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 SEPTEMBER 20 TO SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22: AUDITIONS FOR AMHERST COMMUNITY THEATER’S DISNEY’S “NEWSIES”. Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Amherst Community Theater announces auditions for Disney’s Newsies! Directed by Megan Healey, musical direction by Cindy Naughton and choreography by Sue Dresser. Set in turn-of-the century New York City, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy who leads the teenage “newsies” to strike against unfair conditions. Packed with non-stop thrills and a timeless message, Newsies is perfect for every audience. 9 performances in Jan., 2025. Actors, singers, and dancers ages 7-107 encouraged to audition! Auditions Sept. 20–22, callbacks Sept. 23, Bangs Center, Amherst. For audition appointments and more info, including character descriptions, audition music, and readings, visit amherstacts.org/auditions or contact producer@amherstacts.org.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21: AMHERST VOLUNTEER FAIR. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Amherst Town Common, Boltwood Avenue. Ready to plant the seeds of kindness in your community? Curious about how you can lend a hand to support the local organizations that keep Amherst happy and healthy? The Amherst Volunteer Fair is your gateway to a world of opportunities, whether you’re a one-time wonder or a weekly warrior! It takes all skill types and levels to create a thriving community, so why not consider trading some spare time to rejuvenate your sense of fulfilment this year? Let us help you discover your perfect volunteer role and experience the joy of giving back! This event is free and open to all! For more information, please contact Senior Services Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator Julia MacFadzen at macfadzenj@amherstma.gov. There will be opportunities to learn about and meet representatives from:  Amherst Senior Center,  Jones Library, Jones Library ESL Center,  Town of Amherst, Amherst Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,  Amherst Recreation,  Amherst Historical Society and Museum, Amherst Neighbors … and more

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21: VALLEY WINE & SPIRITS FESTIVAL.  1 to 5 p.m., Provisions in the Mill District, Cowls Road. More than 40 wines, spirits and more available for tasting, presented by the folks who make these beverages possible. VIP admission from 1 to 2 p.m. $20. Explore rare, exclusive bottles that will not be available after 2 p.m. Ticket price goes to the Amherst Survival Center. After 2 p.m., admission is free.  Tickets.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26: CONCERT -TERENCE BLANCHARD “FLOW”. 8 p.m., Tillis Performance Hall, UMass. Terence Blanchard is one of the leading lights of modern American music. Blanchard is celebrated as a musician, bandleader, and composer. His work cuts across jazz, new music, opera, and cinematic scoring. He is the winner of eight Grammy awards, and has been nominated for two Oscars. In this performance, Blanchard and his sextet will focus on music from the critically acclaimed 2005 album Flow. On that record, Blanchard, along with many of the band members who will join him on stage, explored themes related to psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s theories on the connections between creativity, a sense of meaning, and happiness. $40 to $70, Students $15 to $20. Tickets.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 28: MOTHER TONGUE BY FIRST GENERATION: STORIES OF CULTURE, STRUGGLE, IDENTITY, AND REVOLUTION. 7 p.m., Bowker Auditorium, UMass. Mother Tongue is an original multilingual physical theater performance created by the Performance Project’s First Generation Ensemble. The piece is inspired by the experiences of First Generation ensemble members, their families and communities who are from Congo/Tanzania, Bhutan/Nepal, South Sudan/Darfur, Holyoke, and Springfield, Massachusetts. The 90-minute performance weaves together movement, music, dance, and stories in Arabic, Swahili, Nepali, and English. The piece incorporates themes of language, culture, identity, diaspora, hypermasculinity, xenophobia, transphobia, racism, the school to prison pipeline and revolution. Appropriate for ages 12 and up. $25, Free for students. More information

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 28: SALSA CON TACOS IN THE PARK. 6 to 9:30 p.m., Mill River Recreation Area, 95 Montague Road. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage month with a free social salsa, Bachata, and Merengue. Crazy Arepas food truck. Free. 

