Berkshire County will be offering a variety of indoor and outdoor events this hot cloudy weekend including museum activities, concerts, fundraising walks, and farmers markets.
Third Thursday
Pittsfield Common, East Street
Third Thursday runs from 5 to 8 p.m. on the Common after a two-year hiatus.
This month's theme is youth and the evening will include entertainment on the mainstage and activities, food and vendors.
The presenting sponsor is General Dynamics Mission Systems, which will offer catapult building using household objects; the Flying Cloud Institute and Berkshire Art and Technology Charter School with also be offering interactive STEAM experiments.
Some highlights will be screen printing of a custom Pittsfield poster with the Blog Bus; crafts and more with Berkshire Macaroni Kid; pottery wheel demos with Jim Horsford; the Berkshire Athenaeum Book Bike; Thistle & Thorn Floral and the Plant Connector.
The Pittsfield High School Orchestra performs at the Foundry, located at 2 Harris St., this Friday at 6 p.m.
The concert is directed by Alla Zernitskaya with solo performances by PHS seniors Leila Paredes and Joseph Weinberg.
The students will be performing a variety of works including major chamber works and pieces from professional and individual artists.
The orchestra has been awarded for most original music selection and has performed in venues including Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood and the David Geffen Hall Stage at Lincoln Center.
Admission for the event is free and seating and bar open at 5 p.m. All guests will be required to wear a mask when they are not eating or drinking and proof of vaccination will be required at the door.
Arlo Guthrie's 'Historic Garbage Trail Walk to Massacree'
The Guthrie Center, Great Barrington
The annual fundraising walk for Huntington's disease that has raised more than $185,000 to support related causes returns in person this Sunday with registration beginning at 8:45 a.m.
The goal is to raise funds for lesser recognized Huntington-related charities, especially newer ones.
Registration is free with a $25 donation option to receive a 2022 HD Walk T-shirt. Registration will be taking place at the Guthrie Center until 9:45 a.m.
After registering, participants will get a ride to Theresa's Stockbridge Cafe, where they will be presented with a free continental breakfast. The walk will begin at 10.
There will be stops along the way with water, refreshments, music and small parties, as well as fingerprinting on a souvenir card at the police station. A light lunch and music will follow at the Old Trinity Church.
For those who are unable to complete the 6-mile course, there will be Volkswagen drivers circulating along the route to drive participants back to the center to await the arrival of the fellow walkers.
Museum of Vintage Trail Bikes, located at 192 Henry Wood Road, will be having an open house this Saturday starting at 11 a.m.
Participants will have the opportunity to see vintage motorcycles, boots, and trophies from races past collected by owner, restorer, and curator Jim Hoellerich.
Hoellerich collection is vast and consists of antique and hard to find motorcycles from a variety of manufacturers.
"Inside are more than 80 antique OSSAs and more than a half-dozen Bultacos, as well as hard to find marquees such as Penton, Dalesman, Yankee and Rokon, brands that are likely unfamiliar to street riders. Just how many bikes Hoellerich has is hard to peg because he's always adding more," Motorcycle Classics wrote in "Destinations: Museum of Vintage Trail Bikes, Cheshire, Massachusetts."
Ghost Tours with Robert Oakes
Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum, Lenox
Author of "Ghosts of the Berkshires" Robert Oakes is leading a tour through the historic estate while sharing stories of the hauntings.
"Stand in the places where the eerie encounters occurred, listen to the first-hand accounts of those who experienced them, and maybe even experience something unusual yourself. This is not an active investigation," Ventfort Hall's website says.
Reservations are required and tickets are non-refundable or exchangeable. Proof of vaccination is also required. Participants must be 12 years or older and cost $27. Tickets can be purchased by calling .413-637-3206. For more information, visit Ventfort Hall's website.
Farmers Markets
Pittsfield Farmers Market
The Common, Pittsfield
Powered by Roots Rising, the market will be open this and every Saturday rain or shine from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. until Oct. 8.
Each week the market will have fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, along with meat, eggs, cheese, baked goods by local vendors. Participants can shop for flowers, and artisan goods while listening to music and participate in family activities.
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Pittsfield Tax Rate May Drop But Bills Rise
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Peter Marchetti has proposed a decrease in the city's tax rate but because of rising property values, the average homeowner will see an annual increase of more than $350.
There will be a tax classification hearing during Tuesday's City Council meeting, which begins at 6 p.m.
For fiscal year 2025, the first-year mayor has put forward a residential tax rate of $17.94 per $1,000 of valuation and a commercial, industrial and personal property tax rate of $37.96 per $1,000 of valuation.
The rates use a residential factor of 0.827103 at a shift of 1.75 to the commercial side.
The $114,615,097 levy limit for fiscal 2025 includes $2,726,686 in new growth, a 4.72 percent increase from the previous year. Pittsfield's real and personal property valuation is $5,270,539,121.
In one year, the average residential property value has increased by $27,377, the median residential property by $22,850, and the median commercial property by $12,750.
The proposed residential rate is 51 cents lower than FY24 and the proposed commercial rate decreased by $1.65. In FY25, the average single-family home is valued at $295,291 for a tax bill of $5,297.52 annually, compared to the average FY24 home valued at $267,914, which paid $4,943.01.
The 7.17 percent increase would shake up to about $30 additional dollars per month for homeowners. The bill hike is less than FY24, which raised annual taxes by $397.82 for the average homeowner.
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