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Weekend Outlook: Garlic Festival, Fair, and More

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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There are a variety of events this weekend, including a garlic festival, fairs, opera, and more. 
 
See a list of Farmer's Markets here
 
Editor's Pick
 
Garlic Town
Bennington, Vt. 
Time: Saturday, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
 
Bennington is hosting its annual garlic festival this Saturday in celebration of all things garlic and agriculture.
 
Just 20 minutes from North County, the event will feature bands, beer, food trucks, and a curated group of more than 120 vendors.
 
The festival will run in two areas, or "cloves," on Main Street at the old Greenberg's and on Depot Street near Bennington Station. Participants can walk or take a shuttle between cloves. 
 
Tickets are $12; $5 for kids 12 and younger. For more information, visit the website
 
Multiple Days
 
Columbia County Fair
182 Hudson Ave, Chatham, N.Y.
Aug. 28 to Sept. 2
 
The fair returns this week, featuring rides, competitions, food, animals, and agriculture. 
 
The event will have three daily demolition derbies on Thursday and Friday, a monster truck pull, live performances including Grammy-nominated artist Sammy Kershaw, and much more. 
 
General admission is $15 or free for active military personnel, with ID or uniform. More information here
 
Three County Fair
54 Fair St., Northampton
Time: Friday to Sunday
 
The 207th consecutive Agriculture Fair opens Friday at 4 p.m. with rides, exhibits, shows, livestock and more. 
 
Tickets are $10 to $15, children 11 and younger free; discount on advance tickets here
 
 
Friday 
 
Robbins-Zust Family Marionettes
Dotties Coffee Lounge, Pittsfield 
Time: 11 a.m. 
 
The Robbins-Zust Family Marionettes will be performing "Peter and The Wolf." The performances are free and take place on the side patio. More information here
 
Berkshire Opera Festival: Faust
Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington
Time: 7:30 to 10:15 p.m.
 
There will be a performance of Charles Gounod's five-act opera "Faust." The opera tells the story of Dr. Faust selling his soul to the devil to regain his youth, leading to devastating consequences. 
 
Tickets are starting at $20. There are $15 tickets for those 30 and under. More information here
 
Saturday
 
Ice Cream Train Rides
4 Hoosac St., Adams
Time: Saturday-Monday, departure times at 1:30 and 3 p.m.
 
Take a journey on a train and have ice cream. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $15 for children 3 to 13 years of age, and are free for infants and toddlers two and under. 
 
More information here
 
Rusted Chains Performance 
Bounti-Fare, Adams
Time: 8 to 11 p.m.
 
Acoustic band Rusted Chains will be performing a number of bands such as "Nirvana," "Alice In Chains," "Stone Temple Pilots," and more, serving up a tribute to 90’s grunge, alternative rock, and pop rock. 
 
Totally MAD! Artmaking Activities
Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
 
Join the museum for an afternoon of art-making inspired by the magazine MAD every Saturday this summer. 
 
Projects will highlight different aspects of MAD magazine, featuring recurring characters, comic strips, bits, and other highlights of its history through drawings, collages, and more. 
 
This event is free with museum admission. More information here. 
 
More information here
 
Farm-to-Table Dinner Party
444 North St, Pittsfield
Time: 5 to 9 p.m. 
 
Heart & Soil Collective is hosting its first Farm-To-Table Dinner Party to raise funds for delivering fresh produce from local farms to homes in Berkshire County. 
 
The event will feature a dinner menu including a variety of dishes, and tickets are priced at $150 each, which includes a Local Produce Guide and a raffle ticket for a bag of goods from partner farms.
 
More information here
 
The Knights Orchestra
Clark Art Institute, Williamstown
Time: 4 p.m. 
 
To celebrate the Guillaume Lethière exhibition, the orchestra will play a double violin concerto by the artist's contemporary, the Chevalier de Saint-George, plus a new composition by Kyle Sanna.  Held at the reflecting pond; brigh a chair or blanket to sit.
 
Free and open to the public. More information here.

Sunday 

Photography by Matthew Lerman
9 Eagle St., North Adams
Time: 4 p.m. 
 
Opening reception for Matthew Lerman, who will be showing his photography at Gallery North. The exhibit will accompany new work by permanent gallery artists Marilyn Cavallari, Ghetta Hirsch, Sean McCusker, Mallory Rich, and Barbara Patton from Sept. 1 to 30.
 
More information here.
 

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Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.

Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.

We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.

In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.

Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear. 

The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.

"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."

Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.

In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.

The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.

"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.

They are hoping their display carries on the tradition of the Arnold Family Christmas Lights Display that retired in 2022.

The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.

In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.

"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said. 

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