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Weekend Outlook: Hikes, Music, and Dances

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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The year is coming to an end so it is time to celebrate new beginnings with these Berkshire County events this weekend including hikes, music, and dances. 

Magician George Saterial

Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield

Award-winning, Boston Based magician George Saterial will be performing at the Berkshire Museum this Saturday, Dec. 31, at 11 a.m.

Watch as he demonstrates magic and illusions for audiences of all ages. Tickets range from $5 to $17 and include museum admission. Children 3 and under are free. More information here.

Earlier New Year's Eve Party 

Italian American Club, Pittsfield 

If you can't stay up till midnight, that's okay. The Italian American Club is having an early party this Saturday, Dec. 31.

Doors open at 4:30 and dinner will be served at 5:30. Then dance to the music performed by the Happy Together Band from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Tickets cost $45 per person. Call 212-1338 or 441-9236 to purchase tickets. 

Weekly Friday Night Jazz 

Methuselah Bar and Lounge, Pittsfield

Recharge with some jazz and drinks at the Methuselah for its last weekly Friday Jazz night from 7 to 10 p.m.

More information here

Sheffield Contra New Year's Eve Dance

Dewey Hall, Sheffield 

Dewey Hall, located at 91 Main Street, will be having a New Year's dance this Saturday, Dec. 31, from 6 to 9 p.m. 

Dance to the music performed by local band Relatively Sound” with Jim Prentice, Jane Prentice, Mike Prentice, and Ren Nickson.

Tickets range from $12 to $35. Email Sheffieldcontra@gmail.com or call 1 (860) 671-0494 for more information. More information here

New Year's Soiree At The Lion's Den

Red Lion Inn, Lenox

The historic Red Lion Inn will be hosting a celebration this Saturday, Dec. 31, at 8:00 p.m. to celebrate the new year. 

The festivities will include music by the Greg Humphreys Electric Trio band. 

Extend the experience with a 2-night stay which will include exclusive access to the cozy Den, a selection of hors d'oeuvres and desserts, and libations with an open bar from 8-1 am. 

It will also include a bottle of prosecco & truffles upon arrival, party favors, and a champagne toast at midnight.

Call (413) 282-5545 for reservations.

NYE dance party with DJ David Dias

Methuselah Bar and Lounge, Pittsfield

The Methuselah Bar and Lounge will be hosting a new year's eve celebration this Saturday, Dec. 31 starting at 9 p.m.

Dance to DJ David Dias tunes until the ball drops at 12 a.m. More information here.

New Year's Eve w/ Whiskey City

Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield

The Colonial Theater will be having a dance party featuring performances by Whiskey City this Saturday, Dec. 31. 

Rows of seats will be removed so attendees can dance. Performers Lindsay Anne Acoustic Music and Hotshot Hillbillies will also be taking the stage. 

The party starts at 9 p.m. Tickets cost $50. The Proprietors Lodge and 101 Restaurant will offer 10 percent off your dinner–food only.

More details on regular tickets and VIP tickets here

First Day Hikes

Mount Greylock Visitor Center, Lanesborough

Bundle up and explore the local wildlife that are housed by the diverse ecosystem at Mount Greylock Reservation on Sunday, Jan. 1. 

The Department of Conservation and Recreation will guide a 2-mile hike in the morning starting at 9:30 a.m. and one in the afternoon at 12:30 p.m. 

Following the 90-minute hike enjoy hot chocolate by the fireplace.

Multiple Days

Hancock Holiday Nights

Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield

The historic village has decorated the farm with light projections, music, live animals, and more for 20 nights through December.

The event will be open Monday through Saturday, Dec. 26 to 31.

Tickets range from $10 to $22, are discounted for members, and are free for children 5 and younger. Additional information and ticket purchases can be found here.

Winterlights 

Naumkeag, Stockbridge 

Celebrate your the year with The Trustees of Reservations' award-winning, immersive holiday light display. 

Berkshire county residents and visitors are able to explore Naumkeag's gardens and estate which have been illuminated by hundreds of thousands of lights. 

The 48-acre grounds will house some of the visitors' favorite installations including Rainbow Road, The Laser Light Forest, and Blue Steps along with new elements to surprise those who have made this part of their holiday traditions. 

As part of a garden restoration project, the site debuted a new path through the orchard designed to improve the terrain. 

Although the path improved the terrain this installation is not for those with mobility concerns. 

