What’s Happening In Amherst?

by Art and Maura Keene

It’s summer and things have slowed down around town. 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

FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AUGUST 25-27: AMHERST ROTARY FAIR. Town Common. The Rotary Club of Amherst’s Town Fair returns to the Common on August 25, 26 & 27, 2023. 
Rides, Games and Food! Fun for the whole family! The Amherst Rotary Town Fair is a major fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Amherst which meets the first and third Thursday at 30 Boltwood in Amherst at 12:00. Proceeds from the Fair go to funding scholarships, assisting many local non-profits in the community through grants both large and small and a variety of other good works the Amherst Rotary Club has been known for since 1926.

TUESDAY AUGUST 29: COMMUNITY BREAKFAST. 7:30- a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Student Union Ballroom. UMass. Tix: $12-$14, UMass and the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Community Breakfast. The breakfast will be catered by the award-winning UMass Dining and is an opportunity to reconnect with community and campus leaders, welcome newcomers and see old friends, as we kick off a new academic year in the Amherst area. Contact the Office of External Relations and University Events at 413-577-1101 or events@umass.edu with questions or special requests.

TUESDAY AUGUST 29: FIRST DAY CELEBRATION. 5 to 6:30 p.m. Kendrick Park. Celebrate the start of the 2023-2024 school year with a family event. Meet your principal; visit with our local firefighters, paramedics, and police; learn about our great partners including our PGOs, the Jones Library, MPAC and more; have a free ice cream treat from the ice cream school bus; play with friends on the awesome Kendrick Park playground; and much more!

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 30: VETERANS MONTHLY LUNCH. Noon – 2 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst. 121 North Pleasant Street. Be Heard Veterans, you and your spouse or partner are invited to enjoy lunch Sponsored by Town of Amherst CRESS Department (Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service). Last Wednesday of Every Month. More Details

THURSDAY AUGUST 31: THE AFROSEMITIC EXPERIENCE. The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tix: $ 15 adv. $20 at the door. The Afro-Semitic Experience is an American roots jazz band with a difference. They are a group of Jewish-American and African-American musicians who have been performing, recording, and teaching together for 25 years. Their friendship ignites their passion and purpose: Together, as a band, they merge their musical roots, Jewish and Afro-diasporic melodies and grooves, combining the core concepts of àse and shalom – power, action, unity, and peace. More information. Full schedule of events.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12: REGISTRATION CLOSES FOR THE TOWN‘S ANNUAL HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY. Hazardous Waste Day is Saturday September 23 at the Fort River School. More information

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12: MARIA MULDAUR AT THE DRAKE. 8 p.m. 44 North Pleasant Street. In the 46 years since “Midnight at the Oasis” Maldaur has toured worldwide and has recorded 41 solo albums covering all kinds of American Roots music. In 2019, the Americana Music Association awarded her “The Lifetime Achievement Americana Trailblazer Award.” Tix: $25. More information. Full schedule of events.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15-SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17: AUDITIONS FOR AMHERST COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION OF “SEUSSICAL”. Auditions for the January 2024 musical. Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F44A4AE2EAAF8C52-auditions1#/ . More dates available for those observing Rosh Hashanah. For questions email producer@amherstacts.org or see www.amherstacts.org .

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21: BID BLOCK PARTY. Downtown. More information to follow.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22: AN EVENING OF WORDS AND MUSIC WITH SINGER-SONGWRITER AND AUTHOR STEPHEN KELLOGG. Bowker Auditorium, UMass. 7:30 p.m. Tix: $30. adults, $15 youth and students. Join us for an inspiring performance as Grammy-nominated songwriter Stephen Kellogg ’98 performs songs from his catalog and discusses themes from his book, Objects in the Mirror: Thoughts on a Perfect Life from an Imperfect Person. A UMass alum, Kellogg has been exciting audiences across the country as an acclaimed solo artist and formerly with his band, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers. View Kellogg’s video with the Minuteman Marching Band and make your plans to attend on September 22! More information and purchase tix.

ONGOING AND MULTI-DAY EVENTS
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.

