@amherstma.gov or call 413-259-3077.
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: 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.
NOW THROUGH SATURDAY APRIL 26 : PAINTER NANCY MEAGHER – CLOSED AND WIDE OPEN SPACES. Gallery A3, 28 Amity Street 1D, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Gallery Hours are Thursday–Sunday, 2:00–7:00 p.m. More information
NOW THROUGH WEDNESDAY APRIL 30: PAINTINGS BY ELAYNA STURM. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Town Hall Art Gallery, 4 Boltwood Avenue. The public is invited to meet the artist at a free reception in the gallery on Friday, March 7th, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Elayna’s mediums range from murals, visual art, creative writing, and fiber arts to education and coaching. A self-described hopefully curious person, Elayna blends the divine and the mundane to expose overarching patterns in a visual storytelling of interconnectedness. About their art, Elayna says, “Shedding Layers explores both what we can shed to feel lighter and what we can transform to create the lives and worlds we want to be a part of. Venturing to get to the core of what matters, Shedding Layers seeks to cultivate brighter joy and deeper roots.” Elayna resides in Western Massachusetts and has ties to the North Shore of Massachusetts, the Bay Area of California, and the Olympic forests of Washington state.
NOW 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.
NOW THROUGH WEDNESDAY APRIL 30: BE REVOLUTIONARY: UMASS STUDENT SOLIDARITY WITH CENTRAL AMERICA IN THE 1980s: STUDENT CURATED EXHIBIT.9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, Lobby of Bromery Center for the Arts. In the fall of 2024, students in a UMass Amherst graduate history course set out to research, curate and design an exhibit on the history of student activism at UMass Amherst in conjunction with this year’s Feinberg Series, What Are Universities For? Struggles for the Soul of Higher Education. Focusing on anti-imperialist organizing in the 1980s, the exhibit tells the story of how UMass students joined forces with the broader Central America solidarity movements in Massachusetts and across the country to demand the end of U.S. military aid to authoritarian regimes. Titled Be Revolutionary: UMass Student Solidarity with Central America in the 1980s, the exhibit opens on Thursday, April 3 from 12-2pm, with a student-run program featuring remarks by Professor Diana Sierra Becerra and a panel with the curators, followed by dedicated time to reflect on the exhibit through art-making and alter-creation. Student- and community-oriented workshops organized by the UMass Alliance for Community Transformation will be held in the space from 4-6pm. The exhibit will remain on display through April 30 in the Bromery Center for the Arts Lobby. Join us! Openiing Thursday, April 3, 12 to 2 p.m.
NOW THROUGH THURSDAY MAY 8: Daily performances by the UMass Department of Music and Dance. Most are free. Various locations for performances by UMass students and faculty. See here for a complete listing.
NOW 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.
NOW 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.
NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 7: PORTRAITS IN RED: MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE BY NAYANA LAFOND. D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield Museums. In her powerful series of portraits, artist and activist Nayana Lafond sheds light on the crisis affecting Indigenous peoples, particularly women, who are eleven times more likely to go missing than the national average. Each portrait depicts a missing or murdered Indigenous person, a family member, or an advocate, rendered in shades of gray and marked by a vivid red handprint—the only color visible to spirits—to raise awareness, inspire action, and honor the lives and stories of those impacted by this crisis. Lafond, a citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario, graduated from Amherst High School and lives in Western Massachusetts. After studying at the Massachusetts College of Art, she became a full-time painter and has served as a curator and community arts organizer for over twenty years. Visit her website.