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 29: REWEAVING HOPE WORKSHOP WITH TOOK STORM. 12 to 3 p.m., Local Art Gallery in the Mill District, 91 Cowls Road. Took Storm, a genderqueer, disabled weaver who draws weaving inspirations from having pieced the scraps of their life back together will guide participants through the process of selecting yarn for their tapestry as ways of mapping where they’ve been, where they’re going, and the path that they’re taking to get there. Limited to 10 participants. $40. Includes all materials. Register

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2: PUBLIC FORUM FOR AMHERST COMMUNITY HOMES. 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Zoom. Valley Community Development Corporations invites the public to learn about new, affordable homeownership opportunities coming to Amherst and how they can qualify. After this event you will know: property types available, services to help you strengthen your finances, how to get pre-approved for mortgage, down payment assistance programs, and registration for First Time Homebuyer classes. Register for free here.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 3 : COOKIES AND CONVERSATION. 3 to 4 p.m., Glass Room at Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Bring a mug, bring a friend. Sponsored by Amherst Neighbors.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 5: LONG-DISTANCE 7 SISTERS FALL FOLIAGE HIKE ON THE RANGE. 9 to 1:30 p.m. Notch Visitors Center. Join Kestrel Land Trust and Adventure East for a six. mile east to west on-way trek along the Seven Sisters trail. This is a vigorous hike with some uneven ground and steep terrain. We’ll stop for a picnic lunch along the way. A shuttle will bring us back to our cars. Sliding scale donation. Register here.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 6: SECURING SAFETY: TASHLICH: A JEWISH HIGH HOLIDAY RITUAL. 1 to 3 p.m., Groff Park, 83 Mill Lane. Everyone is welcome (Jews, allies, immigrants, activists, etc.) We will share songs, reflections, and the ritual with an emphasis on what we need to let go of and what we need to create to change the immigration narrative and envision a world in which people are welcomed and recognized for their contributions. Bring snacks to share and small rocks to throw into the river as part of the Tashlich ritual. Sponsored by Jewish Activists for Immigration Justice, Jewish Community of Amherst Tikkun Olam Committee, Congregation B’nai Israel Tikkun Olam Committee. More information,

TUESDAY OCTOBER 10: COOKIES AND CONVERSATION. 3 to 4 p.m., Glass Room at Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Bring a mug, bring a friend. Sponsored by Amherst Neighbors.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 20: CARS AND COFFEE. 8:30 a.m. to noon, Mill District, 91 Cowls Road. Don’t miss the last Cars and Coffee of the 2024 season. Open to everyone. Exhibitors and Spectators alike are welcome! CAR OWNERS: There is no fee to exhibit your car, and pre-registration is NOT required. Aim to arrive by 8:30am for best parking spots. We’ll have our trophy ceremony at 11:45am and the show wraps up at 12 noon sharp. SPECTATORS: Come to the HQ tent and pick up your ballots. Vote for your favorite Domestic, Import, Exotic, and Best Overall. Every complete ballot returned puts you into a drawing for a Mill District Gift Card! Enjoy our expanding array of shops and discover your favorites! 

SUNDAY OCTOBER 27: PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT TO BENEFIT JONES LIBRARY PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES. 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Bay Road MultiSport Center, Hampshire College, 893 West Street. A recreational, friendly, round robin tournament to benefit the Jones Library System’s programs and services. Four sessions intermediate through advanced. Prizes, Raffle, Refreshments. $60 per person Information and Registration at https://www.joneslibrary.org/pickleball .

ONGOING AND MULTI-DAY EVENTS

EVERY MONDAY EXCEPT HOLIDAYS: AUTOHARP WORKSHOPS. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Senior Center, Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Join Marie Hartwell-Walker and autoharp players throughout the country who participate on Zoom. Participants on Zoom also welcome.

FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: COUNCIL ON AGING SENIOR LUNCH. Noon. Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk.

FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH. RAINBOW COFFEE HOUR. 10-11 a.m. Amherst Senior Center, Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. The Rainbow Coffee Hour is a new LGBTIA+ social coffee group for ages 50 and above. Join us for this welcoming space to socialize. No format, no agenda, just community. The July coffee hour will be held on July 11, due to July 4 being the first Tuesday of the month.

FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH (EXCLUDING JULY): NORTHAMPTON JAZZ WORKSHOP. The Drake. 44 North Pleasant Street. 7:30 p.m. Free (donations accepted). Featuring the Green Street trio with a special guest. Featured set at 7:30 followed by an open jam session. Bring your axe. Full calendar of events here.

SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH (EXCLUDING JULY): OPEN MIC NIGHT AT THE DRAKE. 44 North Pleasant Street. Free event. Performers arrive by 5:30 p.m. Stage time: 6 p.m – 10 p.m. All ages. Younger performers will be slotted earler. All performers and styles of performances welcome, including but not limited to: music (of all kinds) – acoustic, folk, rock, hip hop, jazz, classical, etc…comedy, spoken word / readings, poetry, dance, performance art. House rules and more information.

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

EVERY WEDNESDAY: WEEKLY WEDNESDAY MARKET. 10 to 11:30 a.m., Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Since its launch in May 2024, the Wednesday Market has served over 700 community members. The Market is open to all, and there’s no registration and no questions asked. Just come and enjoy. We distribute fresh produce, dairy, prepared food, and delicious treats. 

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

EVERY WEDNESDAY : CAFE. Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Are you or a loved one experiencing memory loss? At the Amherst Senior Center, we understand memory changes and have developed a new program based on the popular Memory Café format. Our Café offers fun, relaxation, and of course, snacks. This program is perfect for caregivers, people with mild memory loss, or anyone in the community who enjoys good conversation and strong coffee. Each Café opens with a coffee and conversation hour, followed by a group activity. Join us on Wednesday, November 30th for a performance by our special musical guests, “Healing Hearts with Harmony” at 11:00am. Come for the coffee, stay for the connections! Email seniorcenter@amherstma.gov or call 413-259-3060 with questions. 

WEDNESDAYS AUGUST 7 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1: SOUND AND VISION MUSIC SERIES AT THE AMHERST CINEMA.  7 p.m., Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street.  It’s summer at Amherst Cinema, which means it’s time to shake a tail feather with Sound & Vision, our summer celebration of music culture through film. Now in its 8th year, the series features documentaries, concert films and narrative storytelling. Enjoy monumental performances on the big screen and explore artists whose music inspired and shaped grassroots culture and history. At select screenings, special guests will introduce the film, sharing their insights about the artists and/or genre. For a schedule, see https://amherstcinema.org/series/sound-and-vision . More information

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 4 THROUGH SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 28: VISUAL/VERBAL: ART EXHIBIT AT THE PALMER LIBRARY.  Palmer Library 1455 North Main Street, Palmer. Artists:Janet W. Winston, Marianne Connolly, Sue Katz, Nancy Meagher, Laura Holland, Rochelle Shicoff

Hours: Monday, 10-5; Tuesday-Thursday, 10-8; Friday-Saturday, 10-2
Reception and Open Mic: Thursday, September 12, 6-8 pm
Online Reading: September 24, 7 pm; pre-register at www.womenofwords.myportfolio.com  
Contact:  connolly.marianne@gmail.com Or laurajholland@gmail.com

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 5 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 28: REBECCA MULLER: WHEN MATTER TALKS BACK. Gallery A3, 2 Amity Street. A mixed media installation by Rebecca Muller, combines inked prints, hand-poured “paper” of acrylic medium, and 3-dimensional assemblages of eroded organic and inorganic material including grit, ground duff, rusted metal, plastic, pigment, caulking cord, bits of wood, and wire. For the first time, she also brings words into the multi-media mix, hanging written vignettes throughout the installation. Gallery Hours: Thursday-Sunday, 2-7:00 pm. Opening Reception: Thursday, September 5, 5-7:00

Dialogue with the Artist: Thursday, September 5, 2-4:30 pm; Friday, September 6, 4:30-7 pm; Friday, September 20, 4:30-7 pm; Friday, September 27, 4:30-7 pm

Artist Forum Online: September 19, 7:30 pm, preregister at www.gallerya3.com Contact: Rebecca Muller, rebmuller@comcast.net

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.

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 FRIDAY IN AUGUST: ROCKS TO ROOTS – GEOLOGY INTERPRETIVE HIKE. Notch Visitors Center, 1500 West Street. 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. Ages 14 and up. Half mile guided hike on challenging trails. Sturdy footwear required. Explore how basalt bedrock makes up the Range supporting an ever changing microclimate where rare plant communities thrive.

SATURDAYS UNTIL OCTOBER 2024: CAMBODIANS IN AMERICA.  Exhibit 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Amherst History Museum, 47 Amity Street. Cambodians in Amherst exhibit: a history of the Khmer community. Telling the 45-year history of Cambodians in Amherst through oral histories, photos, art, and archived footage. On exhibit until October 2024. Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or any other day by appointment.

EVERY SATURDAY UNTIL NOVEMBER: AMHERST FARMERS’ MARKET. 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Amherst Town Common. Widely known as one of the best places for local food, fun, and community. Offering farm to table produce and selections from your local growers and valley producers. Come out for food, music, events, and community offerings in downtown Amherst.

EVERY THIRD SUNDAY FROM APRIL THROUGH OCTOBER: CARS AND COFFEE AT THE MILL DISTRICT. 8:30 to noon, Mill District, 91 Cowls Road. CARS & COFFEE IS OPEN TO EVERYONE – Exhibitors and Spectators alike are welcome! CAR OWNERS: There is no fee to exhibit your car, and pre-registration is NOT required. Aim to arrive by 8:30am for best parking spots. We’ll have our trophy ceremony at 11:45am and the show wraps up at 12 noon sharp. SPECTATORS : Come to the HQ tent and pick up your ballots. Vote for your favorite Domestic, Import, Exotic, and Best Overall. Every complete ballot returned puts you into a drawing for a Mill District Gift Card! Enjoy our expanding array of shops and discover your favorites! Next Cars and Coffee is June 16.

NOW THROUGH FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27: WHEN MATTER TALKS BACK: MIXED MEDIA BY REBECCA MULLER. Gallery A3, 28 Amity Street, 1D. When Matter Talks Back, a mixed media installation by Rebecca Muller, combines inked prints, hand-poured “paper” of acrylic medium, and 3-dimensional assemblages of eroded organic and inorganic material including grit, ground duff, rusted metal, plastic, pigment, caulking cord, bits of wood, and wire. For the first time, she also brings words into the multi-media mix, hanging written vignettes throughout the installation. Dialogues with the artist on Friday, September 20 and Friday, September 27, 4:30 to 7 p.m. The gallery will host an Artist Forum Online on Thursday, September 19 at 7:30 p.m. Preregister at www.gallerya3.com. All events are free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 2 to 7 p.m.

NOW THROUGH THURSDAY OCTOBER 31 PAINTINGS BY GILLIAN HAVEN.  9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, Amherst Town Hall Gallery, 4 Boltwood Avenue. An exhibition of paintings by local artist Gillian Haven is now on view at the Amherst Town Hall Gallery. The artist will be honored at a reception on Friday, September 27th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served, and the Amherst Autoharp Workshop will provide musical accompaniment. Gillian Haven is a prolific painter of the Pioneer Valley’s landscapes, natural landmarks, and rural scenes. Her art is both a personal meditation on the places depicted and a celebration of the place we inhabit. The Gallery is on Amherst Town Hall’s first and second floors, 4 Boltwood Avenue. The exhibition runs through October 31st. 

NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 3: METAFICTION IN ART. Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 West Bay Road. The art in this exhibition contains an extraordinary sense of playfulness and surprise. It comes from metafictive books: those that tell stories about stories and about the art of storytelling itself. Artists experiment with styles, typography, and page design to delightfully disrupt the rules of how books usually work. Guests can enjoy work by 29 artists in a variety of media. They can read books and “remix” story titles on a magnetic bookshelf. Gallery graphics add a sense of surrealism. Open Wednesday through Sunday.