TUESDAYS IN SEPTEMBER: WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS SOLAR FORUM. Free virtual event. You are cordially invited to attend the Western Massachusetts Solar Forum, which will be held virtually in September 2023.  UMass Clean Energy Extension is currently working with members of the Western Massachusetts state delegation (State Senator Jo Comerford and State Representative Mindy Domb), as well as a planning committee of solar photovoltaic (PV) stakeholders and experts, to plan the Forum.  Please join us for a series of online public discussions and information-sharing sessions regarding the opportunities and challenges associated with solar PV development and installation in western Massachusetts. September 5: 12-3 p.m, September 12: 12-4 p.m., September 19: 12-3 p.m., September 26: 12-2:30 p.m. Register at https://web.cvent.com/event/c33d3022-39cf-4aa4-8633-8cf6820bb31a/summary .

FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: MOBILE FOOD PROGRAM. 1-2 p.m. The Boulders, 156 Brittany Manor Drive. Free produce. No registration necessary. Open to everyone. Brought by the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and the Amherst Survival Center. The Food Bank truck will be in the parking lot near apartments 115-125.

LAST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: CRAFT AND CONVERSE. Mill District General Store and Local Art Gallery, 91 Cowls Road. 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Are you tired of creating in solitude? Looking to connect with other artistic individuals? Grab your sketchbook, knitting bag, or water color gear and join our monthly coworking group! Craft and converse, hosted by Easthampton artist Kaia Zimmerman, is held the last Wednesday of every month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. This welcoming, intentional space is designed for community members to come together for a casual, social evening while pursuing their own creative projects. Drop-ins welcome, but registration encouraged for any weather-related changes in schedule. Bring your own arts or crafts project (BYOA) to work on. Ages 16+.

EVERY WEDNESDAY : CAN’T REMEMBER CAFE. Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Are you or a loved one experiencing memory loss? At the Amherst Senior Center, we understand memory changes and have developed a new program based on the popular Memory Café format. The Can’t Remember (CR) Café offers fun, relaxation, and of course, snacks. This program is perfect for caregivers, people with mild memory loss, or anyone in the community who enjoys good conversation and strong coffee. Each Can’t Remember Café opens with a coffee and conversation hour, followed by a group activity. Join us on Wednesday, November 30th for a performance by our special musical guests, “Healing Hearts with Harmony” at 11:00am. Come for the coffee, stay for the connections! Email seniorcenter@amherstma.gov or call 413-259-3060 with questions. 

EVERY THURSDAY: STITCH CIRCLE. 4 to 6 p.m. Mill District Local Art Gallery and General Store, 91 Cowls Road. Grab your needles, venture to the General Store, and join us for our first Stitch Circle. Knitters, quilters, embroidery artists, and crocheters are all invited. Free.

LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH (EXCLUDING JULY) : LAST FRIDAYS AT THE DRAKE POETRY SERIES HOSTED BY LYRICAL FAITH. 44 North Pleasant Street. Join us every last Friday of the month* for Last Fridays at The Drake hosted by Lyrical Faith for an unforgettable open mic and poetry night experience featuring award-winning spoken word artists from across the country. Come through for music, drinks, and artistic expression where poets take center stage to share new work, old work, or any work that helps them get free. Doors and bar open at 5PM. Early arrival is encouraged to get a slot on the sign-up sheet. The cover charge is $5 with a college ID or $10 general admission. More Information. Full Events Calendar at the Drake.

EVERY SATURDAY THROUGH NOVEMBER 18: AMERST FARMERS” MARKET. Amherst Town Common. 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. This year’s market will features 45 vendors (so far) and has room to sign up a few more. More information

SATURDAYS THROUGH AUGUST 19: CRAFTS FOR KIDS AT SIMPLE GIFTS FARM. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Simple Gifts Farm 1089 North Pleasant Street. June 24 is decorating planting pots. Free, but limited to 20 children. Sign up at https://checkout.square.site/buy/NZPOILQLBXAW3RGLJHXQ2GEN

SECOND SATURDAY OF THE MONTH (JUNE THROUGH OCTOBER): ART ON THE LAWN. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Amherst History Museum 67 Amity Street. Art on the Lawn at the Amherst History Museum takes place on the second Saturday of June, July, September and October; June 10, July 8, September 9 and October 14. Artists and crafters will be set up on the lawn of the museum from 11:00am to 3:00pm when the museum is open for visitors. Stop by to visit and chat with the artists. Come into the museum to see our newest exhibit, The Magnificent Life & Art of Mabel Loomis Todd, take a tour of the newly reinstalled rooms in the house, peruse books in the reading room, and view our extensive clothing textile collection. Entry to the museum is free, but a $5 donation is suggested.

