Free Community Day at Hancock Shaker Village

Print Story | Email Story
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Hancock Shaker Village announced its annual Community Day will take place on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 from 11 am to 4 pm. 
 
Admission is free all day for all ages.
 
Activities at the museum on Community Day craft demonstrations of woodworking, blacksmithing, and weaving; interpreter-led tours and Shaker talks; and visits with the barnyard animals. All buildings in the historic village are open for exploration as well as several special exhibitions like Sisters Harvest featuring artists Alyssa Sakina Mumtaz and Maggie Pate, and Bright Passage: An Illuminated Interior by artists Melissa Thorne. 
 
This year the Village will partner with Berkshire Museum in hosting "Muh-he-con-ne-ok: the People of the Water That Are Never Still," one of Berkshire Museum’s Mobile Museum Units. The unit will be on display and staffed by Berkshire Museum staff throughout the day.
 
The accessible, one-mile Farm and Forest Trail, is also open for everyone to explore. A specialized slate of food and beverage offerings will be available in our Café and the Mercantile Store will be open for a curated shopping experience.
 
In addition to free admission for all, Hancock Shaker Village is pleased to make our programs accessible to the Spanish-speaking members of the community with a Spanish language audio tour available through a smartphone app.
 
In support of Community Day, Hancock Shaker Village is collaborating with Mill Town Foundation.
 
"We are excited to partner with Hancock Shaker Village to help open up this cultural site to our local community, free of charge," noted Mill Town Foundation Program Manager, Andy Wrba. 
 
"The Village blends an enriching combination of arts, history, education, and outdoor access that tells a unique part of our region’s history, and we are happy to help share that experience with more members of our community," he added.

Tags: Hancock Shaker Village,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Cannabis Cultivator Plans Dispensary

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD. Mass. — A cannabis cultivator and manufacturer has opted to sell its products on site in Downing Parkway. 

The Zoning Board of Appeals this month approved a special permit for J-B.A.M. Inc. to operate a dispensary out of its existing grow facility. There will only be changes to the interior of 71 Downing Parkway, as there will be less than 500 square feet of retail space in the 20,000-square-foot building. 

"My only concern would be the impact, and really would be traffic, which I don't think is excessive, the odor, if there was one, but that doesn't seem to be an issue, and I think it's a good location for a marijuana facility," board member Thomas Goggins said. 

The company's indoor cultivation site plan was approved in 2019, an amendment to add manufacturing and processing in 2021, and on the prior day, a new site plan to add a retail dispensary was approved by the Community Development Board. 

J-B.A.M. cannabis products are available in local dispensaries. 

The interior of the facility will be divided to accommodate an enclosed check-in area, front entrance, retail lobby, secure storage room, offices, and two bathrooms. There are 27 parking spaces for the facility, which is sufficient for the use. 

No medical or recreational cannabis uses are permitted within 500 feet of a school or daycare, a setback that is met, and the space is within an industrial park at the end of a cul-de-sac. 

"The applicant desires the restructuring of the business to be more competitive in the industry with the ability to grow and sell their own cannabis products so they have more financial stability," Chair Albert Ingegni III, read from the application. 

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories