Summer Fun Heats Up in the Berkshires
The libraries across Western MA will host a plethora of free family activities this summer! Scott Jameson will be at the Mason Library in Great Barrington on June 30th with a magic show, followed by a juggling workshop for kids 8yo and older. Find out about this activity an many others happening across Berkshire County.
The kids are out of school, the days are getting warmer, and the kid-friendly activities are in abundance in the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley. And that can only mean one thing: while families embrace the summer season and search for the next adventure around the region, Hilltown Families’ founder and editor-in-chief Sienna Wildfield is working overtime. There is a reason Hilltown Families was voted the Pioneer Valley Advocate’s best blog two years in a row, and Sienna’s it. So as you set out to relax and enjoy all the fantastic events and happenings laid out for you here at Berkshire Family Fun, and on Hilltown Families every day, take a little time to send Sienna a quick note and thank her. Thank you, Sienna!
SUMMERTIME FAVORITES
I know the Berkshires is known for its spectacular fall foliage, and stellar winter skiing opportunities, but my favorite time in the Berkshires is summer. The theaters open, the festival season comes alive, the historic homes and sites awake after a long restful winter, and I have a list of things to do with my kids a mile long.
Though I know I won’t hit them all, I know there are a few activities we aren’t going to miss including — the free Chinese Festival Family Day at the Clark Art Institute scheduled for Sunday, June 24; Tanglewood’s Family Fest set for Friday, June 29; an outdoor concert or two at one of the free series around the county that kick off this month; and Barrington Stage Company’s Youth Theatre production of “Beauty and the Beast” opening July 25 and running through Aug.12 (which will be showing on the Berkshire Museum Stage this year), just to name a few.
THE CLARK IN WILLIAMSTOWN
Every time the Clark schedules a free Family Day I make an internal promise to attend with the kids and my husband, and I have yet to keep that promise to myself. But once again that promise has been made for the upcoming Chinese Street Festival celebration at the museum set for Sunday, June 24, beginning at 11 a.m., and I intend to keep it this time. In celebration of the museum’s “Unearthed” exhibit, the Clark’s campus will be transformed into a traditional Chinese street festival complete with booths featuring fun activities for the whole family. From having one’s future told by an oracle and learning to write one’s name in Chinese characters to a dragon parade and a visit from a real water buffalo, there is plenty to delight the family. Again, the event is FREE! The Clark is located at 225 South St., Williamstown. For more information visit theclark.edu or call 413-458-2303.
TANGLEWOOD IN LENOX
I love Tanglewood and so does my family, which is why we try (operative word here is TRY) to get there once a summer. Unfortunately this doesn’t always happen. But in celebration of Tanglewood’s 75th anniversary season Friday, June 29, will kick off the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays Program, and I hope to be there with my three kids and adorable hubby (yes, I said adorable). From 4 to 7 p.m. families are invited to enjoy the beauty of the Tanglewood campus, and partake in an educational scavenger hunt among other family-related activities, all while enjoying a live musical performance. Bonus: A gift will be awarded to families who complete the scavenger hunt. The event is FREE, but advance registration is recommended. For more information call 413-637-5393 or visit tanglewood.org/familyfunfest.
We are entering into my favorite time of year in the Berkshires. A time when the frozen Berkshire hills that lay semi-dormant this winter turn into a bustling center of activity. People emerge once again from their homes, tourism picks up, theater schedules kick into full gear, outdoor activities are plentiful, Trustees of Reservation properties reopen, and annual festivals return. So once again, grab your calendars, blackberries, iPhones and the like, and get ready to plan you itinerary in the Berkshires for the month of May.