THIRD SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH APRIL THROUGH OCTOBER: CARS AND COFFEE AT THE MILL DISTRICT. Hosted by the Mill District General Store, 91 Cowls Road, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. It is free for collectors to display their cars and compete for trophies in four categories: best domestic, best foreign, best exotic, and best overall, based on votes of the public. Plus, there will be coffee from Futura Coffee Roasters which will soon be joining the Mill District. Cars and Coffee will be held rain or shine

NOW THROUGH SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 2: ANNUAL JURIED SHOW AT GALLERY A3.
28 Amity Street 1D. TH-SUN 2-7 p.m. Gallery A3’s 8th Juried Show, undercurrents: Art that Reveals the Underseen,showcases work that illuminates the overlooked and the unknown. More information

NOW through TUESDAY AUGUST 29: FRONT WINDOW GALLERY EXHIBITING THE WORK OF DAN DELISLE. Mill District Local Art Gallery, 91 Cowls Road. M-F. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. SAT-SUN. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
The Mill District Local Art Gallery welcomes Westfield artist and educator, Dan Delisle, to the Front Window Gallery for the month of August. Come appreciate his larger paintings of images that incorporate people and animals within natural settings as well as the frames he constructs from recycled bard board and boards that have washed up on riverbanks. More information

NOW through THURSDAY AUGUST 31: EXHIBIT- DANIEL ELLSBERG, A LIFE IN TRUTH. W.E.B. Dubois Library, UMass, M-F, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The UMass Amherst Libraries host “Daniel Ellsberg: A Life in Truth,” a physical and digital exhibit drawing from activist and truth teller Daniel Ellsberg’s vast collection of documents, photographs, and artifacts. The Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center acquired the collection in 2019. The exhibit is located in two locations in the W. E. B. Du Bois Library until September 2022. It begins on Floor 25 in the Reading Room of the Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center and continues on the Lower Level in the Learning Commons (accessible during regular Library and SCUA hours).The exhibit documents Ellsberg’s 90-year life as an academic, activist, defendant, government contractor, Marine, pianist, Vietnam observer, and whistleblower.  More information

NOW throughout THE SUMMER: THE MAGNIFICENT LIFE & ART OF MABEL LOOMIS TODD. Amherst History Museum, Strong House, 67 Amity Street. The 2023 Season at the Strong House brings a fresh look at our founder, Mabel Loomis Todd with an exhibit that explores Todd’s work as a nature writer, painter, conservationist, lecturer, and the editor of Emily Dickinson’s poetry. Visitors will have the opportunity for a before-and-after look at several of Todd’s botanical paintings that have not been on view in decades due to needed repairs. Open Saturdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and by appointment.

NOW throughout -SUMMER 2023: ANCESTRAL BRIDGES EXHIBITION AT FROST LIBRARY TO CELEBRATE BLACK AND AFRO-INDIGENOUS FAMILIES WHO LIVED AND WORKED IN AMHERST Frost Library at Amherst College, 61 Quadrangle Drive, 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. This exhibition, the first partnership between the Ancestral Bridges Foundation and Amherst College, seeks to center this long-neglected aspect of town history and to reveal the rich and complex lives of the Black and Afro-Indigenous community of Amherst. Our families’ old black-and-white photographs complement oral histories–some yet to be recorded – and other artifacts available locally and at the college. I hope these images and stories raise questions, prompt further research, and challenge us all to meet our collective responsibility to build a more just and equitable future. All are welcome. On view through the summer of 2023. Free.