There will be no on-site parking at WinterLights this year but parking will be available on both sides of Town Hall at 50 Main St. and a short shuttle will take you to the property. 

The displays will run Wednesdays through Sundays from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. until Jan. 7. 

More information can be found here.

Nightwood

The Mount, Lenox

This weekend is your last chance to see the grounds of Edith Wharton's home decked out with lights and music to provide an immersive experience to its visitors.

The exhibit runs until Jan. 1. Tickets are free for Community Partners and EBT, WIC or ConnectorCare Card holders as part of the museum's NightWood Card to Culture program. Children under 5 are also free. 

Tickets cost $10 for ages 6 to 18 and $22 for adults 19 and older. More information can be found here


Check out our last article here.


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Classical Beat: Enjoy Great Music at Tanglewood, Sevenars Festivals

By Stephen DanknerSpecial to iBerkshires

As Tanglewood enters its fourth week, stellar performances will take center stage in Ozawa Hall and in the Koussevitsky Shed.

Why go? To experience world-class instrumental soloists, such as the stellar piano virtuoso Yuja Wang. Also not to be missed are the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, as well as visiting guest ensembles and BSO and TMC soloists as they perform chamber and orchestral masterworks by iconic composers Purcell, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Wagner, Prokofiev, Richard Strauss, Vaughan Williams and Ives.

In addition to Tanglewood, there are also outstanding performances to be enjoyed at the Sevenars Music Festival in South Worthington. Both venues present great music performed in acoustically resonant venues by marvelous performers.

Read below for the details for concerts from Wednesday, July 17-Tuesday, July 22.

Tanglewood

• Wednesday, July 17, 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall • Recital Series: The phenomenal world-class piano virtuoso Yuja Wang presents a piano recital in Ozawa Hall.

• Thursday July 18, 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall • Recital SeriesLes Arts Florissants, William Christie, Director and Mourad Merzouki, Choreographer presents a performance of Henry Purcell's ‘semi-opera'/Restoration Drama "The Fairy Queen."

• Friday, July 19, 8 p.m. in the Shed: Maestro Dima Slobodeniouk leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a program of Leonard Bernstein (the deeply moving, jazz-tinged Symphony No. 2 ("Age of Anxiety") and Brahms' glorious Symphony No. 3.

• Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m. in the Shed: BSO Maestro Andris Nelsons leads the Orchestra in a concert version of Richard Wagner's thrilling concluding music drama from his "Ring" cycle-tetralogy, "Götterdämmerung." The stellar vocal soloists include sopranos Christine Goerke and Amanda Majeske, tenor Michael Weinius, baritone James Rutherford, bass Morris Robinson and Rhine maidens Diana Newman, Renée Tatum and Annie Rosen.

• Sunday, July 21, 2:30 p.m. in the Shed: Maestro Nelsons leads the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra (TMCO) in a program of Ives (the amazingly evocative "Three Places in New England"), Beethoven (the powerful Piano Concerto No. 3 with soloist Emanuel Ax) and Richard Strauss ("Also sprach Zarathustra" — you'll recognize its iconic "sunrise" opening).

• Tuesday, July 22, 7:00 p.m. in the Shed • Popular Artist Series: Beck, with the Boston Pops, Edwin Outwater, conductor.

For tickets to all Tanglewood events, call 888-266-1200, or go to tanglewood.org.

Sevenars Music Festival

Founded in 1968, Sevenars Concerts, Inc., presents its 56th anniversary season of six summer concerts, held at the Academy in South Worthington, located at 15 Ireland St., just off Route 112.

• Sunday, July 21, at 4 p.m.: Sevenars is delighted to present violist Ron Gorevic, returning to Sevenars after his stunning Bach recital in 2023. This year, Gorevic will offer a groundbreaking program including music of Kenji Bunch, Sal Macchia, Larry Wallach, and Tasia Wu, the latter three composing especially for him. In addition, he'll offer Bach's magnificent Chaconne in D minor and Max Reger's 3rd Suite.

Hailed by The New York Times, Gorevic continues a long and distinguished career as a performer on both violin and viola. Along with solo recitals, he has toured the United States, Germany, Japan, Korea, and Australia, performing most of the quartet repertoire. In London, he gave the British premieres of pieces by Donald Erb and Ned Rorem. He has recorded for Centaur Records as soloist and member of the Prometheus Piano Quartet, and for Koch Records as a member of the Chester String Quartet.

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